Eating back strength training calories?

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megansprague
megansprague Posts: 57
in Fitness and Exercise
I know MFP doesn't estimate strength training calories b/c it probably wouldn't be accurate. How do you guys eat them back? I've been alternating every other day:
1. cardio (40+ mins on the elliptical + 5 min cool down)
2. cardio (20+ mins on the elliptical + 5 min cool down), strength training (takes me 30+ mins) and 7 min cool down on bike the next day

The strength days are really hard :/ and I'm burning <300 cals during the cardio part. How do you guys do it? Or don't you?

Replies

  • The_Saint
    The_Saint Posts: 358 Member
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    I use a HRM to monitor actual calories for strength. It also helps for effectively watching my HR for short term rest between sets.
  • kanonxbou47
    kanonxbou47 Posts: 265 Member
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    You can enter strength training for cardio...
  • Nomoregut
    Nomoregut Posts: 39
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    I did research online to find out how much calories I burn and added to the exercise log
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
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    Wait, I'm confused. When I enter strength training (under cardio), it gives me calories burned.
  • megansprague
    megansprague Posts: 57
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    You can enter strength training for cardio...

    I saw that in FAQs but it can also be very inaccurate?
  • megansprague
    megansprague Posts: 57
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    I did research online to find out how much calories I burn and added to the exercise log

    Perhaps I will do that. I should probably get a HRM so I eat enough.
  • megansprague
    megansprague Posts: 57
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    Wait, I'm confused. When I enter strength training (under cardio), it gives me calories burned.

    I enter it in Strength Training, not Cardio so I don't get the calories. I was just wondering if people ate them back on their own or trusted MFP when putting them in as Cardio. And a lot of the strength I'm doing are things I don't know the names of so I made up new ones.
  • The_Saint
    The_Saint Posts: 358 Member
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    Yeah I track mine in cardio using my HRM and eat them back. I think my diary is public, if you wanna check it out.
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    You will not get an accurate calorie burn on an HRM during strength training. The exercise is too focused on one body area as opposed to cardio when your whole body is moving. Also, the heart rate goes up during strength training due to the PRESSURE exerted on the heart by strenuous activity. In cardio, your heart rate goes up due to increased FLOW of blood. Your uptake of oxygen also has an effect on calorie burn and it simply isn't as high during strength training as it is in cardio.

    I log my strength workouts under cardio, but I discount the burn by 33%...If I burn 1000 calories on the HRM, I log 666. The general rule of thumb is 30-35% discount on the burn...I split the difference and go 33%....it has worked for me...I am maintaining an average per week weight loss of around 1.8pounds.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    You can enter strength training for cardio...

    I saw that in FAQs but it can also be very inaccurate?
    It's inaccurate if you aren't using a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). I use a HRM so I know exactly how many calories I burned and I enter that into the cardio under the DVD that I did, I'm using Chalean Extreme.
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
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    I just go with whatever it tells me here because, in the past, I wouldn't even count my body pump class as calories burned. I would just starve. Ha ha ha.
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
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    You will not get an accurate calorie burn on an HRM during strength training. The exercise is too focused on one body area as opposed to cardio when your whole body is moving. Also, the heart rate goes up during strength training due to the PRESSURE exerted on the heart by strenuous activity. In cardio, your heart rate goes up due to increased FLOW of blood. Your uptake of oxygen also has an effect on calorie burn and it simply isn't as high during strength training as it is in cardio.

    I log my strength workouts under cardio, but I discount the burn by 33%...If I burn 1000 calories on the HRM, I log 666. The general rule of thumb is 30-35% discount on the burn...I split the difference and go 33%....it has worked for me...I am maintaining an average per week weight loss of around 1.8pounds.

    WTF, Bob?! I lift for an hour and it tells me I burn 242 calories. In the whole hour. I burn 670 an hour doing cardio. Should I reduce the 242 by 33%?! OMG. *cry*
  • The_Saint
    The_Saint Posts: 358 Member
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    You will not get an accurate calorie burn on an HRM during strength training. The exercise is too focused on one body area as opposed to cardio when your whole body is moving. Also, the heart rate goes up during strength training due to the PRESSURE exerted on the heart by strenuous activity. In cardio, your heart rate goes up due to increased FLOW of blood. Your uptake of oxygen also has an effect on calorie burn and it simply isn't as high during strength training as it is in cardio.

    I log my strength workouts under cardio, but I discount the burn by 33%...If I burn 1000 calories on the HRM, I log 666. The general rule of thumb is 30-35% discount on the burn...I split the difference and go 33%....it has worked for me...I am maintaining an average per week weight loss of around 1.8pounds.

    I'm confused by this, are you suggesting my HRM is in accurate as to the calories burned during my strength training?

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/improve_fitness/fitness_crosstraining/FT80
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
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    I set my activity level as sedentary and I log all my exercise calories (strength and cardio) via my heart rate monitor. I eat back my calories. I've never compared my HRM readout to the manual options, but I'm sure there's a discrepancy between the two because 'weight training' or 'circuit training' can mean totally different things depending on your workouts.

    Heart rate monitors are accurate for ANY activity as long as you're in one of the three HR zones. They're not calibrated for calculating calories below 50-55% of your max heart rate, so in that case they'd be inaccurate (this only applies to heart rate monitors you wear for working out, the ones you wear all day, like Bodybugg, work differently).

    FWIW, most people don't exert extreme amounts of pressure during weightlifting unless they've got bad form or they're holding their breath (AKA Valsalva maneuver, which should only be done by professionals, and yes it raises your blood pressure).
  • megansprague
    megansprague Posts: 57
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    You will not get an accurate calorie burn on an HRM during strength training. The exercise is too focused on one body area as opposed to cardio when your whole body is moving. Also, the heart rate goes up during strength training due to the PRESSURE exerted on the heart by strenuous activity. In cardio, your heart rate goes up due to increased FLOW of blood. Your uptake of oxygen also has an effect on calorie burn and it simply isn't as high during strength training as it is in cardio.

    I log my strength workouts under cardio, but I discount the burn by 33%...If I burn 1000 calories on the HRM, I log 666. The general rule of thumb is 30-35% discount on the burn...I split the difference and go 33%....it has worked for me...I am maintaining an average per week weight loss of around 1.8pounds.

    I'm confused by this, are you suggesting my HRM is in accurate as to the calories burned during my strength training?

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/improve_fitness/fitness_crosstraining/FT80

    I'm confused too :( Bob, I was going to go with what you said if I can understand it correctly, but I'm not so sure.
    Overall consensus? Wear a HRM during strength training and, when logging my exercise, log it as cardio but reduce the calories by 33%. Yes?
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    You will not get an accurate calorie burn on an HRM during strength training. The exercise is too focused on one body area as opposed to cardio when your whole body is moving. Also, the heart rate goes up during strength training due to the PRESSURE exerted on the heart by strenuous activity. In cardio, your heart rate goes up due to increased FLOW of blood. Your uptake of oxygen also has an effect on calorie burn and it simply isn't as high during strength training as it is in cardio.

    I log my strength workouts under cardio, but I discount the burn by 33%...If I burn 1000 calories on the HRM, I log 666. The general rule of thumb is 30-35% discount on the burn...I split the difference and go 33%....it has worked for me...I am maintaining an average per week weight loss of around 1.8pounds.

    I'm confused by this, are you suggesting my HRM is in accurate as to the calories burned during my strength training?

    http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/improve_fitness/fitness_crosstraining/FT80

    I'm confused too :( Bob, I was going to go with what you said if I can understand it correctly, but I'm not so sure.
    Overall consensus? Wear a HRM during strength training and, when logging my exercise, log it as cardio but reduce the calories by 33%. Yes?

    I didn't pull this out of my you-know-what...there is a guy on here who is an exercise physiologist that is very knowledgeable on this subject and I trust what he says implicitly. In the simplest of terms, an HRM does not have the proper ability to record an accurate calorie burn with strength training. You are reduced to best guess and the best guess is 2/3 of the burn or 66% of the burn. All I know is it works for me...feel free to choose as you see fit. I am deathly afraid of overeating my exercise calories back and this is my way of ensuring that I do not do that...
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I looked at the Polar link and I did not see any claim on the webpage stating that they can measure an accurate calorie burn during strength training...

    People love to look at their wrist and trust a number that stares back at them...I did my research and decided not to log 100% of the burn and hedge based on feedback from people a hell of a lot smarter than me...
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I'm confused too :( Bob, I was going to go with what you said if I can understand it correctly, but I'm not so sure.
    Overall consensus? Wear a HRM during strength training and, when logging my exercise, log it as cardio but reduce the calories by 33%. Yes?

    Yes, that is what I am saying at least...try it for a few weeks and see what kind of results you get on the scale and with a tape measure from where you are now.
  • kimberlyAjohnson
    kimberlyAjohnson Posts: 136 Member
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    I didn't pull this out of my you-know-what...there is a guy on here who is an exercise physiologist that is very knowledgeable on this subject and I trust what he says implicitly. In the simplest of terms, an HRM does not have the proper ability to record an accurate calorie burn with strength training. You are reduced to best guess and the best guess is 2/3 of the burn or 66% of the burn. All I know is it works for me...feel free to choose as you see fit. I am deathly afraid of overeating my exercise calories back and this is my way of ensuring that I do not do that...

    I think a lot of it depends on what type of strength training you're doing. If you're doing something that involves your whole body, I would think the HRM would be pretty accurate.
  • TAWoody
    TAWoody Posts: 261 Member
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    I only do a bowflex routine for 20 minutes a day maybe 1-3 days a week. I don't bother logging any of them. Don't really burn enough calories to bother. All I know is if I go over my calorie goal a little bit I know I'm still good because of the exercise.

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