how does lifting weight with dumbbells affect my calorie intake ?

Hi all
So I decided to make a change last couple of days

It has been 3 days since I am eating 1800 calories/day , and I find it super easy. I am not "religiously" counting calories because my dinner usually consists of complex traditional food that I don't even know what does it contain, but I am trying as much as I can to estimate.

Anyway, I bought some dumbbells, and I want to lift weight at home using them. I know that's nothing compared to going to the gym and doing compound exercise to all muscles. However, I guess this is better nothing. In addition I am not going to lift massive weights because I remember I wasn't good at lifting weight when I was fit .( The weights that I bought as a beginning are two 10 kg dumbbells and two 15 Kg dumbbells ) I searched on youtube and found many routines that use dumbbells only, so I am going to follow them.

So my question is that , Do I have to adjust my daily required calorie intake that MFP calculator counts? If yes, how can I calculate my adjusted required calories?

Thank you.
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Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I don't even account for weight lifting in my calories.
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    I don't even account for weight lifting in my calories.

    So weight lifting has no effect on net calories needed/day ?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    A good heavy with moderate intensity session of an hour is about 300-350 calories burned. Not eating calories back on that, would hardly be an issue unless you're already set at 1200 calories minimum.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    It doesn't really affect your calorie intake significantly as far as I know, unless you are lifting pretty heavy and spending lots of time doing it (example: ninerbuff's routine).
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    edited June 2016
    Bump
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I wouldn't call it that, but I'd imagine it's because it helps ensure that most of your weight loss is fat, while helping keep as much of your muscle mass as possible. Without strength training, your lean tissue loss is likely to be considerably more than without.
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I think the idea is that over time - lots of time, like a year or more - you build up your muscle mass. That muscle contributes a lot to your burning more calories every day. It raises your BMR. Again, it takes a long time and a ton of effort to put on enough muscle to see this.

    But each individual weightlifting workout doesn't burn many calories at all.
    The most I ever log is when I do a combo weightlifting-cardio workout, then I'll log about 100 calories for a half an hour. Otherwise, if it's just like seated or standing lifts, I don't count it towards my daily calorie burn. I'm too worried about overestimating.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Lifting prevents muscle loss during dieting so that you don't end up actually decreasing the amount you burn. If you actually build muscle, you can increase the amount you burn daily. Using small weights though, you'll just maintain your muscle mass and increase strength a bit. It takes lifting heavy to build more of it. I mean it's worth doing, it simply has a different function in your fitness plan than being a calorie furnace.
  • ElJefePerron
    ElJefePerron Posts: 88 Member
    With those dumbbell, you can do a lot of circuit training activities that have an after workout burn; that is, your body burns calories at a higher rate for a period of time after the session is done.

    But there is no way I know of to quantify those numbers
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I don't know that anyone does call it that. If they do, I've never heard it. You'd have to ask the person who said it.

    It's not that weight lifting doesn't burn calories. Any activity burns calories. Being alive burns calories. I have a set goal of lifting at least 10,000 pounds total at every session, and when you're a 5'3 woman moving five tons of iron an hour three or four times a week places certain energy demands on your body. The problem is that there's no effective way to figure out exactly how many calories are burned because there are just too many variables - body weight and composition, type of exercise, length of rest periods, how close you're working to your max effort, and so on and so forth.
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    khh1138 wrote: »
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I think the idea is that over time - lots of time, like a year or more - you build up your muscle mass. That muscle contributes a lot to your burning more calories every day. It raises your BMR. Again, it takes a long time and a ton of effort to put on enough muscle to see this.

    But each individual weightlifting workout doesn't burn many calories at all.
    The most I ever log is when I do a combo weightlifting-cardio workout, then I'll log about 100 calories for a half an hour. Otherwise, if it's just like seated or standing lifts, I don't count it towards my daily calorie burn. I'm too worried about overestimating.

    Can someone build muscles while he is on calorie deficit ? I always hear that you should be on a surplus to build muscles.
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    gothchiq wrote: »
    Lifting prevents muscle loss during dieting so that you don't end up actually decreasing the amount you burn. If you actually build muscle, you can increase the amount you burn daily. Using small weights though, you'll just maintain your muscle mass and increase strength a bit. It takes lifting heavy to build more of it. I mean it's worth doing, it simply has a different function in your fitness plan than being a calorie furnace.

    same question as above , Can someone build muscles while he is on calorie deficit ? I always hear that you should be on a surplus to build muscles.
  • delgrand
    delgrand Posts: 108 Member
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I don't know that anyone does call it that. If they do, I've never heard it. You'd have to ask the person who said it.

    It's not that weight lifting doesn't burn calories. Any activity burns calories. Being alive burns calories. I have a set goal of lifting at least 10,000 pounds total at every session, and when you're a 5'3 woman moving five tons of iron an hour three or four times a week places certain energy demands on your body. The problem is that there's no effective way to figure out exactly how many calories are burned because there are just too many variables - body weight and composition, type of exercise, length of rest periods, how close you're working to your max effort, and so on and so forth.

    That was my argument. I can't imagine that weight lifting will not consume any calories!

    After weight lifting you will feel tired, and hungry, so you have to eat. That means if weight lifting does not burn calories, then you will eat more than the number of calories that MFP says you should eat.
  • journalistjen
    journalistjen Posts: 265 Member
    Yes--you can build muscle on a calorie deficit as long as it is not an extreme deficit. If you track your macros and are getting the recommended macros for your body and your goals, then you can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. When you are on a deficit, your performance is likely to be a little less than if you were on a surplus, but that only comes into play if you plan to lift heavy or compete.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    Lifting prevents muscle loss during dieting so that you don't end up actually decreasing the amount you burn. If you actually build muscle, you can increase the amount you burn daily. Using small weights though, you'll just maintain your muscle mass and increase strength a bit. It takes lifting heavy to build more of it. I mean it's worth doing, it simply has a different function in your fitness plan than being a calorie furnace.

    same question as above , Can someone build muscles while he is on calorie deficit ? I always hear that you should be on a surplus to build muscles.

    Yes, but it depends on a variety of factors.
  • angpowers
    angpowers Posts: 83 Member
    Perhaps you should stick to your 1800 cals for a week or two WHILE doing this new routine of lifting. If you are losing too quickly, then up your cals to 1850 or 1900. If you aren't losing, then you have your answer.

    It sounds like your not 100% set with what routines you'll be doing, when, etc?
    Meaning, you might not be as vigorous as some.

    I do account weight-lifting into my cals. Usually I am lifting at a cardio pace. A lot of times people have quite a bit of down time between reps and what muscle group they are doing.

    But like I said, lifting is not a magically weight loss tool, but very effective and EXTREMELY effective in body recomposition ... so try it for a week or two and see how you feel. Then tweak.
  • angpowers
    angpowers Posts: 83 Member
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    who calls it that?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    Aside from newbie gains, how is one going to gain weight while in a deficit?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    Aside from newbie gains, how is one going to gain weight while in a deficit?

    http://shreddedbyscience.com/can-you-gain-weight-in-a-calorie-deficit/
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    No you cannot. Maybe if you are a complete beginner. It goes against the law of thermodynamics.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    Aside from newbie gains, how is one going to gain weight while in a deficit?

    http://shreddedbyscience.com/can-you-gain-weight-in-a-calorie-deficit/

    Thanks for the link. It's firewall blocked for me, but I will check it out later.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    dhimaan wrote: »
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    No you cannot. Maybe if you are a complete beginner. It goes against the law of thermodynamics.

    Strong contradicting sentence.

    No you can't, but yes you can.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    dhimaan wrote: »
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    No you cannot. Maybe if you are a complete beginner. It goes against the law of thermodynamics.

    So much wrong here.

    1) As LolBroScience mentioned above - you've contradicted yourself;
    2) There are 4 laws of thermodynamics (if you consider the zeroth law) - not the law of thermodynamics;
    3) I'm going to assume you meant the 1st law, which deals with the conservation of energy? OK, there's no breaking of that law here. It's easier in a surplus, but as long as enough energy is available, and the raw materials are present, then it can be done.


    Can you build muscle while in a deficit? Yes, but I generally wouldn't count on it. If you do, great! If not, then be glad that you (hopefully) kept most of your lean mass.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
    delgrand wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    delgrand wrote: »
    I am surprised to be honest . I read somewhere that weight lifting is the "master of weight loss"

    If it does not burn calories, then why is it called " the master of weight loss"?

    I don't know that anyone does call it that. If they do, I've never heard it. You'd have to ask the person who said it.

    It's not that weight lifting doesn't burn calories. Any activity burns calories. Being alive burns calories. I have a set goal of lifting at least 10,000 pounds total at every session, and when you're a 5'3 woman moving five tons of iron an hour three or four times a week places certain energy demands on your body. The problem is that there's no effective way to figure out exactly how many calories are burned because there are just too many variables - body weight and composition, type of exercise, length of rest periods, how close you're working to your max effort, and so on and so forth.

    That was my argument. I can't imagine that weight lifting will not consume any calories!

    After weight lifting you will feel tired, and hungry, so you have to eat. That means if weight lifting does not burn calories, then you will eat more than the number of calories that MFP says you should eat.

    Well... no.

    First, lifting may or may not make you hungry. It doesn't make me hungry.

    Second, just because you feel hungry doesn't mean you have to eat. If it's not mealtime, just live with it for a while.

    Third, even if you go straight home from lifting and make dinner, or even a snack, it doesn't mean you'll go over your calorie limit. The process of not going over your calorie limit is exactly the same whether you lift weights or not.
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    dhimaan wrote: »
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    No you cannot. Maybe if you are a complete beginner. It goes against the law of thermodynamics.

    Strong contradicting sentence.

    No you can't, but yes you can.

    I said 'maybe'. It does not mean a definite yes. Your logic is very strong.

  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    edited June 2016
    @TR0berts Can you build muscle while in a deficit? Yes

    Yes it should be assumed it is the first law. Why would I be talking about anything relating to entropy or disorder? I do not need to be pedantic in a random internet forum. Thankfully you are to fill my void. If you believe you can build muscle in a deficit good for you. I am not going to argue with you. Not worth my time.

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    dhimaan wrote: »
    dhimaan wrote: »
    angpowers wrote: »
    And yes, you can build muscle on a deficit -- eat your macros -- get plenty of protein, stay hydrated, rest well and you will gain muscle

    No you cannot. Maybe if you are a complete beginner. It goes against the law of thermodynamics.

    Strong contradicting sentence.

    No you can't, but yes you can.

    I said 'maybe'. It does not mean a definite yes. Your logic is very strong.

    Read your first sentence.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    dhimaan wrote: »
    @TR0berts Can you build muscle while in a deficit? Yes

    Yes it should be assumed it is the first law. Why would I be talking about anything relating to entropy or disorder? I do not need to be pedantic in a random internet forum. Thankfully you are to fill my void. If you believe you can build muscle in a deficit good for you. I am not going to argue with you. Not worth my time.

    While not optimal compared to being in a surplus, there are cited studies where trained athletes have done so, as well as those that are "retraining". Circumstances outside of "newbie gains".

    So... You're wrong either way.