Tracking Calories Burned with Resistance Bands

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estherdragonbat
estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
edited February 2017 in Fitness and Exercise
Apologies if this has been asked recently.

Up to now, I've mostly been concentrating on eating at a deficit and cardio. I'm 44, female, 5'3" and 221 lbs (down from 254) with a goal weight of around 140, give or take. (I plan to discuss with my doctor as I get closer to that goal, since 140 is around the upper limit for my height, near as I can tell).

I've been checking out various threads in these forums and realizing that I should also be incorporating strength training into my routine. I walked into a fitness store today and the clerk suggested resistance bands. I believe that it was something like these: https://www.amazon.ca/Ivation-Resistance-Band-Set-Detachable/dp/B01259SJCE/ref=sr_1_14?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1486330091&sr=1-14.

I haven't bought them yet, I'm still researching. However, when I go looking in MFPs exercise list, I don't see anything quite like them. Probably because there are a number of exercises I can do with them and it depends. Does anyone else use them? And how do you track?

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  • tcozadoh
    tcozadoh Posts: 5 Member
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    I use them. Bodylastics. I bought them on ebay.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Thanks! How do you know how many calories you're burning?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,976 Member
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    How many minutes total are you planning to do this? I wouldn't use this as an exercise that burned many calories...maybe 40 calories for 20 minutes?
  • tcozadoh
    tcozadoh Posts: 5 Member
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    I just find similar free weight and machine exercises and use them for my inputs.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    It really doesn't burn much. I wouldn't count it personally. It will help you retain some muscle as you lose though if your exercises get progressively more difficult.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    How many minutes total are you planning to do this? I wouldn't use this as an exercise that burned many calories...maybe 40 calories for 20 minutes?

    I'm really not sure. I'm just getting started.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    It really doesn't burn much. I wouldn't count it personally. It will help you retain some muscle as you lose though if your exercises get progressively more difficult.

    Thanks!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    It really doesn't burn much. I wouldn't count it personally. It will help you retain some muscle as you lose though if your exercises get progressively more difficult.

    Thanks!

    You should still do it though!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    Planning to!
  • Fallfrenzy
    Fallfrenzy Posts: 118 Member
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    Generally strength training does not burn many calories. You can make up new exercises under the strength training section under the exercise tab.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    If you get some circuit training going with them you could burn a bit though.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    I log it as strength training, but reduce the calories burned down to 5 or 10.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    I use something like those. They tell well and don't take much room to store when I'm not using them. With a little bit of cleverness or google, you can use them like free weights.

    They don't burn many calories. That's not why you should do them. Muscle is a use it or lose it kind of thing, and these will help you keep what you've got while you lose weight. You'll look and feel better at the end of your journey for this.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
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    If you can take your heart rate you can get a close estimate of your calorie burn
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.shtml

    Shape sense has a number of calculators for other exercises as well free
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    barryplumber wrote: »
    If you can take your heart rate you can get a close estimate of your calorie burn
    http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/heart-rate-based-calorie-burn-calculator.shtml

    Shape sense has a number of calculators for other exercises as well free

    Heart rate is not an accurate measure for calorie burns for strength training.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    I use something like those. They tell well and don't take much room to store when I'm not using them. With a little bit of cleverness or google, you can use them like free weights.

    They don't burn many calories. That's not why you should do them. Muscle is a use it or lose it kind of thing, and these will help you keep what you've got while you lose weight. You'll look and feel better at the end of your journey for this.

    Got it! And I think I'm going to get these. I'm a freelance editor with very sporadic work, so joining a gym isn't financially something I'm ready to take on at the moment. I don't drive; I've been getting my cardio from long walks and a couple of sessions on a ski machine each week. And I was not looking forward to the thought of walking home carrying free weights!

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