How to estimate calories burned during weight lifting?

satxtrap
satxtrap Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read that HRM's are not very good at tracking calorie burn when doing weights. I don't have a BodyFit or Bodybugg type of monitor. Are there ways to get reasonable calorie burn estimates when lifting? It's a cloudy area in my daily tracking. I found this site which lists a bazillion sports including weightlifting (general and vigorous). Anyone ever use it? http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

Thanks!

Replies

  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I figure 100cals per 20mins.

    Hard to tell though.
  • nothing1994
    nothing1994 Posts: 1,936 Member
    I was thinking about this too! Bump
  • Maurice1966
    Maurice1966 Posts: 419 Member
    Under cardio exercises search for strength training. It will approximate for you
  • classic_1
    classic_1 Posts: 147
    Its tough bc ur body is still burning a nice amount calories for a long time after the workout...u can only get a extremely rough estimate
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Go by what MFP gives but take it with a heavy grain of salt. The exertion and drain in strength training is very dependent on what you are doing. Doing 1 set of 5 dead lifts leaves me damn near spent, but of course not the same with other lifts.
  • shicken684
    shicken684 Posts: 36
    Under cardio exercises search for strength training. It will approximate for you

    This is what I use. Sometimes I feel it's a tad low, but if it is then I guess I got some bonus in.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Its tough bc ur body is still burning a nice amount calories for a long time after the workout...u can only get a extremely rough estimate

    This too.
  • satxtrap
    satxtrap Posts: 120 Member
    Under cardio exercises search for strength training. It will approximate for you

    Ah. Hadn't thought to do a search for that there. I'll try that for a while.
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
    Fitness Partner: Activity Calorie Calculator www.primusweb.com/cgi-bin/fpc/actcalc.pl. For myself I average the light and heavy to arrive at moderate exertion weight lifting.:indifferent:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I've read that HRM's are not very good at tracking calorie burn when doing weights. I don't have a BodyFit or Bodybugg type of monitor. Are there ways to get reasonable calorie burn estimates when lifting? It's a cloudy area in my daily tracking. I found this site which lists a bazillion sports including weightlifting (general and vigorous). Anyone ever use it? http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

    I've used a Garmin on a enough weight lifting workouts to get a good idea. This is Garmin using Firstbeat that takes account of anaerobic and of course you don't get the calorie burn for it during the session.

    So my workout for these sessions was the following to see if close enough for you.
    180 lbs.
    2 sets x 8-10 reps or failure.
    1 min rest in-between sets, about 2-3 min in-between different lifts.
    The HR during the lifts just varied depending on size of muscle being worked.

    200-300 cal/hr

    This was a whole lot less than Polar estimated, but more correct as you commented on. Anaerobic high HR is not near the calorie burn of that high HR being used aerobically.
  • alexveksler
    alexveksler Posts: 409 Member
    I've read that HRM's are not very good at tracking calorie burn when doing weights. I don't have a BodyFit or Bodybugg type of monitor. Are there ways to get reasonable calorie burn estimates when lifting? It's a cloudy area in my daily tracking. I found this site which lists a bazillion sports including weightlifting (general and vigorous). Anyone ever use it? http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

    Thanks!

    This site was pretty decent: http://caloriecount.about.com/activities-sports-ac15
  • satxtrap
    satxtrap Posts: 120 Member
    Great info. I think I'll take my Garmin to the gym tonight and compare the results against the resources and observations provided. :glasses:
  • chikkenlikken
    chikkenlikken Posts: 24 Member
    I used to weight train in the past, so I can only speak from my own experience. But I do know this: Weight training burns a BUTTLOAD of calories! Weight training will burn more than cardio, IMHO. Weightlifting IS aerobic! If anyone doesn't believe it, try squatting your max! Much better aerobic workout than any treadmill can give you!

    But I digress...I know that didn't answer your question. I just went off on a tangent!...:smile: Sorry, that's one of my soapboxes!
  • Saan100
    Saan100 Posts: 1
    Here's a general rule:

    (Body Weight X Time) X Intensity = Calories burned

    Light weight training burns approx .030 calories per pound of body weight per minute of exercise.
    Strength training with free weights = .040
    Circuit Training = .042
    Heavy Body Building = .055

    To calculate calories burned, multiply your body weight by minutes of exercise. Then multiply the number by the level of intensity. That is how many calories you have burned.

    Again, this is just a general rule. It doesnt take into account the calories that continue to be burned after exercise is finished. But its a good rule of thumb to start with.
  • Motown_Girl
    Motown_Girl Posts: 2 Member
    Does anyone know why My Fitness Pal doesn't calculate the calories burned for weight lifting? It lets you keep track of what you do, but it doesn't show any calorie expenditure.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Does anyone know why My Fitness Pal doesn't calculate the calories burned for weight lifting? It lets you keep track of what you do, but it doesn't show any calorie expenditure.

    Because it's listed under Cardio - Strength Training already.

    And yes, that seems low, which indeed it is.
  • majorgear
    majorgear Posts: 5 Member
    satxtrap wrote: »
    Great info. I think I'll take my Garmin to the gym tonight and compare the results against the resources and observations provided. :glasses:

    A Garmin what ? I’d love to have a device that can give at least a good estimate of calories burned lifting weights. Share your knowledge!

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,755 Member
    majorgear wrote: »
    satxtrap wrote: »
    Great info. I think I'll take my Garmin to the gym tonight and compare the results against the resources and observations provided. :glasses:

    A Garmin what ? I’d love to have a device that can give at least a good estimate of calories burned lifting weights. Share your knowledge!

    This is a decade old post. The OP hasn't been active on the app since 2017.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,176 Member
    majorgear wrote: »
    satxtrap wrote: »
    Great info. I think I'll take my Garmin to the gym tonight and compare the results against the resources and observations provided. :glasses:

    A Garmin what ? I’d love to have a device that can give at least a good estimate of calories burned lifting weights. Share your knowledge!

    Yup, old thread.

    I have a Garmin - not as old as 2012-13 ;). Vivoactive 4. It will estimate strength training calories. There's nothing magical about it.

    I'm honestly not sure how this model of Garmin does it, but some of the smarter fitness tracker manufacturers are IMU using a METS-based estimate for strength training.

    Guess what? If add the exercise in the MFP Cardiovascular section using "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)", you get a similar METS-based estimate. There are some theoretical issues with how MFP implemented METS-based estimates, but this specific one uses a conservative enough METS value that I personally don't worry about it, and do use it. It should be close enough.

    That's for regular reps/sets workouts - log the whole clock time, including normal short between-set rests. (Obviously if you take a long break to chat or something, don't include those breaks in your time.) For faster-paced lower weight stuff, you could consider one of the "Circuit training" options.

    I admittedly rarely do the specific things that tend to distort heart rate estimates of strength training. Usually, my Garmin estimate ends up within the same ballpark as the MFP one. 🤷‍♀️
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,212 Member
    edited June 2023
    The numbers will be all over the place and trying to figure it is like throwing darts at a dartboard. To be safe, a 30-45 minute weight session is about 200 to 300 calories however much depends on the intensity. Slightly less if you're just in there doinking around and a bit more if you're doing compound movements with good intensity.

    As far as EPOC (post workout calorie burning) it's generally overstated so don't figure that in as it only burns around 12-15% of calories burned during the workout so burning 200 calories would only be about 30 calories more. It's like figuring you calorie intake, you don't use TEF in your calculations

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