How do you track your strength training?

Hey everyone,

How do you guys track your calories burned when lifting weights? I want to add it to me exercise but it just says n/a for calories burned.

Answers

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,848 Member
    Cardio -> Strength Training, enter total time for session. That's a good enough estimate. I enter slightly lower, preferring a more conservative entry in my diary for exercise calories.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,630 Member
    And realize that's time for the entire session. If you spend one hour in the weight room, that's one hour recorded. Don't worry about trying to determine exactly how much time you spend lifting compared to the time spent resting between sets. Just make it easy on yourself. If you want to record 45 minutes rather than the full hour as Retroguy2000 suggests, that's doable to give yourself a little leeway, especially if you're trying to lose weight.
  • Jknip9484
    Jknip9484 Posts: 22 Member
    I have been creating workout routines. Entering every movement performed, weight used , reps completed, number of sets and duration it took me to complete the routine. MFP has been calculating the calories burned. Not sure how accurate it is but that’s what I’ve been doing. And I follow a (4) week program at a time soo it’s just a matter of clicking on the pre-planned program each time ( for four weeks anyway until I change up the specific movements) hope this helps. Good luck on your journey
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
    I track everything on my Apple Watch and enter once a day on MFP as Apple Calories. This simplified logging exercise. Wish I could find a similar method for food....
  • FibroHiker
    FibroHiker Posts: 398 Member
    I track it as a whole strength training session. I turn my fitbit tracker to weights, start the session,and then turn it off when I'm done. I find that I don't burn as much overall in one session as cardio but that's not the point.
  • Leo_King84
    Leo_King84 Posts: 246 Member
    When I'm trying to lose weight I don't really track calories in workouts. I set my daily allowance to maintainance then I know whatever exercise I do will bring me into calorie deficit.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    I have been creating workout routines. Entering every movement performed, weight used , reps completed, number of sets and duration it took me to complete the routine. MFP has been calculating the calories burned. Not sure how accurate it is but that’s what I’ve been doing. And I follow a (4) week program at a time soo it’s just a matter of clicking on the pre-planned program each time ( for four weeks anyway until I change up the specific movements) hope this helps. Good luck on your journey

    I hear what you're saying about the structure being useful.

    I haven't tried it lately, but played with it a little when they first added the "Workout Routine" feature. I felt like it was materially over-estimating calories at that time. If you're doing mostly strength exercises, you might compare the calories you get if you use the "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)" entry in the MFP cardiovascular section.

    It certainly may have been improved since I tried it.
  • Jknip9484
    Jknip9484 Posts: 22 Member
    It seems to be close enough to a Fitbit I wear as well as when I use the tonal machine because it takes into account my current weight, the total amount of weight moved after entering all the specific movements, weights used for each, reps and sets and the time it takes me to complete it. So …for me it’s close enough.