Are you calculating calories burned in strength training?

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alyssamiller77
alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How many of you are calculating and logging calories burned from strength training? I've tried to find information on this topic and it's very hard to come by. Currently, I've been using MFP's "Strength Training" category in the cardio section to log an estimate. However for various reasons (which I won't get into unless you're really interested) I think it may be calculating a bit low. For 30 minutes of high intensity -- read body building style sets -- weight lifting it estimates about 115 calories burned.

I found one suggested equation that uses a multiplier of .055 for high intensity strength training multiplied by body weight and number of minutes to come up with an estimate. In that case for 30 minutes it comes to 275 cals burned. An online calculator I found suggested by another poster came up with a total of 163 cals for 30 minutes.

Ultimately this is important to me because I'm trying to find my true TDEE before exercise. I've been working on a calorie cycling program in an effort to build some mass and have been having a hard time finding the right net calorie goal. I'm sure MFP's estimates both for this exercise and for my maintenance calories are probably causing me some of that trouble. I've been working through slowly increasing my calorie intake to find the spot where I actually start gaining weight, but even then when I do find it, I'd like to know how much of that is exercise calories versus my normal sedentary TDEE.

Replies

  • blazergrad
    blazergrad Posts: 603 Member
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    Definitely interested in hearing what others have to say about this because I too feel that the MFP estimates may be a bit on the low side ... whereas the calories burned indicated by my HRM are too high.
  • kdchick99
    kdchick99 Posts: 104 Member
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    I use my HRM for when I lift and do my strength training. Mainly because I try to keep my heart rate up during lifting too, to increase the muscle burn rate too. If you learn anything else keep us posted!
  • DaniellePF
    DaniellePF Posts: 308 Member
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    Where did you get that equation? I might try it if its reliable. I was looking at it last night and I am having a hard time with the accuracy of the calories burned while strength training. For example, my 60 minutes of strength training equated to the same as 20 minutes on the elliptical? Can't be right. When I do my strength training I am doing squats with heavy barbells on my back, ect.
    Its also not taking into account the size of the weight, speed and effort level.
  • kristilovescake
    kristilovescake Posts: 669 Member
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    I don’t have an answer, but something else to think about is to take into account your rest time between sets and walking between machines/weights. I’m not sure how or if the multiplier takes this into account or not.

    I’m curious, so looking forward to seeing what others say.
  • DaniellePF
    DaniellePF Posts: 308 Member
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    I found one suggested equation that uses a multiplier of .055 for high intensity strength training multiplied by body weight and number of minutes to come up with an estimate. In that case for 30 minutes it comes to 275 cals burned. An online calculator I found suggested by another poster came up with a total of 163 cals for 30 minutes.

    Okay I just tried this and I got 481.8, which to me seems more likely than the 159 MFP gives me.............
  • patricac
    patricac Posts: 255 Member
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    bump
  • Soccer_Chick
    Soccer_Chick Posts: 204 Member
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    I'm with kdchick. I wear my HRM anytime I train/work-out. I use the data straight off the HRM.
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
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    Here's a link to the article I found. They give several multipliers based on level of intensity and they do to some extent account for rest between sets.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/338469-how-to-calculate-calories-burned-weight-lifting/

    Now to be fair, I do expect weight lifting to be significantly lower than cardio. I mean, I do keep my hear racing but I also have the rest time between sets and the lifting activity itself uses few muscles than the compound motion of just about any cardio exercise. However, the very small number of calories that MFP gives when I'm doing a pretty high intensity strength training session just seems unreliable.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I went to a different site and calculated calories burned from strength training. It told me about 200 for a half hour. I just go with that.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    I use my heart rate monitor. I do fast circuit-style training with heavy weights mixed in with cardio-style body weight work (walking lunges, step-ups with curls, etc). I don't take significant breaks and when I do, it's usually while walking to what I need to do next.

    Still - I'm not comfortable eating backing my exercise calories burned in strength training because I know my HRM wasn't designed to estimate calories burned doing anything but steady-state cardio.

    ETA: I tried the calculation on the Livestrong article linked above. The circuit training multiplier estimates calories quite closely to what my HRM displays after an hour of strength training.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    I log my strength training by # of reps, but I don't count the calories burned.

    Just out of curiosity today I restarted my HRM before I started my sit up and push up routine for the day. It said I burned almost as many calories during 30 minutes of strength training (2 minute rests between sets) as I burned during 30 minutes of running at an average of 6 mph. I'm sure it does count for some good higher intensity exercise intervals, but I'd rather not risk over estimating my calories burned.
  • MissMaggie3
    MissMaggie3 Posts: 2,464 Member
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    I'm resurrecting an older thread here.

    All along I've been using my HRM to estimate burn from strength training, but I now KNOW it's wrong! I've been doing more and more strength training and I'm finding myself much more hungry than before. I also seem to be losing a bit of weight, even though I have my calorie intake set at maintenance (I always eat all my exercise calories, by the way). The only thing that's different is the increase in strength training, so the HRM must be wrong.

    I'm going to start using one of the calculators referred to here. Has anybody found anything else helpful since this thread started?
  • kdchick99
    kdchick99 Posts: 104 Member
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    I think I will use this formula tonight and see the difference between my HRM and the number I get from the formula.

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