Do crunches burn calories?

MomOfJoey
MomOfJoey Posts: 58
edited December 16 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I'm new here. I just started my fitness program this month, so I'm new to this (lost 4 pounds so far!). Daily I do 40 minutes of cardio plus 100 abdominal exercises (crunches, reverse crunches, leg lifts, etc) I notice on MFP there is no assignment of calories burned for ab strengthening exercises. Is that because it doesn't burn a significant enough amount of calories, or because it's hard to tabulate? Do people count those exercises as burning calories or not? What about the arm exercises I am doing (curling 5 lbs, that kind of thing)? I am on a 1200 calorie a day diet + 300 burned in cardio, so every calorie matters to me.

Thanks!

Replies

  • debbiemccaffrey
    debbiemccaffrey Posts: 20
    bump
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    I'd say log them as calisthenics if this site has that header.

    Oh and anything that isn't being stationary is going to burn calories. Whether it's worth logging may be a different question. I'd say light calisthenics would probably fit, depending on your intensity.
  • Missi3601
    Missi3601 Posts: 264
    I've been doing circuit training since joinging the gym- along with crunches and what not- this does pull up under the cardio search if that helps.... Good luck!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    The database for exercise isn't very large, so you aren't going to find everything. You can add your own exercises if you can't find it. It does have sit-ups though.
  • MomOfJoey
    MomOfJoey Posts: 58
    They are quite vigorous but I do them quickly to keep my heart rate up, so it only lasts about 5 minutes. According to the database, 5 minutes of "calisthenics" are worth 43 calories. I guess that's a lot for so short a time. I do not want to over-log exercise calories and use that as excuse to eat more when I shouldn't. However, I have to say, I am quite hungry sometimes, esp after working out.
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
    I log it under strength training, calisthenics, or i think there are even sit ups and crunches. it does burn, but not a huge amount like cardio or anything.

    i use a hrm, and i think for me, 20 mins of straight strength and calisthenics burns 60-80 cals (i am weak), 20 mins of strength/cardio circuit burns 140, and 20mins of light cardio (brisk walking with a few mins running... i can't manage more than that) burns 150.
  • NateDad
    NateDad Posts: 55
    They definitely do burn calories. How many is tough to calculate. The two most important factors (other than time) are impossible to calculate - your fitness, and how hard you're pushing yourself. The best advice I have is to get a heart rate monitor... it'll let you know how exactly how much you're burning for any exercise. I've found that I actually burn more calories when I'm doing pushups and pullups than I do when I'm doing cardio - probably because I'm pushing myself more.

    You can get a polar FT4 on Amazon for $66. I love mine, it was worth every penny.
  • gloria581
    gloria581 Posts: 50 Member
    I do an abs class twice a week. It is 40 minutes long with 30 solid minutes of intense abs training. My abs are killing me the entire time and I am very sore for days. The instructor really pushes us to do our best. I use a heart rate monitor and I average 200 calories for those 40 minutes.
  • NicoleSchimmel
    NicoleSchimmel Posts: 162 Member
    Hi there!

    I wondered the same thing when I started, and I still think it's odd that MFP doesn't calculate calories lost doing strenth training. Even though I know any type of exercise (including strenth training) will burn calories, I didn't add those calories. It was just easier for me to not add them.

    I recommend purchasing a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), if you haven't done so. This will be a more accurate representative of how many calories you burned, through strength training or cardio. I have a Mio HRM, but I know quite a few people that have a Polar. There are numerous threads of the pros/cons of HRM on here.

    Good luck!
  • Patty65rdh
    Patty65rdh Posts: 1 Member
    I always wondered about that also, I can never find anything when I search for it, thanks for the possibility of using callasthenics, does anyone know if the fitbit one monitors heart rate? Thnaks
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