Don't get calories to "eat back" after lifting

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kjerstenkipp
kjerstenkipp Posts: 139 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,
I have a question...when I enter my cardio I see how many calories I burned...why doesn't it show the calories I burned lifting?

Replies

  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    MFP can only estimate calories for exercises measured in 'time' rather than sets and reps - if you go under the cardiovascular category and search 'strength training' and input the time you spent lifting weights, it will give you an estimate of the calories that you may have burned and will add them onto your calorie goal for the day. :-)
  • Daydreams406
    Daydreams406 Posts: 249 Member
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    I was wondering this myself today after I just did weight and was sweating like I just went running.
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/91-doesn-t-strength-training-burn-calories-why-don-t-you-show-any-calories-burned-for-strength-training
    Doesn't strength training burn calories? Why don't you show any calories burned for strength training?

    Estimating the calories burned from strength training is very difficult because it depends on a variety of factors: how much weight you lifted per repetition, how vigorously you performed that exercise, how much rest you took between sets, etc. Because of this, we do not automatically calculate how many calories you burned from strength training exercises.

    However, if you'd like, you can add "Strength training" as a cardio exercise to get a rough estimate of how many calories you burned. Please be aware though that this is definitely a rough estimate and can be fairly inaccurate.
  • Myslissa
    Myslissa Posts: 760 Member
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    Hi all,
    I have a question...when I enter my cardio I see how many calories I burned...why doesn't it show the calories I burned lifting?

    In the cardio type in Strength Training.
  • Meliklotz
    Meliklotz Posts: 66 Member
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    honestly...get a HRM asap because the calculations on here are off anyways. When you have a good (polar is what I have now) monitor you program it you specifically so you get an accurate reading on cal's burned, heart rate, progress, etc...
  • krissypea79
    krissypea79 Posts: 362 Member
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    I would get a heart rate monitor, but be very modest when logging the amount it says, or eating all your calories back. Lifting is different in terms of calories burned than cardio is, and your HRM doesn't know the difference. I do log it though, because my heart rate gets up there, and I sweat! Yesterday after starting a new lifting program ("The New Rules of Lifting for Women") my heart rate was in the 150's-160's for almost the entire 33 minutes, and I "burned" 175 calories! Of course when eating them back, it might be safer to eat 50-75% back instead of 100%, just because the HRM is not necessarily the most accurate measure when lifting - too many variables. I am sure there are people who will choose to log exactly what it says they burned, however I'd rather underestimate a little.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,383 Member
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    I would get a heart rate monitor, but be very modest when logging the amount it says, or eating all your calories back. Lifting is different in terms of calories burned than cardio is, and your HRM doesn't know the difference. I do log it though, because my heart rate gets up there, and I sweat! Yesterday after starting a new lifting program ("The New Rules of Lifting for Women") my heart rate was in the 150's-160's for almost the entire 33 minutes, and I "burned" 175 calories! Of course when eating them back, it might be safer to eat 50-75% back instead of 100%, just because the HRM is not necessarily the most accurate measure when lifting - too many variables. I am sure there are people who will choose to log exactly what it says they burned, however I'd rather underestimate a little.

    I hear the BodyMedia Fit armband is better at estimating weight training calories - it does not use your heartrate in it's calculations, it uses movement, body heat, perspiration etc. Might be worth looking into.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I weight train 3 days a week 90 min sessions but I do not log lifting calories burned, just cardio calories but that is just me...
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    I weight train 3 days a week 90 min sessions but I do not log lifting calories burned, just cardio calories but that is just me...

    I do not log any calories burned while strength training either. It's just too hard to calculate, even with a HRM.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Even a heart rate monitor won't help because the heart rate increase due to stress and sudden exertion does not correspond with calories burned.
  • kjerstenkipp
    kjerstenkipp Posts: 139 Member
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    Thanks everyone! My conclusion...I will just log my runs and chalk the weight training up to "good living" :-)

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