I’ve been doing strength training regularly and I’m curious about how many calories I’m actually burning during my weightlifting sessions. Does it compare to cardio in terms of calorie burn, or is the metabolic benefit more about the afterburn effect and building muscle? I’m trying to figure out if I should adjust my eating on workout days versus rest days based on my weight training.
Calories burned during lifting depends on factors like weight, intensity, type of lifts, etc. But overall, it’s usually less than cardio during the workout. The burn benefit comes post-workout, muscle repair uses energy and increase metabolism. Basically, eat enough to fuel your lifts and recovery, but don’t think you gotta eat tons more on workout days just 'cause you lifted.
Calorie burn during strength training can depend on various factors like your weight, intensity of your workout & the type of strength exercises you’re doing. Typically, it won’t burn as many calories as cardio during the workout itself, but it does have a significant afterburn effect, burning calories for hours after the workout. Additionally, building more muscle boosts your metabolic rate, so you’ll burn more calories even at rest.
It’s generally a good idea to eat a little more on workout days than rest days, especially complex carbohydrates and proteins, to fuel your workouts and aid recovery. But the exact amount can vary depending on the length and intensity of your workouts and your individual calorie needs.
May I ask what your overall goals are (e.g. muscle gain, fat loss, maintaining current weight)? Also, can you provide more information on the intensity and frequency of your workouts? This information could help me give you a more accurate advice.
Hey, I had the same question a while back! In the beginning, I found it hard to believe that lifting weights could burn as many calories as a cardio workout. But like, once I started looking into it, I found it’s not just about the calories you burn during the workout, but also the calories you burn AFTER the workout (the afterburn effect), you know? Plus, more muscle mass = a faster metabolism, so that’s cool. About adjusting your diet though, I usually eat more on workout days 'cause ngl, I get hella hungry after a good lift, lol. But your body, your decision, do what’s right for you.
Hey! It’s true that weightlifting burns less calories during the actual session compared to cardio, but it does boost your metabolism for longer after you’re done. So you’re burning more throughout the day. I wouldn’t stress too much about eating more on workout days. Just try to listen to your body - it’ll let you know if you need more fuel!