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Do You Burn Calories Lifting Weights – Workout Guide

Written by Tab Winner in Weightlifting,Workouts

Ever wondered if pumping iron could melt away those stubborn pounds? Many fitness enthusiasts ask: do you burn calories lifting weights? This guide explores how weight training can change your body and boost your metabolism.

Strength training is popular for a reason. It's not just for building muscle; it's great for burning calories too. On average, you can burn about four calories per minute while lifting weights. But there's more to it.

The total calorie burn depends on your weight, how hard you work out, and the exercises you do. Let's look at some numbers. A 155-pound person can burn around 224 calories in an hour of resistance training. If you weigh 185 pounds, you can burn 266 calories in the same time.

This might surprise you, especially when you think about how weight training affects your metabolism long-term. But here's the really cool part. The calorie burn doesn't stop when you put the weights away.

Thanks to the afterburn effect, also known as EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), your body keeps burning calories for up to 24 hours after a tough workout. This means weight training calorie burn lasts way longer than your gym time.

Key Takeaways

  • Lifting weights burns calories during and after your workout
  • A 155-pound person can burn about 224 calories in an hour of resistance training
  • The afterburn effect can last up to 24 hours post-workout
  • Weight training increases muscle mass, boosting overall metabolic rate
  • Compound lifts like squats and deadlifts are most effective for calorie burning
  • Combining weightlifting with HIIT can maximize calorie and fat burn

Understanding Calorie Burn in Weight Training

Weight training is a great way to burn calories and boost your metabolism. Let's explore how it works and its effects on your body.

What Are Calories and Energy Expenditure

Calories measure the energy your body uses. When you do strength training, your body burns calories to move your muscles and support your body's functions. The number of calories you burn depends on how hard you work out and your weight.

Basic Principles of Caloric Burn During Exercise

Several factors affect how many calories you burn while weightlifting. A 155-pound person might burn about 112 calories in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity weightlifting. If you work out harder, you can almost double that number. Exercises that work many muscles at once, like squats, burn more calories than exercises that only work one muscle, like bicep curls.

Metabolic Impact of Weight Training

Strength training does more than just burn calories during the workout. It can also make your body burn more calories when you're not working out. After nine months of progressive training, your resting metabolic rate might increase by about 5%. This means you'll burn more calories all the time. High-volume training can keep your body burning calories for up to 72 hours after your workout.

Body Weight Calories Burned (30 min moderate) Calories Burned (30 min vigorous)
125 lbs 90 180
155 lbs 112 224
185 lbs 133 266

Knowing these basics can help you make your workouts more effective for burning calories and boosting your metabolism. Remember, being consistent and using proper form are crucial for getting the most out of strength training.

Do You Burn Calories Lifting Weights

How many calories you burn lifting weights depends on several things. We'll look at how many calories you can burn and what affects it.

Average Calorie Burn Per Session

The calories you burn lifting weights change based on your weight and how hard you work. Harvard Medical School says that in 30 minutes of moderate weight lifting:

  • A 125-pound person burns 90 calories
  • A 155-pound person burns 112 calories
  • A 185-pound person burns 133 calories

Doing vigorous weight lifting can make these numbers go up. On average, lifting weights for an hour can burn about 300 calories.

Factors Affecting Calorie Burn

Many things affect how many calories you burn while lifting weights:

  • How hard and long you work out
  • The types of exercises you do
  • How long you rest between sets
  • Your body's makeup

For example, squats burn 35% more calories than leg extensions. Circuit training can also increase calorie burn more than traditional strength training.

Individual Variations in Energy Expenditure

How much energy you use while lifting weights can vary. Age, gender, and fitness level all play a part. Men usually burn more calories because they have more muscle. A 24-week study found that weight training made men's resting metabolism go up by 9% and women's by 4%.

Weightlifting does more than just burn calories during the workout. It can also make your metabolism work better, burning more calories even when you're not working out. This makes weight training a great way to manage your weight and improve your body's shape over time.

Comparing Weight Training vs Cardio for Calorie Burn

weight lifting vs cardio calories

Both weight lifting and cardio are good for burning calories. A light weightlifting workout can burn about 110 calories. On the other hand, a 30-minute cardio session like hiking can burn around 185 calories.

But there's more to the story. Resistance training is a powerhouse for calorie burn. A one-hour intense weightlifting session can burn up to 440 calories, based on your weight. In comparison, moderate bicycling for an hour can burn between 290 and 590 calories.

Activity (1 hour) Calories Burned
Vigorous weightlifting Up to 440
Moderate bicycling 290-590
Hiking 370-740

Cardio might burn more calories right away. But weight training has a special trick. It has an afterburn effect called EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption). This effect keeps your metabolism high for hours after working out. A 2018 study showed that resistance training can boost your Basal Metabolic Rate for up to 48 hours!

The CDC suggests combining both for best results. They recommend 150 minutes of cardio and two strength training sessions a week. This mix maximizes calorie burn and keeps your heart healthy.

Impact of Exercise Intensity on Calorie Burn

Intensity is key when it comes to burning calories with weight training. Yes, you do burn calories lifting weights, but how much depends on several factors.

Light vs Moderate vs Heavy Lifting

The intensity of your workout affects how many calories you burn. A 155-pound person burns about 112 calories in 30 minutes of moderate weight lifting. The same goes for vigorous lifting. The difference is in the afterburn effect and muscle growth.

Rest Periods and Their Effect

Rest periods between sets matter for calorie burn. Shorter rests keep your heart rate up, increasing energy use. Circuit training, with less rest, boosts calorie burn and muscle growth more than traditional strength training.

Training Volume Considerations

Training volume, like sets and reps, affects calorie burn. Lifting lighter weights for more reps can almost double calorie burn. A typical strength workout of 8 to 15 reps across multiple exercises is about 3.5 METs. Explosive squats, on the other hand, rate 5 METs.

Exercise Type METs Calorie Burn (30 min, 155 lb person)
Standard Strength Workout 3.5 112
Explosive Squats 5 160
Vigorous Circuit Training 8 256

It's important to push yourself during workouts for muscle growth and calorie burn. Aim for weights that are 40-60% of your max with 15 to 30 reps for the best results.

Major Compound Exercises and Calorie Expenditure

Compound exercises are great for burning calories. They work big muscle groups, which means more calories burned than smaller exercises. Let's look at some major compound lifts and how they burn calories.

Calories burned strength training during compound exercises

Squats are at the top for calorie burning. A person can burn 15-25 calories per minute doing squats. For someone who weighs 160 pounds, a moderate bench press can burn about 365 calories in an hour.

Deadlifts are also high on the calorie-burning list. An hour of deadlifts can burn 350-450 calories. That's like walking briskly for 45 minutes!

Exercise Calories Burned (60 minutes)
Squats 900-1500
Bench Press 365
Deadlifts 350-450

These calorie counts can change based on body weight, how hard you're working, and your metabolism. A 125-pound person might burn 90 calories in 30 minutes of moderate weightlifting. Meanwhile, a 185-pound person could burn 133 calories in the same time.

To burn more calories, try circuit training or supersets. These methods keep your heart rate up, making your strength workout a calorie-burning machine. Choose weights that let you do 15-30 reps before getting tired. This is the best way to burn calories and build muscle.

Post-Exercise Metabolic Benefits

Strength training boosts your metabolism after working out. The effects of resistance training last long after you leave the gym.

EPOC Effect Explained

Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) is key to understanding calorie burn after exercise. This phenomenon makes your body burn calories for hours after your strength training session. EPOC levels depend on how intense the workout was, with harder workouts causing more afterburn.

Long-term Metabolic Advantages

Calorie burn from resistance training has long-term benefits. Studies show intense strength training can raise your metabolism for up to 48 hours after working out. This extra calorie burn helps with fat loss over time.

Recovery Period Energy Usage

Your body uses energy during recovery. After a tough strength training session, you can burn 15-20% more calories than during the workout. So, if you burned 600 calories during training, you could burn up to 120 extra calories later.

Training Type Afterburn Duration Extra Calorie Burn
Strength Training Up to 48 hours 15-20%
Endurance Training Few hours 0-5%
HIIT Up to 24 hours 6-15%

Doing intense strength training twice a week can burn nearly 9,500 extra calories a year. That's like losing about 1.5 kilograms of body fat!

Optimizing Your Workout for Maximum Calorie Burn

Want to boost your calorie burn while lifting weights? Let's look at some ways to get better results. By changing your workout, you can burn more calories and reach your fitness goals quicker.

Circuit Training Methods

Circuit training is great for burning calories. It involves doing a series of exercises with little rest in between. This keeps your heart rate high, burning fat faster than cardio. You can burn 480-710 calories per hour, depending on your weight.

Superset Strategies

Supersets are two exercises done one after the other without rest. They're perfect for losing weight. They keep your muscles tense and your heart rate up, burning more calories. Try pairing exercises like chest and back for the best results.

Rest Period Manipulation

Shortening rest times between sets can greatly increase calorie burn. Aim for 30-60 seconds of rest. This keeps your metabolism high during and after your workout.

Exercise Type Calories Burned (30 min) Benefits
Circuit Training 240-355 High calorie burn, muscle building
HIIT 300-400 Intense fat burning, afterburn effect
Strength Training 150-200 Muscle gain, long-term metabolism boost

Consistency is crucial. Use these strategies with big exercises like squats and deadlifts. This will help you burn more calories and lose weight through strength training.

Building Muscle While Burning Calories

Many people don't realize how important weight training calorie burn is for fitness. Do you burn calories lifting weights? Yes, you do! Strength training not only burns calories during the workout but also builds lean muscle. This muscle boost keeps your metabolism high even after you leave the gym.

When you do weight training, your body keeps burning calories even after you're done. This is called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). It makes your body burn more calories at rest, helping with calorie burn.

Being consistent is crucial for seeing results. Training three to four times a week for 30 minutes can show changes in just three to four weeks. In a 12 to 16-week program, you could gain 5 to 10 pounds of muscle!

“Strength training not only builds muscle but also contributes to bone density, reduces injury risk, and can even alleviate anxiety.”

To get the most out of weight training calorie burn and muscle building, follow these tips:

  • Lift relatively heavy weights until muscle fatigue
  • Consume adequate protein (0.8 grams per pound of body weight)
  • Reduce calories by 10-15% from maintenance for fat loss
  • Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet
  • Consider creatine supplementation for improved performance and recovery

Building muscle while burning calories is achievable with the right strategy. By combining effective weight training with proper nutrition, you can reach your fitness goals and change your body.

Conclusion

Weight training is a great way to burn calories and change your body shape. It not only burns calories during the workout but also has lasting benefits. This makes it a key part of any weight loss plan.

Cardio might burn more calories during the workout. But, strength training has its own perks. It boosts your metabolism, builds muscle, and keeps your body burning calories even when you're not working out. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest doing strength training at least twice a week, along with cardio.

It's not just about losing weight. Lifting weights helps improve your body's shape, lowers body fat, and builds lean muscle. This leads to a healthier, stronger body that burns calories more efficiently. Start slow, focus on proper form, and increase intensity to get the most out of your workouts.

FAQ

How many calories do you burn lifting weights?

Weight lifting burns about four calories per minute. For a 30-minute workout, you can burn 90-133 calories. This depends on your weight and how hard you work out.

Is weight training effective for weight loss?

Yes, weight training is good for losing weight. It might not burn as many calories as cardio. But, it helps build muscle, which increases your metabolism and burns calories longer.

How does weight training compare to cardio for calorie burn?

Cardio burns more calories per minute than weight training. For example, brisk walking burns six calories per minute. But, combining strength and cardio is better for losing fat. Strength training keeps muscle and burns calories after exercise.

What factors influence calorie burn during weight training?

Several things affect calorie burn during weight training. These include how hard you work out, how long, and the exercises you do. Your body weight and fitness level also play a role. Heavier people usually burn more calories.

Which weight training exercises burn the most calories?

Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses burn more calories. Squats can burn 15-25 calories per minute. Deadlifts can burn 350-450 calories per hour.

Does weight training burn calories after the workout?

Yes, weight training increases calorie burn after the workout. This effect, called EPOC, lasts about an hour. It burns an average of 35 extra calories. High-volume training can extend this effect up to 72 hours, burning about 550 extra calories.

How can I optimize my weight training for maximum calorie burn?

To burn more calories, try circuit training, supersets, and less rest between exercises. Using compound exercises in mini-circuits makes workouts more efficient and burns more calories.

Does weight training increase metabolism?

Yes, weight training can raise your metabolism. A nine-month routine can increase it by about 5%. Building muscle also raises your resting metabolic rate.

How does weight training impact body composition?

Strength training improves body composition by losing fat and gaining muscle. It builds and keeps muscle while burning calories. This leads to a leaner body over time.

Should I combine weight training with cardio for weight loss?

Yes, combining strength training with cardio is best for losing fat and keeping muscle. This mix burns more calories and offers the benefits of both exercises. Remember to eat right, including enough protein.

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Tab Winner

We are fun loving family that lives on a small farm and tries to be healthy. We are not fitness fanatics we are just trying to keep things simple especially with how busy our lives are. We have a few horses, a few dogs, and a young daughter along with a big extended family. Follow us on our journey. I hope you enjoy the website. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Please check back for updates!

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