Calories Burned Lifting Weights: Calculator, Health Benefits, Tips

If you're looking to add weight lifting to your fitness routine, you might be curious about its calorie-burning potential. We’ll cover how to calculate the calories you burn, the health benefits of strength training, and tips on how lifting weights can help you reach your weight loss goals.

The number of calories you burn while lifting weights can vary quite a bit. Generally, you can expect to burn somewhere between 3 and 10 calories per minute or 180 and 660 calories per hour during a low-to-moderate intensity session. This estimate is based on continuous effort and doesn't account for rest periods between sets or changes in intensity. The actual amount you burn depends on several factors, including your body weight, the intensity of your workout, and the duration of your lifting session.

The number of calories you burn is directly tied to the energy you use during an activity. Think about the intensity of your weight lifting. At a light intensity, you’re not pushing your body very hard and you're able to carry on a normal conversation. At a moderate intensity, your heart rate is elevated and you're breathing harder, but you can still talk. When you ramp up to a vigorous or high intensity, your breathing becomes so deep and rapid that it’s difficult to speak more than a few words.

Calories Burned Lifting Weights at a Light Intensity

*Estimates based on a MET value of 3.5 and the equation: calories burned = minutes x (METs x 3.5 x weight in kg)/200

Calories Burned Lifting Weights at a Moderate Intensity

*Estimates based on a MET value of 5.0 and the equation: calories burned = minutes x (METs x 3.5 x weight in kg)/200

Calories Burned Lifting Weights at a Vigorous Intensity

*Estimates based on a MET value of 6.0 and the equation: calories burned = minutes x (METs x 3.5 x weight in kg)/200

For a more accurate calculation of the calories you burn lifting weights, you’ll need to consider your workout's intensity and duration. The intensity of your workout can be measured in metabolic equivalents (METs). A MET represents the amount of energy your body uses during physical activity.

One MET represents the amount of energy your body uses at rest (your basal metabolic rate). If you engage in an activity with a MET value of 3, it means you’re exerting three times as much energy as you would if you were resting.

You can use the MET value of your workout, along with your weight and the duration of your activity, to calculate how many calories you burned lifting weights.

The formula is as follows:

Total Calories Burned = Duration (in minutes) x (METs x 3.5 x weight in kg)/200

*MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.

How Lifting Weights Compares to Other Forms of Exercise

If you're looking for other ways to build strength or burn calories, here's how some other popular exercises compare.

*MET values from the Conditioning Exercise – Compendium of Physical Activities.

Weight

Your body weight plays a significant role in how many calories you burn. Simply put, it takes more energy to move a heavier body. Heavier individuals generally expend more calories during a workout..

Duration

The longer your workout, the more calories you'll burn. There's a direct relationship between time and energy burned, so doubling your workout time can double your calorie expenditure. These estimates assume you're maintaining a consistent effort throughout your session, without factoring in rest periods or changes in intensity.

Intensity

The intensity of your workout is a major factor in how many calories you burn. Calorie burn rises with exercise intensity, and higher intensity workouts are associated with greater energy expenditure. Just as it takes more energy to move a heavier body, lifting heavier weights at a higher intensity demands more from your system.

When you think about exercise for weight loss, cardio might be the first thing that comes to mind, but lifting weights can also be a key part of a comprehensive plan. These exercises help you build muscle, which plays an important role in raising your resting metabolic rate. When combined with a mindful approach to your diet, this can help create the calorie deficit needed for effective weight management.

Calorie Deficit Calculator

A calorie deficit is simply when you burn more calories than you take in through food and drink. Sustaining this deficit over time causes your body to use stored fat for energy, which leads to weight loss.

Want to know how many calories you should be eating to hit your weight loss goals? 

→Find out with the Hers Calorie Deficit Calculator.

To get the most out of your weight lifting routine, you can incorporate a few strategies to boost your calorie burn and improve your overall health. Gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts is a great way to challenge your body and keep making progress. Pairing your strength training with other forms of exercise, like cardio, can also create a well-rounded fitness plan for better health.

Tips To Burn More Calories Lifting Weights

• Up the intensity: Gradually increasing the amount of weight you lift or the number of repetitions you perform can significantly boost your calorie burn. Research shows that energy cost rises with exercise intensity.

• Choose compound exercises: Focus on movements that work multiple large muscle groups at once, like squats and bench presses. These exercises require more energy to perform, leading to a higher calorie burn than isolation exercises.

• Add in some cardio: Combining your weight lifting with aerobic exercise can lead to greater benefits for weight loss and fitness. Try adding a brisk walk or a short session on the elliptical to your routine.

• Increase your workout duration: Consistently performing exercise for longer periods is more likely to contribute to weight loss and maintenance. Listen to your body and gradually extend your sessions as you get stronger.

Incorporating Other Forms of Exercise

To get even more out of your workouts, consider pairing strength training with other types of exercise like aerobic activities or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Studies show that a combined exercise program can lead to greater reductions in body weight and fat than doing strength training alone.

Adding a mix of cardio like running or cycling, and other strength exercises like lunges or push-ups, to your weekly schedule can boost your weight loss progress. For a time-efficient option, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is particularly effective for improving body composition.

Healthy Eating

While lifting weights burns calories, pairing it with healthy eating is key for weight loss. This means consistently burning more calories than you consume. Aiming to lose one to two pounds a week is a healthy and sustainable goal, which often means creating a deficit of about 500 calories per day.

You can achieve this by planning your meals and making simple swaps. Try adding more vegetables to your sandwich instead of extra cheese, choosing fruit over chips, or steaming your veggies instead of frying them. Don't forget about drinks — swapping sugary beverages for water can also make a big difference in your daily calorie intake.

Lifting weights offers a wealth of health benefits that go far beyond just burning calories. Lifting weights benefits include:

• Better bone health: Regular strength training promotes bone development, which can lead to a 1 to 3 percent increase in bone mineral density.

• Enhanced cardiovascular health: Lifting weights can help your heart by reducing resting blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels.

• Injury prevention: By increasing the strength of your muscles and tendons, weight training can reduce your risk of injury.

• Improved cognitive function: Resistance training can sharpen your mental skills and even boost your self-esteem.

Lifting weights can burn a significant number of calories, but the exact amount depends on several key factors. Your body weight, workout intensity, and the duration of your session all play a role in your total energy expenditure. For effective weight loss, combining your strength training routine with a healthy diet to create a consistent calorie deficit is essential.

How do you calculate calories burned lifting weights?

You can estimate the calories you burn by using a formula that accounts for your body weight, workout duration, and exercise intensity. The formula is: 

• Total calories burned = duration (in minutes) x (METs x 3.5 x weight in kg)/200 

• This formula uses a metabolic equivalent (MET) value, which changes depending on whether you're doing vigorous weight lifting or lighter resistance exercises

• General weight training has a MET value of 3.5.

How do you burn more calories lifting weights?

To burn more calories, you can increase the weight you're lifting or focus on exercises that work large muscle groups. Since calorie burn rises with exercise intensity, gradually increasing the weight you lift is an effective strategy.

What burns more calories, cardio or weights?

It depends on the workout. Both cardio and weight lifting can burn a substantial number of calories. Your calorie burn will vary based on the specific type of activity and its intensity, but generally a vigorous cardio session will burn more calories than weight lifting.