How many calories do you burn lifting weights, really?

Weight lifting does not torch calories as fast as running, but for men it can reshape how many calories you burn all day. Here is how many calories lifting weights burns, how it compares to cardio, and how to program your training for real fat loss.

The relationship

Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions that keep you alive and moving. For men, most daily calorie burn comes from just staying alive, not from workouts. Weight lifting still matters, but you need a clear picture of weight lifting and calories burned if you are trying to lose fat without sacrificing muscle.

So, how many calories does lifting weights burn for a typical man? Data from Harvard Medical School’s exercise tables suggest that 30 minutes of “general” moderate-intensity weight training burns about 112 calories for a 155‑pound man and around 133 calories for a 185‑pound man. Turn up the intensity with heavier loads, shorter rests, or circuits and those same men may burn roughly 223 and 266 calories in 30 minutes of vigorous lifting.

In research terms, moderate weight training usually lands around 3–6 METs, or metabolic equivalents. One MET is the energy you use at rest. Activities at 3–6 METs roughly triple to sextuple your resting energy use during that time.^[1] Vigorous resistance circuits can exceed 6 METs, similar to a moderate jog.^[1]

The headline: on a minute-by-minute basis, traditional weight lifting burns fewer calories than running or hard cycling. But it does burn a meaningful amount, especially for larger men, and it triggers changes in muscle and metabolism that can boost your 24‑hour calorie burn and protect lean mass while you diet.^[2],[3]

How it works

To understand weight lifting and calories burned in men, you need to look beyond the number flashing on your watch. Lifting changes energy use during the set, after the workout, and over months as your body adds or preserves muscle.

Immediate energy cost during the workout

During a lifting session, your body uses stored carbohydrates (glycogen), some fat, and a small amount of creatine phosphate to fuel muscle contractions. Studies that directly measure oxygen use and lactate during resistance exercise show that a typical full-body session in trained men burns roughly 200–400 calories in 45–60 minutes, depending on body weight, exercises, and rest intervals.^,[2]

Shorter rest periods, more sets, and multi-joint lifts like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows drive higher energy use than light isolation work with long rests. Circuit-style resistance training with minimal rest can approach or exceed 8 METs, which rivals steady-state jogging in calorie cost for that same time window.^[1]

Afterburn: excess post-exercise oxygen consumption

Excess post‑exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is the extra oxygen and calories your body uses after a workout to restore normal function. It includes refilling energy stores, clearing lactate, and repairing muscle tissue.

In men, a heavy resistance workout can raise calorie burn for up to 24–48 hours, but the absolute size of this “afterburn” is modest. Controlled lab studies show that EPOC after a tough lifting session usually adds about 5–15 percent to the calories burned during the workout itself.^[2] A 300‑calorie session may yield an extra 15–45 calories afterward—not hundreds.

Muscle mass, resting metabolic rate, and testosterone

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the energy your body uses at rest to keep organs, brain, and basic functions running. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat, so men with more lean mass usually have a higher RMR.^[3]

Meta-analyses show that well-designed resistance training in men can increase lean body mass by 1–3 kilograms over several months, while slightly raising or preserving RMR, even during calorie restriction.^[3],[4] The bump in daily resting calories is real but modest, often on the order of 30–70 calories per day for typical strength gains.

Testosterone, the main male sex hormone, supports muscle building, fat distribution, and energy. Meta-analyses indicate that symptomatic men with total testosterone below about 350 ng/dL (≈12 nmol/L) and free testosterone below roughly 100 pg/mL (≈10 ng/dL) are most likely to benefit from testosterone replacement therapy when lifestyle alone is not enough. Low testosterone can blunt strength gains and make it harder to maintain muscle and RMR while cutting calories.

Non-exercise activity and training style

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is all the calorie burn from movement that is not formal exercise: walking at work, fidgeting, taking the stairs. Men often unconsciously move less after a brutal gym session, which can cancel out part of the workout’s calorie burn.

On the flip side, men who lift regularly often accumulate more daily movement because they feel better and are more physically capable. Training styles that combine lifting with short cardio bursts or active rest (for example, push-ups between sets of squats) can increase total session calories while still building strength.

Cardio vs. lifting for fat loss in men

Randomized trials comparing aerobic training, resistance training, and a combination of both in men show that pure cardio usually burns more calories and reduces total body weight faster, while resistance training preserves or increases lean mass and improves strength.^[4] The most effective strategy for long-term fat loss and metabolic health in men is often a mix of both, with lifting protecting muscle and cardio adding extra calorie burn and heart benefits.^[3],[5]

Conditions linked to it

How many calories lifting weights burns is not just a vanity question. For men, it ties directly into conditions that affect lifespan and quality of life.

• Obesity and visceral fat: Visceral fat is the deep belly fat that wraps organs and drives inflammation. Resistance training in men reduces waist circumference and visceral fat even when the scale does not move much, especially when combined with diet changes.^[3],[4]
• Metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol, and abdominal obesity. Guidelines for men with or at risk for type 2 diabetes consistently recommend at least two days per week of resistance training to improve blood sugar control and body composition.^[5]
• Sarcopenia and age-related decline: Sarcopenia is age-related loss of muscle and strength. In men, it is linked to lower RMR, higher fat gain, worse balance, and greater risk of falls and fractures. Regular weight lifting slows or reverses sarcopenia, making it easier to control body fat into your 50s, 60s, and beyond.^[3]
• Low testosterone and hypogonadism: Hypogonadism is clinically low testosterone with symptoms like low sex drive, low mood, and poor strength. Extra body fat and inactivity lower testosterone, while strength training and fat loss tend to nudge levels upward or improve how your body uses testosterone.

Limitations note: Most trials measure average responses. Individual men vary widely in how many calories they burn from lifting and how much muscle they gain from the same program. Genetics, sleep, diet, stress, medications, and hormone levels all matter.

Symptoms and signals

If you are lifting but not seeing fat loss, or if health risks are creeping up, your body will usually give you warning signs that your approach to weight lifting and calories burned needs a reset.

• Your waistline is not shrinking even though you lift several days a week.
• Your body weight is creeping up, or not dropping as expected, despite “killing it” in the gym.
• You feel entitled to large “reward” meals after lifting because you assume the workout torched hundreds of calories.
• Your hunger spikes on lifting days and you find yourself overshooting your calorie target.
• Strength gains have stalled for months, or your working weights are dropping.
• You notice more belly fat, low libido, fewer or weaker morning erections, and low energy, which can signal low testosterone or overtraining.
• Your bloodwork shows rising fasting glucose, triglycerides, or blood pressure despite regular training.

What to do about it

To turn weight lifting into a reliable fat-loss tool, you need a plan that respects both sides of the equation: how many calories does lifting weights burn for you, and how much you eat around it.

1. Get your baseline. For two weeks, track your body weight, waist circumference, and at least three typical lifting workouts. Log your food intake as honestly as you can. If you have risk factors like big waist gain, low energy, or erectile issues, ask your clinician about checking fasting glucose, lipids, and testosterone. Remember that symptomatic men with total testosterone below about 350 ng/dL or free testosterone below 100 pg/mL are the ones most likely to benefit from further evaluation and possible treatment.
2. Structure your lifting for fat loss and muscle. Aim for at least 2–4 lifting sessions per week. Use mostly big compound moves (squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, pull-ups), 2–4 sets of 6–12 reps, resting 60–90 seconds between sets. To increase calories burned, include some supersets, short circuits, or “finishers” such as sled pushes or loaded carries. Add 6,000–10,000 steps per day and 2–3 weekly cardio sessions to raise total burn while lifting protects muscle.^[3],[4],[5]
3. Monitor, adjust, and recover. If your weight and waist are not moving after 3–4 weeks, adjust nutrition first by trimming 250–500 calories per day rather than endlessly adding more lifting volume. Prioritize 7–9 hours of sleep, enough protein (about 0.7–1.0 grams per pound of goal body weight), and at least one lighter training day per week so you can train hard without burning out.

Myth vs Fact: weight lifting and calories burned

• Myth: “Lifting barely burns any calories, so it is useless for fat loss.”
  Fact: Per minute, steady cardio usually burns more. But lifting still burns a meaningful amount and is the best way to keep muscle and strength while you drop fat.
• Myth: “I can eat whatever I want after I lift because I earned it.”
  Fact: A tough 45‑minute session might burn 300–400 calories. That is closer to a sandwich or a couple of beers than an all‑you‑can‑eat night.
• Myth: “High‑rep, light‑weight ‘toning’ workouts burn more fat than heavy lifting.”
  Fact: Both styles can burn similar calories. Heavier lifting builds and keeps more muscle, which helps long-term metabolism.
• Myth: “Machines do not burn calories, only free weights do.”
  Fact: Your muscles do not care whether resistance comes from a barbell, cable, or machine. Total muscle worked, load, and effort determine calories burned.

Bottom line

For men, a single weight-room session does not burn as many calories as most fitness trackers or locker-room stories suggest. A moderate 30‑minute workout may burn 100–150 calories for the average guy; a hard, full-body hour could reach 300–400. The real payoff of weight lifting and calories burned is long-term: more muscle, slightly higher daily metabolism, better blood sugar and fat distribution, and the strength to train and live hard into older age. Combine smart lifting with dialed-in nutrition and enough daily movement, and you will get leaner, stronger, and healthier in a way that pure cardio or diet alone cannot match.

References

1. Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of sport and health science. 2024;13:6-12. PMID: 38242596
2. Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM. Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management. European journal of applied physiology. 2002;86:411-7. PMID: 11882927
3. Strasser B, Schobersberger W. Evidence for resistance training as a treatment therapy in obesity. Journal of obesity. 2011;2011. PMID: 20847892
4. Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, et al. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 2012;113:1831-7. PMID: 23019316
5. Colberg SR, Sigal RJ, Yardley JE, et al. Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes care. 2016;39:2065-2079. PMID: 27926890