Yes @squirrellyma these compound movements when included in a workout do burn a lot of calories & help gain lean muscle mass. Even i'am not a big fan of Lunges as after doing heavy squats & leg presses your legs don't feel like doing Lunges but then again Lunges are the most effective form of exercise to get those properly toned , muscular and chiseled legs. Doing them once or twice in a week will shock the muscles and prevent them from hitting a plateau. It is quite commendable that you still workout despite undergoing the surgery but take it easy to avoid any injuries and do not aggrevate a particular muscle or body party due to extensive training. As you mentioned that you like a mix of weights and cardio together, I will soon put out a cross fit functional training workout especially keeping you in mind.
Yeah mate weights do bulk you up and a mix of cardiovascular with it is very important. Thank you for giving your inputs on this and being a part of this, appreciate it!