Gardening calories

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suzan06
suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
MFP suggests 311 calories for an hour of gardening. I can see that for really hard work- but for your average weeding, harvesting, and planting, that seems way off.

I don't have a heart rate monitor to try to track it myself. But I figured others here might have insight.

I do garden work for little old ladies in the spring and fall- this morning I did 2.5 hours. So my numbers being off might have a pretty big effect. Its a lot of weeding, nothing super strenuous, but definitely more activity than sitting at home, so i want *some* credit for it, lol.

Anyone?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    I wouldn't log it personally. Only physical, purposeful exercise. Things like gardening are accounted for in your activity level.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
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    I agree, gardening might burn calories, but is daily activity.
    Just like cleaning.. Walking to the bus stop, etc.
  • cortesd
    cortesd Posts: 58 Member
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    For me, I count it as exercise since I don't do it every day and when I do garden, I'm hauling bags of dirt, wrangling hoses, clearing brush, digging planting holes, and schlepping plants from one end of the yard to the other. And occasionally I do a quick sprint when I disturb our resident black snake and we scare each other senseless. B) I usually break a sweat and can certainly "feel" my muscles by the end of the session.

    In MFP, I log about 100 cals/hour (I'm 5'5', 141 lb, 48 y.o. female). Now if I'm just leisurely strolling through the posey patch and occasionally stoop down to pluck a weed, then I don't log it.
  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
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    Well, some weeks in the fall and spring I am logging 3 hours a day or more of gardening, every day of the week. I consider that above and beyond my normal activity level even if it is just weeding and planting. I can see not logging an hour here or there in your own yard.

    Google give 200-400 calories an hour for weeding.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
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    I don't log my general yardwork like stick clean-up, mowing, weeding, etc. If I'm building beds, clearning brush, etc, I might log a little something, but truth be told, I'd probably just count it as a bonus burn.

    My only exception is raking leaves. I start at the back of my property and rake the whole yard out to the curb. It takes about 3 hours of continuous raking and I know my heart rate is elevated at a steady level for the entire time.

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