Is there a way to calculate calories burnt by wheeling a wheelchair?

gaderfler

I need to fine a way to calculate the calaries I burn while wheeling myself around all day. I'm 338lbs n wheel myself everywhere. I would assume I'm burning calaries. I mean they have a pedometer, is there something for those of us who are wheelchair bound? I could use your help.

gothchiq

Try wearing a heart rate monitor while you do this activity. A fitbit for example.

gaderfler

I hate to sound uneducated but, what is a fitbit? And about what is the cost? My income after nursing home fees per month is only $50, so I don't have much to spare.

middlehaitch

Here is a previous MFP topic that may help you.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/539949/calories-burnt-self-propelling-wheelchair

Cheers, h.

MeanderingMammal

gothchiq wrote: »

Try wearing a heart rate monitor while you do this activity. A fitbit for example.

That would be a complete waste of time.

MeanderingMammal

gaderfler wrote: »

I need to fine a way to calculate the calaries I burn while wheeling myself around all day. I'm 338lbs n wheel myself everywhere. I would assume I'm burning calaries. I mean they have a pedometer, is there something for those of us who are wheelchair bound? I could use your help.

If there is some way to establish the distance that you cover under your own power you could use that to calculate an approximation based on the combined weight of you and the chair.

saphin

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

gaderfler wrote: »

I need to fine a way to calculate the calaries I burn while wheeling myself around all day. I'm 338lbs n wheel myself everywhere. I would assume I'm burning calaries. I mean they have a pedometer, is there something for those of us who are wheelchair bound? I could use your help.

If there is some way to establish the distance that you cover under your own power you could use that to calculate an approximation based on the combined weight of you and the chair.

I found this on the Internet (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111028115352.htm).

It could be worth contacting the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as they were conducting some related research

gaderfler

Thank you all for your suggestions. Saphin, I really appreciate the heads up on the research. The only proplem is that, the blurb only supplied an idea on the calories while propelling on a flat surface and I can't see how the calories burnt could be that low. For example, Saturday was my 50th birthday. My parents drove 6 hrs to visit and it was wonderful. We spent Friday running around, beingnin a nursing home, with no family closer than 4 hrs await, I don't get out often, but I digress. We went to Walmart in the course of our day. I needed a haircut and a few odds and ends. I don't know how it is where you live but here inmourmtown, you can not bring one of thenelectric carts into the hair salon. So, my eighty year old parents, found a gentleman to get the wheelchair out of the car and off we go. Had I known that we would spend 2 1/2hrs in there I may have reconsidered the outing, LOL. The reach stated in the blurb says that the calories burnt in 1/2 hrs, wheeling on a flat surface, going 2 miles per hr, would expend 120 calories. I can tell you the are nuts, or the user a 100 lb runner to get this number. I currently weigh 338. I was exhausted! My shirt was soaked. My shoulders and bicepts were on fire and I could barely make it to the door to get in the car. I had to have the help of two men who collect the carts to help me transfer from one to another and when my parents suggested the eat out, aI said hell no.
I have contacted,the University, to question their data; to find out the conditions; and the condition of their test subject.
I hope they respond, because being completely non-ambulatory, and I am probably not the only one, need an answer. And I can promise, if they do respond, I will pass the information on (without the rant lol).

saphin

gaderfler wrote: »

Thank you all for your suggestions. Saphin, I really appreciate the heads up on the research. The only proplem is that, the blurb only supplied an idea on the calories while propelling on a flat surface and I can't see how the calories burnt could be that low. For example, Saturday was my 50th birthday. My parents drove 6 hrs to visit and it was wonderful. We spent Friday running around, beingnin a nursing home, with no family closer than 4 hrs await, I don't get out often, but I digress. We went to Walmart in the course of our day. I needed a haircut and a few odds and ends. I don't know how it is where you live but here inmourmtown, you can not bring one of thenelectric carts into the hair salon. So, my eighty year old parents, found a gentleman to get the wheelchair out of the car and off we go. Had I known that we would spend 2 1/2hrs in there I may have reconsidered the outing, LOL. The reach stated in the blurb says that the calories burnt in 1/2 hrs, wheeling on a flat surface, going 2 miles per hr, would expend 120 calories. I can tell you the are nuts, or the user a 100 lb runner to get this number. I currently weigh 338. I was exhausted! My shirt was soaked. My shoulders and bicepts were on fire and I could barely make it to the door to get in the car. I had to have the help of two men who collect the carts to help me transfer from one to another and when my parents suggested the eat out, aI said hell no.
I have contacted,the University, to question their data; to find out the conditions; and the condition of their test subject.
I hope they respond, because being completely non-ambulatory, and I am probably not the only one, need an answer. And I can promise, if they do respond, I will pass the information on (without the rant lol).

Not a problem. I found it really sad that so little research exists and I hope that you can engage with the university to improve the body of knowledge. Hopefully the high profile of the Paralympics (at least in Asia) will prompt more research, understanding and improvements in fitness data for the less able amongst us.

Good luck and well done on achieving so much on your birthday treat

Lesley.

MegaWatty

Would this help?

https://www.fastcodesign.com/3061283/how-apple-made-the-watch-work-for-wheelchair-users

lorrpb

Wouldn't this be factored into your base lifestyle calorie burn on mfp? Although it's challenging upper body work, those are smaller muscle groups with a lower calorie burn. If this is your primary form of movement, I would suggest a sedentary activity level setting and not look to add calories back from the wheelchair. I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but might give you another way to think about this.

gaderfler

Lorrph, I bevieve you are right an it could very well fit there. But as I see it, you as an ambulatory individual can easily factor many things into you basic lifestyle calorie burn, because you have the tools to determine exactly (more or less) the total energy used in your lifestyle i.e. Fitbit etc.. Whereas those of us in a wheel chair can't factor a huge part of the calories burnt in the course of our day. I am researching this and hopefully, something will finally come out that the people barely hanging on can afford. As I said, I contacted the University of Tennessee Knoxville to get some further information on the study they did. They are trying an calculate the calories burnt wheeling about

gaderfler

Sorry I left that hanging, I dropped my Nook. My understanding is that they worked in conjunction with two np Foundations and Apple to produce the Fitness Tracker. If I get no response in a couple weeks time, I'll knock on their doors so to speak. I hope you all have a great night and *'ll talk to you soon.

gaderfler

saphin, i wanted to ask what is "polar flow"? I believe that is what is says when you post on my diary. I wad just wondering.

scorpio516

Polar FLow is Polar's software component. Same as Garmin Connect or Suunto's Movescount. It's just the software where Polar puts your data by default. Some are good, some are crap. Most serious people export the data to other places (including here)

gaderfler

Oh ok. I think I understand. Thanks

Chieflrg

How much weight are you targeting to lose per week?

How much are you actually losing on average?

If you are.logging using a food scale accurately, I can get you in the ball park of calories burnt.

meritage4

You could get a bike computer and the magnets that clip onto your wheels and measure distance. Then you would need to find out how many calories you burn wheeling a set distance.

I really wouldn't worry a lot about the actual calories burned.
Follow your set calories-sometimes nursing homes can deliver exactly the calories you ask for. Wheel as much as possible every day and the weight should start shrinking.

Mavrick_RN

You pose a very interesting question but weight loss isn't about exercise anyway. You can keep your activity the same. Just take in fewer calories. Log the number of calories you eat for a week or so, get a daily average then subtract 500.

gaderfler

MeanderingMammal, middlehaitch, gothchiq,MegazWatty, lorrpb.chieflrg, metitage4, Mavrick_RN, and saphin:

I think I got everyone. And I want to thank you all for your input. My physical therapist and I have been beating our heads against the proverbial wall about my problem, and all we have been able to get is a headache. We have looked into each and everyone, from searching other discussions right here in MFP; to external devises, such as, Apples new watchO3, at a whopping $400.00 plus per watch (just a little pricey for nursing home living); and last but not least a heart rate monitor, which the nurses state would basically let me know to scream for help before I keel over. Through research and some frustration with the inability to modify existing devises to make them work for a wheelchair (i.e. thre bike computer because, not all wheelchairs have metal spokes onto which you would install the magnet, as well as nowhere to put the sensor & believe me we tried.)

We all know the premiss You have the distance of 500 ft., to complete a lap around the building and approximately 11 laps make a mile. Now as so far, since I started this evdeavor thru till today, I have not been able to a full mile at one time. I was able to do 3 halls, approximatelt 400 feet. Three of the halls are tile, 2 flat terrain at andistance of 100 ft per hall, and 1 also tiled that slopes downhill for 150 ft. at a slope of about 2.5°. That leaves the fourth hall, 150 feet, covered in industrial grade carpet, on a steady incline of approximately 2.5°, until you hit the last 50 feet where it levels off, and finally, the wheelchair and I have a combined weight of 388.6. I cover that 500 feet at an average of about (because this is a close as we can get) 5 mins. .

Now, some of you suggested that I cut my calories back. Well in May of last year, I started, per doctors' order, a diet(God I strongly dislike that word) of 1800 calories a day. I had no problem doing that. But, about 2 weeks later, the Social Worker and the Director of Nursing came to my room wanting me to sign a non-compliance or AMA form for my diet. Well I looked at them like they were crazy. I told them I had been counting calorie (with WW numbers system) since the day they came to me. They then tell me, that I'm drinking more than the alowed calories for the day, in 2% milk alone each day. Sure shocked me. Heck I figure it was good for mel so no big deal, yeah right,

Well some of you wanted to know the numbers we wete working with, so they could try to figure it out. All I can say is, more power to you. I graduated college with honors and this me shaking my head in disgust, because I keep thinking, "I have it!", only to realize the number of calories we come up with is impossible. I mean, I'm a big girl, but there is no way making the loop at the rate, distance, grade, speed, and weight being pullef, sure doesn't equate to 2436, 1315, 922 and the lists of calores burnt comtinues.

Well, you all have the numbers, in black and white, as they say, but can anyone come up with a mathmatical equation, to derive an approximation of the calories used? Tell all your friends, maybe there is one of them with a kid in college or AP mathmatics, that can figure it out. Don't forget, the only prize for their effort is my never-ending appreciation and a letter of glowing praize, for doing the seemingly impossible,9 to whomever they wish . Thanks for all you efforts.

Gretchen

middlehaitch

Gretchen, do you have an iPhone?
I have an ap called Moves that I have just starting using for steps and it has a wheelchair category!
I have no idea if it would be accurate, or if it is available for other smart phones but it is something you could try.

Sorry, a couple of university degrees under my belt but non have any maths involved.

Cheers, h.

gaderfler

Middlehaitch, sadly I do not. I am a diehard android user. Thanks, for the info. I am in the process of diving into not one but two technical manuals, one for a new phone, and the other for a new a Nook tablet I received on the 17th for my 50th bday. Well technically it's the 2nd phone since then. Thr other ones flash from the camera went off all the time. Sleeping flash, ringing continous flashing, text or im blinking, it got to the point I wad ready to stomp on it, so I traded it in today. Well back to hell. Have a goodmweekend andmyhanks for thr heads up.
Gretchen

meritage4

OK I'm an Occupational therapist. Many of my university classes were PT and OTs together. We did have appartus for a PT study on enegy expenditure for crutch walking. You strapped it on and breathed through the maks and tubes. For this particular studey you crutch walked 1 km. (.6 of a mile for you americans). Then the studey looked at the best way to train for crutch walking-Using arm pedals, crutch walking or nothing. The answer was crutch walking. Anyhow this machine that measures CO2 out put and a heart rate monitor would do it for you.

But meanwhile ditch the 2% milk for skim milk and log Everything you eat or drink. Keep wheeling and increase as you are able.

hydeaway62

The new Apple Watch has a feature that does exactly what you want. It even takes into account your "style" of pushing the wheels. Google it and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

gaderfler

meritage4, Thank you for that information. I discussed the possibility of aquiring a machine like you described and it's not and option, due probably to the cost, you know if it isn't making them money it's not willing to get it. We discussed further, your thought on just monitoring O2 output and heart rate would give us part of the picture. He still feels that we have to consider distance, terain and I believe he also said the weight of the chair and I, need to figre in there.

hydeaway62, you are correct about the new Apple "watchO3". It definitely would do everything I need. Unfortunately, the cost makes it impossible to make it an impossible choice for me. as I had explain in a pryor post, I live in a nursing home. As to what remains of my Social Security check each month, after my insurance has paid all they are willing to pay, my copay works out to be all but $50.00. Out of that $50.00, I must buy clothes, pay for telephone bill, and get any other personal sundries, I will need to get for the whole month. As far as stretching to get clothes, it could literly take months. So as you can see, it wouold be all most impossible, and by the time I had saved enough, they would be introducing "watch06".


No at this point, my best bet, or should I say only) is to find out the equ

gaderfler

Con't.... to find out the formula that University of Tennessee used and do the all the calculations myself, but,thsnk you,both.

toddlcox

I'm in a wheelchair and had a wellness program through work. They had a cheap step counter that I used for counting pushes after speaking to a support person. Basically, she suggested I buy a velcro strap that you feed thru the clip on the back of step counter and place on your wrist. I adjusted it to count 2 "steps" for every push (1 for left arm, 1 for right). There's usually a way to calibrate the counter thru the digital menu to get it to count 2 "steps". I saw one on Amazon for $19.99 that does all that. If you can afford Apple watch, they are the only company that I know of that actually has a wheelchair mode built into the software. They designed it with actual wheelchair users and I heard it works well.