Swim instructor?

Saaski

I recently got a job teaching children (mostly babies) to swim. Because my students are so little (we do parent-tot classes) I'm not doing a lot of swimming per say, but I am in the water for 3.5 hours at a time, walking/swimming from child to child, or across the pool to get toys, etc.

Normally I wouldn't bother logging this (it's just walking but in the water, right?) but then...I am moving around in water for over three hours at a stretch. And I'm also ravenous when I'm done. In a way I wasn't when I taught martial arts.

Any advice on how to log this then? Or should I be changing my activity level? Right now I have it set as sedentary and I log my exercise. I'm just getting the feeling that this activity should have me upping my calories, even if it is by 200 or so.

bostonma1776

http://www.nutristrategy.com/caloriesburnedswimming.htm

TR0berts

This would probably be one of those times where you might just need to keep track of whatever you eat and whatever happens with your weight. If you eat that 200 Cals more that you mention, and your weight loss goes as expected for the next few weeks, then keep doing that. If your weight loss slows down, eat less than that extra 200. If it speeds up, eat a little more.

playmadcats

Maybe water calisthenics but try to work out the time your actually active in the water. Eg deduct bits where you are watching the child or explaining to parents if they are there.

Sara1791

When I play with my kids in the pool I usually record it as water aerobics or water calisthenics but I only input about a quarter of the time that we're actually in the pool. I guess it's not very accurate.

lynn_glenmont

Since this is your job, I would advise increasing your activity level to lightly active and monitor your results for a few weeks (hunger levels and scale results).

Saaski

All good thoughts so far. Thank you!

lorrpb

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

Since this is your job, I would advise increasing your activity level to lightly active and monitor your results for a few weeks (hunger levels and scale results).

Yes, your job activity should be factored into your lifestyle/daily activity level. Probably lightly active if you do this daily. If you do it only a couple times per week, it's not going to affect your weekly CICO by more than a few hundred calories, my guess. I would count it a bonus burn and up my calories slightly on those days. Also consider what you eat before and after work, perhaps moving food (timing) would help the hunger levels. My rule of thumb is protein + carbs every time I eat. Protein for satiation and carbs for faster energy.