Does Driving Actually Burn Calories?

staps065

I've seen where people have added calories burned from driving and it is even in the Cardiovascular Exercise database. Do you really burn calories driving? I have a long day trip tomorrow (about 7 hours to destination) and wonder if I'll actually burn while driving. Opinions? Fact? Fiction?

Thanks!

2013sk

Never heard of burning calories while driving!!!!!!!!!

jetlag

Well, yes, because you burn calories every minute of every day. EVERYTHING burns calories.

I suspect that driving doesn't burn many more calories than sitting down, however, especially if you drive an automatic, so I wouldn't be inclined to log it.

stefjc

Anything you do 'burns calories'. Think about sitting down, sleeping etc, your body needs some energy to keep you alive.

Driving requires a couple of kcals more than sitting down as you move a little bit more, turning the steering wheel, flexing/extending your feet - hey you could call that weight training as the pedals provide a little bit of resistance, changing gear, steering too

But I would ask anyone thinking about measuring those kcals why as I would assume that they may be focussing on them a little bit too much than is helpful.

I do much the same with scales. I am still quite fascinated with the daily/weekly bounce. But I only record once or twice a month. I am just interested, not hung up on it.

Having said that, I had a client who did record ironing, chopping veg, driving etc. She had been couchbound for about a year, so absolutely any movement whatsoever was a bonus, raised her metabolic rate and was, for her, endlessly interesting (she started at 40stone and is now 22stone and doesn't track quite as much )



(I just read that back. I am guessing it would be really easy to guess what I do for a living..... sorry. I sound sooooooooooooo very, very teachery)

SmartAlec03211988

I don't drive much, but on days I do my BodyMedia does register a TINY bump than normal. Maybe 10-20 calories for an hour.

mcibty

Wow, really?

I'm totally adding my calorie burn from breathing!

ekz13

I read an article and yes it does burn a snotload of cals... if you are driving nascar or formula 1 cars... those guys/gals need to be in top shape due to the high demand on the body for those speeds in that heat for that length of time... I'd log that..

now, hopping in the honda mini van to get more breyers... not so much... :drinker: :bigsmile:

beachlover317

No. You are only burning what you normally would sitting. Maybe a little more because you hanging onto the steering wheel. But to me? This is NOT exercise.

Frood42

Part of your daily activities multiplication factor that MFP uses I would say.


If you have a manual and drive some distance in stop and start traffic then you may burn some additional calories by having to change gears and depress the pedals, but not that much.

7 hours will be quite some time in the car, but it would be similar to me sat at my desk working on my laptop in the office.

I would not add driving as an additional exercise in my exercise diary.


What I would add into my exercise diary is my 200 mile a week commute on bicycle into work.

.

Pamela_in_Progress

Could it be driving, as in the driving range? Golf?

Sonj1973

Hi there, I know it's seems ridiculous does'nt it, but every thing your body does requires energy to perform whether it be reading, studying, driving sitting and breathing in fact!! There is other sites that break it down for you but whether they are accurate is another thing.... According to the site you burn 560 calories just sleeping for an 8 hr period... again how accurate I'm not sure)However this obviously ties in with your BMR that has already been calculated for you on the outset...
As for logging anything, If it's somthing you do on a daily basis then you can assume it's accounted for in your daily BMR, anything additional to this I suppose you could log it! Your call

Ps have a nice time

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I wouldn't count it. I would assume that it's part of activity level. If your activity setting is correct then I wouldn't add in anything that is part of your daily activity.

ekz13

I don't drive much, but on days I do my BodyMedia does register a TINY bump than normal. Maybe 10-20 calories for an hour.

that's just from the roadrage :devil: :bigsmile:

BrainyBurro

I've seen where people have added calories burned from driving and it is even in the Cardiovascular Exercise database. Do you really burn calories driving? I have a long day trip tomorrow (about 7 hours to destination) and wonder if I'll actually burn while driving. Opinions? Fact? Fiction?

Thanks!

you burn calories every minute of every day. if you want to log 7 hours of driving, then you'll have to also subtract that from your BMR so that you don't double-count them.

people log all sorts of silly things on this site. i generally don't comment, even though i think they are fooling themselves. the reason i don't comment is that for some folks, logging is motivation and if they want to count their showering and teeth brushing calories, so be it. they won't see them reflected on the scale at the end of the month, but maybe on those days where they couldn't do any actual exercise, logging 30 minutes of emptying the dishwasher makes them feel like they still did something that day.

staps065

I thought it sounded silly but I've seen it in the database and I doubt we have too many NASCAR or Formula 1 race car drivers on MFP, but hey, I had to ask! :ohwell: I guess I'll just move my workout to the PM after I arrive at the resort! Cheers! :drinker:

KANGOOJUMPS

funny.you driving while having sex?

Greenrun99

you really gotta get those dance moves going while driving to burn some calories..

fjrandol

maybe if it's this car

Minerva624

jdm_taco

lol @ people that track that

brynnsmom

Do you really burn calories driving?

Depends on how bad the traffic is, and how many times I've had to honk and give someone the bird.

JenSD6

Accelerate, break, shift up, shift down, break, honk, accelerate, give finger, break hard, yell out window, brake, shift... Ahhhh rush hour... gets the old ticker pumping.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Only if it's one of these

CallMeCupcakeDammit

maybe if it's this car

Doggone it! I read all the way through, and I missed this! I actually made a comment about driving a Flintstone's car to a friend who posted her burn for "driving". She didn't even delete me! :bigsmile:

bert16

maybe if it's this car

ROTFL :laugh:

Caelrr

Everything burns calories!! Did you know being cold burns more calories than staying warm? Try taking cold showers or falling asleep being a little cold. When your body has to work to keep it's temperature up it burns more calories. Not something I'd be willing to do, but I was curious one day & looked it up. (: Getting enough sleep is good for your metabolism... try to get enough sleep each night & eat right during the day!! Anyways, I wouldn't say driving burns enough calories to really matter. It's better than just sitting on the couch watching television, though!!

TrailRunner61

Yeah. I wore my HRM while driving, out of curiosity. I think that due to a heightened awareness of surroundings and trying to be on top of things keeps your heart rate up higher than just sitting at home. Mine was higher anyway. I suppose if you suffered from road rage it would be even higher. haha My 'normal' heart rate is 60, driving it's in the 90's and I 'feel' calm! Driving thru Fklanta or La traffic would probably put it in the 110's lol.
Also, my husband drives heavy equipment, sometimes for 16 hours in a row. The bumping, bouncing, looking behind him, etc., all day, burns more than while he's sitting.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Could it be driving, as in the driving range? Golf?

They have "Golf, using power cart" in the database. Maybe I don't understand golf, but it doesn't seem like there's a lot of work involved in driving a cart.

TigerBite

That's like me logging the calories I burned typing this response ... LoLz! Some people are ridiculous, I doubt they are going to be susessful doing that.

favhrnstr

Could it be driving, as in the driving range? Golf?

They have "Golf, using power cart" in the database. Maybe I don't understand golf, but it doesn't seem like there's a lot of work involved in driving a cart.

This is to distinguish it from using a push-cart for your clubs or carrying your clubs (where you average 6-7 miles in 18 holes). Even if you use a golf cart, there's still swinging the club and a fair bit of walking.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Could it be driving, as in the driving range? Golf?

They have "Golf, using power cart" in the database. Maybe I don't understand golf, but it doesn't seem like there's a lot of work involved in driving a cart.

This is to distinguish it from using a push-cart for your clubs or carrying your clubs (where you average 6-7 miles in 18 holes). Even if you use a golf cart, there's still swinging the club and a fair bit of walking.

Thanks for the explanation.