A bit skeptical --- Walking calories burned

UnusualColours

So I took a walk today. I logged the exercise, and MFP calculated 1,442 calories burned. This seems a bit much. Is this site accurate for that? I walked for ~3.5 hours. The first hour was ~4mph, while the rest was a little slower. If it is accurate, I have no idea how I'm supposed to eat back that many calories.

Also, a bit off the main topic, but does anyone have any suggestions for beginner exercises to strengthen a bad knee?

nathalier71

I would say not accurate. I walked for 1 hour 25 min at 3mph and burned 274 cals.

ladynocturne

While I find it kinda strange that you just decided to take a normal walk and it lasted 3.5 hours. I think depending on your height and weight, it's probably pretty close to correct within a 100-200 calorie range. I would triple check and make sure all your info is entered correctly on the site.

For me walking for 3.5 hours at 3mph would burn a little over 800 calories.

If you can't eat all those calories, eat some tomorrow, it's okay to spread it out. Now that you know you burn that many, maybe plan your meals and snacks beforehand to include the extra calories you'd get from a walk like that.

Depends why you are having knee issues. There are a lot of muscles around the knee that can actually be causing misalignment of your patella, which causes pain and damage. A massage therapist can help loosen those muscles and give you stretches to do to maintain. If you actually have torn cartilage, that's a different story and you'll need to see your doctor.

vaporhockey83

As far as the knee goes, it depends on the injury or why it's bad. I had surgery for a torn meniscus and afterwards, my doctor recommended light weight training and to work slowly up on weights. Do not do squats which, varying on your injury, can cause further injury especially if you're lifting heavy. Simple things like walking lunges, leg presses, and many of the leg machines at a gym on light weights while slowly progressing can build up knee strength. Light resistance exercises. Definitely stayed away from the squats as the doctor said the pressure would further damage and ruin the fix. Overall, what I've said helped in my case, but it depends on the injury.

Ninkyou

Estimate 100 calories per mile, but that number goes up/down based on your fitness level.

I'd probably half the amount of calories MFP gives.

bert16

You can use these estimates from this Runners World article fo a sanity check: http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/running-v-walking-how-many-calories-will-you-burn

CALORIES/MILE WALKING = .57 x wt in lbs
CALORIES/MIN WALKING = .03 x wt in lbs


CALORIES/MILE RUNNING = .72 x wt in lbs
CALORIES/MIN RUNNING = .07 x wt in lbs

poohpoohpeapod

depends on your weigfht and fitmess level, I used to burn alot more when I weighed mpore (per HRM) now much less. I think it is possible 4 hrs is alot of walking and 4.0 is a good clip. The only way to get a decent estimate is a heart rate monitor.

UnusualColours

Thanks everyone for the replies. I guess I never realized how much can be burned through walking. I definitely plan on getting a heart rate monitor eventually, but, according to the information here, I can only assume that it's fairly close to correct.

Ladynocturne, the reason it took 3.5 hours is because I have no car, so I walked the 2+ miles to the park, then listened to music and walked around the trailway. After an hour and some minutes I decided it was time to turn around. So I spent around 2.5 hours round-trip. Then I had to go to the store--which was in the complete opposite direction--before I went home. So it isn't too strange, I think.

kinupmud

Congrats on getting motivated! Walking is great. Water activities are good for knees. You are moving without putting pressure on them. It helps strengthen them and keep from injuring further. You can always call a physical therapist or look up online some great low impact excerises . Google is a great thing this day and age Keep up good work!

Leeann1979

MFP's estimates are mega overestimated. I played 4 tennis matches this weekend and didn't even burn that many calories. I wear a heart rate monitor usually, and then I use a calculator that deducts the calories you would have burned anyway if you were doing nothing. If you had sat on the couch for those few hours, you still would have burned a couple hundred calories, so that isn't included. If I am using MFp's numbers, I deduct 30% of their estimate and then use the calculator to deduct calories that would have burned doing nothing. People that actually believe they burned 800 calories from doing an hour of gardening are just looking for an excuse to eat more. That's just my opinion. If you are going to keep using MFP's numbers and find the scale isn't moving, maybe try only eating a percentage of the exercise calories back.

icimani

Congrats on getting walking! I've found it's a great way to get moving and a relatively non-painful way.

The amount of calories burned will depend on your weight and fitness level. I still have about 80 pounds to lose to get to my goal weight and last week I walked 5 miles in about 2hrs/10mins and burned 1070 calories (I use an HRM). That speed works out to about a 22-23 minute mile. So yeah, I can see you burning that may calories, especially when you started out at a 4mph pace - that's a 15-min mile. Good for you! When I'm really pushing it I can do a 20-min mile.

I found the MFP estimate about right the very first time, but as soon as I adjust the times spent exercising the cals-burned number goes screwy and really over-estimates. I definitely recommend some sort of HRM to get a more accurate count. I don't eat my calories back, but I use it more to make sure I'm working hard enough.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

While I find it kinda strange that you just decided to take a normal walk and it lasted 3.5 hours. I think depending on your height and weight, it's probably pretty close to correct within a 100-200 calorie range. I would triple check and make sure all your info is entered correctly on the site.

All that with a bad knee. All estimates are way off in that post.

PheonixRizing

If you have a smart phone download this app: endomondo. It's pretty basic gps app but it takes into account. weight, height and it follows you with gps so it can tell elevation changes, average of how fast you walked your entire workout and time. Give you calories burned and you can link it with a HRM. I use it to get an accurate time and speed. It is FOR THE MOST part pretty close to MFP estimates. Remember though, they are all ESTIMATES. What you're getting for calories burned is probably close depending on how much you have to lose. The more you weight the more you burn. Good luck to you ^_^

Eloira

I done 48:58 today, paired with a heart rate monitor I burned 353 calories I did have a lot of terrain differences and one or two inclines heh.

Well done on your walk tho!! X

BrainyBurro

sanity check your numbers against these:

http://walking.about.com/library/cal/uccalc1.htm

don't listen to these other replies trying to give you hard and fast rules WITHOUT knowing your weight.

for example, a 150lb person will burn far fewer calories than a 300lb person doing the same activity.

Jenelle64

I don't know about the calorie calculations, I usually calculate them or use a heart monitor and enter my own calorie amounts, but I also have a bad knee. What you can do is dependent on why it's 'bad'. In general, stay away from squats and lundges also when you walk, stay away from walking on the road; roads have crowns even if we think the road is level you will be walking on an uneven surface. Walk on sidewalks and/or treadmills. You can strengthen your quads by sitting on a weight bench or chair and place a dumbell on your thigh and raise your leg keeping it bent. This doesn't have any weight bearing on the knee so it shouldn't hurt and stronger quads will help your knee be more stable. The main thing to do is consult your doctor and never do anything that makes it hurt.

Congrates on getting started :happy:

chanelnicole

That's fantastic info!
Thanks!

You can use these estimates from this Runners World article fo a sanity check: http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/running-v-walking-how-many-calories-will-you-burn

CALORIES/MILE WALKING = .57 x wt in lbs
CALORIES/MIN WALKING = .03 x wt in lbs


CALORIES/MILE RUNNING = .72 x wt in lbs
CALORIES/MIN RUNNING = .07 x wt in lbs

3laine75

'*kitten* to the grass' squats will help your dodgy knee + fish oil and blueberries

edit: yes, i think MFP calculates calories burned pretty high - i'm waiting for my HRM to be delivered

RozayJones

If MFP calculates information wrong how is it helping any of us?!
I use Runtastic app on my phone to monitor my speed an distance each time I walk, MFP has come in really close to the apps calculations each time.