Gardening

stuarta99

Hi all,

For the last couple of days I've been out digging my lawn up and it's been hard work digging down a foot over a 3sqm area each day.

I put in some exercise yesterday as 180mins of 'Gardening' and it gives me an additional 821 calories. Today I've done 180mins morning and afternoon so that's given me 1642 extra calories. Can that be right? It's more than my default 1500/day

kshama2001

There's all kinds of gardening, so I add minutes on a sliding scale. But when a shovel is involved, like in your case, I do indeed take 100% of the minutes and calories I spent and earned.

Are you sore today? My hamstrings and glutes always feel it at the beginning of gardening season!

stuarta99

Back mainly from bending. The idiot owner before us decided to lay black plastic bags 8 inches underground then covered with pebbles and we've been wondering why we've had drainage issues.

So reckon the 820 calories for 180mins is about right?

Justin_7272

I think ~270 calories per hour for moderate/intense gardening should be decently accurate. I cycle at roughly 600 calories per hour daily and am also part of a community garden; during our garden cleanups I do a lot of hauling dirt, digging, aerating, etc. and I'd say it's comparable to at least half of my cycling exertion per hour.

stuarta99

I've just done another 90 minutes of gardening, cutting lawns and weeding. It reports as 400 cals which again seems a lot. This afternoon I'll be washing 2 cars but I can't see a way to add that in

TonyB0588

I know what you mean. I feel guilty when I get large amounts if calories for doing 2 or 3 hours work outside. But it seems to be correct, based on how the body feels after!!

stuarta99

I'm more tired now after washing 2 cars in an hour than I was gardening for 90mins. I've still got the 400 cals in there but not sure whether to eat back. If I don't I won't be able to complete my diary

mtnmuse

relaying patio pavers- 8x5 area- 12x12" each weighs 11#s- taking old ones out ( some are 'sunken' --- sorting out replacement pavers- removing the pea gravel, removing old weed blocker- etc. then laying in new landscaping fabric, putting the pea gravel back in- leveling- and placing the newer pavers in- also painting the old ones for reuse elsewhere. i am limited in mobility- so can only do a little at a time- how in the world to calculate this 'workout'. it certainly is more than weeding- mowing or 'puttering' watering etc.

atjays

I'd take those estimates with a grain of salt, they are wildly inaccurate. I generally wouldn't log every little thing you go about doing during the day. It creates a false sense of security that you can indeed eat those 1600 calories and either slow your weight loss or actually cause you to gain weight. I would only log purposeful exercise such as walking, running, cycling or cardio machines at the gym. Gardening and the rest are just bonuses.

Notreadytoquit

It's zucchini season.
Versatile round 8 ball zucchini: green, white, yellow make great pizzas. Dredge with flour and herbs then breadcrumbs for a 50 calorie nuttitious platter for eggs, creamy main courses, etc. Freeze really well.

Two zucchini plants are cool ... too many like tribbles.