Calories burned while getting tattooed?

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GothyFaery
GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This might be a crazy question but I would like to know. Do you burn more calories while you are getting tattooed than you would if you were just sitting for the same amount of time? I just sat for a 3.5/4 hour tattoo session on the back of my leg. During that session I had to keep my calf muscle tight because my legs twitch when I get tattooed (don't know why but they do). In addition to that, you are putting a lot of stress on your body and as the tattoo artist hits various tender spots the body's natural reaction is to flinch causing multiple muscles to contract for some time. Also, no matter when I ate last, I am always hungry after a session and need to eat right afterwards. Does this mean I am burning more calories than just sitting at my desk at work and if so, how many calories are burned per hour (approx.)?
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Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    If you lived every second of your life with 100% calorie accuracy, this might be a worthwhile endeavor. You also burn more calories if you scrape your knee, from body repair. But since everything is a rough estimate, it's pretty pointless to try to nail this down.
  • DesdemonaRose
    DesdemonaRose Posts: 190
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    Interesting question, but I don't know if it's been studied. I always eat right before a tattoo though, partially to make sure I don't get light headed (though I've never had the problem).

    You could wear a Heart Rate Monitor, but I've read that if your heart rate is up due to emotional verse workout reasons it could give you a higher burn than what you are actually doing.

    Congrats on your new tattoo! I have a tattoo on my foot and couldn't even stop it from twitching no matter what I tried. Thankfully my artist was talented enough to tattoo through the twitch without any errors.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
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    If your heart rate goes up at all you are burning more calories, I think regardless of what is causing the heart rate to go up. Because your body is working harder to pump your blood and all that. I just got a tattoo the other day that was like 5-6 hours and I wondered the same thing.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    No, just no.
  • safyreshel
    safyreshel Posts: 1 Member
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    YES you do! The pre-care sheet even specifies that you burn calories rapidly, if you don't eat beforehand you may pass out from the blood sugar drop. It takes massive energy to tolerate pain, and to heal from the tattoo. I can't get an exact number because the people who post don't understand the brain chemistry of pain or of healing! But yes its way more than sitting still. This is why I was exhausted after my last session when I'm usually not tired at that time of day!!

    Hope this helps

    Link to info sheet stating you burn MORE calories being tattooed than you do sitting:
    http://lightwavetattoos.com/care/
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,984 Member
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    Ummm, this thread is nearly a year old - I'm sure the few calories OP did or did not burn getting a tattoo is a moot point now.:laugh:
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    How many calories do I burn thinking about how many calories burned avoiding actual exercise?
  • rachnado
    rachnado Posts: 16 Member
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    Do I burn more calories reading silly posts on these message boards? Or how about when I answer the silly posts?
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    i have now heard it all.....
    Have you heard the loudest sound a human can experience?

    because if so, that means you're an undead because the loudest sound will kill you.
  • short_nerdy_lady
    short_nerdy_lady Posts: 152
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    This might be a crazy question but I would like to know. Do you burn more calories while you are getting tattooed than you would if you were just sitting for the same amount of time? I just sat for a 3.5/4 hour tattoo session on the back of my leg. During that session I had to keep my calf muscle tight because my legs twitch when I get tattooed (don't know why but they do). In addition to that, you are putting a lot of stress on your body and as the tattoo artist hits various tender spots the body's natural reaction is to flinch causing multiple muscles to contract for some time. Also, no matter when I ate last, I am always hungry after a session and need to eat right afterwards. Does this mean I am burning more calories than just sitting at my desk at work and if so, how many calories are burned per hour (approx.)?

    I just got one last week, an hour and a half and to be honest I didn't worry about calories if you needed to eat some extra sugar to keep from passing out. I sucked on werthers candies throughout (like 30 calories for 3) and drank alot of water. As for burn, likely next to nothing. Don't stress too much about it
  • short_nerdy_lady
    short_nerdy_lady Posts: 152
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    And to all the people mocking this person, hey here is an idea: instead of trolling/making sarcastic comments when someone is seeking knowledge now matter who silly or stupid you may think the question is, why don't you make a serious effort to help or go on another thread? You look like a bunch of A holes .....
  • AllieLosingIt
    AllieLosingIt Posts: 150 Member
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    How many calories do I burn thinking about how many calories burned avoiding actual exercise?

    I would like to know this so that I can burn more calories while thinking extra hard about the calories I burn while avoiding my walk!
  • FlowerFairy493
    FlowerFairy493 Posts: 182
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    Getting a tattoo burns calories???

    I know what I must do today!
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    How many calories do I burn thinking about how many calories burned avoiding actual exercise?

    my numbers maybe off but I think the formula is
    BMR / IQ - (amount of time thinking) x 0 = calories burned
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
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    Man, if that actually happened, that would be pretty sweet. I'd be a lot thinner now!

    If you do burn calories while getting tattooed... it would probably be only like 2 an hour over your BMR. Very negligible

    For the record, my calf twitches too. It's just a muscle reaction. However, I don't tense up my muscle because I feel it's easier to manage the pain when I keep my body completely relaxed and don't hold any tension
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,984 Member
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    And to all the people mocking this person, hey here is an idea: instead of trolling/making sarcastic comments when someone is seeking knowledge now matter who silly or stupid you may think the question is, why don't you make a serious effort to help or go on another thread? You look like a bunch of A holes .....

    Oh come on.

    OP posted this nearly a year ago and somebody resurected zombie thread - I'm sure he does not really still need help on such a trivial matter.
  • tigerlily_cnm
    tigerlily_cnm Posts: 3 Member
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    This is actually a legitimate question. The reason is because you have to consume more calories before a tattoo so you don't get dizzy. If you are counting calories you have to account for the extra food consumed. That's why the calorie burn is important.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    It's not that it's not a legitimate question, but I do think that if you sit still and behave through the whole thing, you deserve a lollipop, whether there's room in your calories or not, and it's not worth taking it much farther than that. Give yourself a break for the day and then get on with your life.
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    OP posted message on October 2013. Almost 2 years ago
This discussion has been closed.

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