bicycling with child.

krystalmoore1986

I bike on a bmx bike with my 30 pound toddler on a ride on bike seat. I am not sure how to factor this into my exercise cals. Should I count the amount of calories someone would burn if they weighed the amount my son and I weigh together. By myself, for 20 mins, it says I burn 70 cals under biking, leisurely. For a person who weighs 147 (My son and my weight combined) I would burn 93. does anyone else bike with a child? How do you log it. I have googled a lot and havent found it with any calorie counter. Thanks for the answers.:flowerforyou:

krystalmoore1986

I bike on a bmx bike with my 30 pound toddler on a ride on bike seat. I am not sure how to factor this into my exercise cals. Should I count the amount of calories someone would burn if they weighed the amount my son and I weigh together. By myself, for 20 mins, it says I burn 70 cals under biking, leisurely. For a person who weighs 147 (My son and my weight combined) I would burn 93. does anyone else bike with a child? How do you log it. I have googled a lot and havent found it with any calorie counter. Thanks for the answers.:flowerforyou:

Carrie6o6

www.caloriesperhour.com

Thats a good one... I would just get a heart rate monitor to know for sure hahaha but that site can help you out

jadaigle

Definitely factor his weight into your calories. The best way to know for sure is a heart rate monitor. I used to bike with my son in a trailer and it was a lot of fun, but much more tiring. He's almost 6 now but he still fits in the trailer.

stacystar

I haven't been factoring in my little flowers weight when I ride--I just think of it as an added perk (plus if I knew how much extra I was burning, I would just eat it anyways)

I think they should count as weight training anyhow--

shorerider

You should factor in his weight because the amount of weight you are "moving" down the road is what influences your calorie burn.

That said----be careful on factoring in his weight! Remember that websites can only give an estimate of calories burned and that is often on the high side. The surest way to know how many calories you are burning is to get a heart rate monitor.

Without knowing for sure, you could be overeating on the exercise calories--just a friendly warning.

lyla29

I just started bike riding with my 30 lb toddler in a bike seat also. I have an HRM so it shows how many calories I burned for only my weight. Should I just use it that way or should I combine his weight with mine and input it into my HRM?

shorerider

I just started bike riding with my 30 lb toddler in a bike seat also. I have an HRM so it shows how many calories I burned for only my weight. Should I just use it that way or should I combine his weight with mine and input it into my HRM?

I think I would include his weight, as you're having to put out energy to move both of you.

lyla29

Thanks, I will add his weight the next time I go (hopefully on Thursday) and see what the difference is.

shorerider

Let me know--I'm curious how much difference. If he was just a few pounds, I wouldn't worry about but 30, darn right! I know that 40 or so pounds ago, I could burn 1000 calories an hour cycling. Now, it's around 500-600. Of course, as we do a certain exercise often, our muscles gain "muscle memory," too--which means they become more efficient at doing that exercise, so can do it with less energy output.

lyla29

I'll let you know on Thursday. I'm very curious to see the difference too. I rode for about 45 minutes total time (we had to stop at the park for a little while) and it said I burned 265 for just me. This was the first time I have ridden with him on the seat, and I almost fell over when I tried to get on the bike the first time :laugh: (have to get used to the added weight on the back and balancing everything) bu\t we had fun, so this may be my new exercise while it is nice weather.

shorerider

I've always thought it'd be fun to get one of those pull along carts for my dog to ride in--but then I think about hauling a 70 pound Lab around and decide against it! :happy:

jadaigle

I don't think you would add the weight of the child if you are using a heart rate monitor. I think the additional exertion will be shown by a reduction in your speed and an increase in your heart rate. I don't factor in the weight of my bike when I ride, so why factor in the toddler's weight? I would ride without pulling your child, then do the same ride pulling your child but don't change in teh info on your heart rate monitor. See if there's a difference.

lyla29

I'll have to try that on a day that I can leave my son at home with someone:laugh: I have to take him everywhere, so maybe this weekend I will try it that way.
I was really wondering since I do use an HRM and I can tell there was a difference with him on it compared to last summer when my husband had him on his bike. It was harder for me this time, so the HRM probably did take into account the added weight. Hopefully I'll be able to find out this weekend and let you know

lyla29

Well, my little experiment backfired today - but I now have some biking buddies:happy: . I started out with my HRM set to the combined weight of my and my son, and off we went for our ride. We went for about 20 minutes when I was stopped by a friend who wanted to see if we wanted to join a ride with her and a few other moms. So I stopped and talked for about 15 minutes (and forgot to stop my HRM) before we started back up again. We ended up doing about 6 miles (on top of the 3 or 4 I had done before I went with them). By the time I got home, my HRM said I had burned about 600 calories for a 65 minute ride! I did work harder than the other day, and my heart rate got up kind of high, so I know I burned more calories than on Tuesday, but I don't know what I should enter for today.
I did have a lot of fun, and now plan to go riding with them every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so that's good.
I'm going to see if my husband can watch the little one on Wednesday so I can go by myself to see the difference in calories with just me compared to having him on the back of my bike.
I'll let you know if it works.

shorerider

Well, my little experiment backfired today - but I now have some biking buddies:happy: . I started out with my HRM set to the combined weight of my and my son, and off we went for our ride. We went for about 20 minutes when I was stopped by a friend who wanted to see if we wanted to join a ride with her and a few other moms. So I stopped and talked for about 15 minutes (and forgot to stop my HRM) before we started back up again. We ended up doing about 6 miles (on top of the 3 or 4 I had done before I went with them). By the time I got home, my HRM said I had burned about 600 calories for a 65 minute ride! I did work harder than the other day, and my heart rate got up kind of high, so I know I burned more calories than on Tuesday, but I don't know what I should enter for today.
I did have a lot of fun, and now plan to go riding with them every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so that's good.
I'm going to see if my husband can watch the little one on Wednesday so I can go by myself to see the difference in calories with just me compared to having him on the back of my bike.
I'll let you know if it works.

Cool! Glad you made some cycling friends. That caloric count sounds about right. I'll burn between 500-650 per hour when I'm out cycling.

carvan

I just started bike riding with my 30 lb toddler in a bike seat also. I have an HRM so it shows how many calories I burned for only my weight. Should I just use it that way or should I combine his weight with mine and input it into my HRM?

No, I wouldn't factor in his weight. Your HRM shows how hard you are working. If you didn't have him on the bike, I am sure the calories would just be lower.