Gardening - really?!?!?!

cuerpito

Thanks for your response.

sue26

I planted potatoes this weekend (live in Alberta so its later here) and definetly worked out! I agree though that mfp overestimates calories burnt for some things. However it does know how much you weigh, how old you are etc., so its probably closer than generic estimates

joilet

hmm....

so if i wear my HRM and it is in the zone... i guess i can count it right?

rainydayboys

I did 4 hours today - digging up (big) shrubs and replanting them, moving a whole flower bed, plus a lot of weeding. I'm sore already. I was surprised when MFP clocked it at just over 1000 cal burned, but I do sorta believe it based on how I'm feeling right now. But I don't have a HRM so I can't say if I was in the zone or not.

ronnyharry

well i did 70 minutes cutting hedges with a motorised cutter (quite a heavy one) I think I earned the 300 or so calories it certainly felt as much as 10k rowing which is about 570 calories, Ron

ronnyharry

as rainydayboys appears to be lying down on the job I think it would be in order to cut the calories in half.

NS81

I have that problem with a lot of the "calories burned" according to MFP - so I stopped entering them, I feel like they're really high! ... I need to buy a HRM, but want a good one, so I need to do a little research I guess...

Hornsby

To each their own on logging chores, however, an HRM will not be effective in estimating the calories burned. The calorie burn formula inside your HRM is designed for steady stated cardio. Nothing else.

Also, if you wear an HRM for 2.5 hours and it tells you burned 500 calories, remember, that is not the net calorie burn. That would also include your BMR calories so you would need to subtract a couple hundred.

SezxyStef

regular daily gardening doesn't count...ie pulling a few weeds, hoeing etc..

Now getting your garden ready for planting, planting etc is hard work and only done about 2x a year.

If I didn't do TDEE I would log it and I am not a fan of logging "chores" but if they aren't "normal" I think they should be.

tinkbaby101

Yesterday i did some major cleaning in my house, my HRM said I burned 600 over a 4 hour period.

I think gardening does burn a lot of calories, isn't that the reason why a lot of women have affairs with the gardener:laugh:

HAHAHA!

I'm a terrible gardener - most of my plants die fast - but if it's burning that many calories, maybe I need to get to planting!

martinel2099

Take the estimations from MFP with a grain of salt. I generally cut the calories in half but that's still just a guestimation in my book.

martinel2099

Personally, I tend to only record exercises where I have access to a heart rate monitor to make sure I'm at a decent intensity.

SLLRunner

So I did an hour and a half of gardening on Saturday, and MFP said I burned 418 calories.

I just didnt' believe it, so to be safe I cut it in half. That doesn't seem possible.

Would a HRM be accurate while gardening?

No, no, noooooo......

MFP WAY overestimates calories burned.

A heart rate monitor is great at calculating steady state cardio, but not things like gardening or weight lifting or something that is not steady state.

Personally, I would not record the gardening calorie wise, but if you choose to do so I'd suggest cutting those calories at least in half and calling it a day.

SLLRunner

As for the treadmill, eliptical etc. The trainer at my gym says that the machines are too low.

I'm afraid the trainer is incorrect.

3dogsrunning

No, HRMs will not be accurate for gardening. Their calorie estimation formula is based on steady state cardio activity, gardening is not. You will get an inflated burn.

LessHeavyVeggie

"Gardening" is a pretty broad term.

It encompasses everything from tilling top soil and carrying bags of mulch to planting flowers around the borders of the yard.

A HRM would give you a better picture of what you are burning.

^ this. I guess it depends on what gardening involves for you!

fequick

LOL, me too!