How does sitting burn calories?

pokeeemonica

On MFP, it says you can burn calories from sitting and playing guitar or doing homework? How is that, why, and will it actually contribute to cardio?

jenilla1

Just breathing burns calories, so does your heart when it's beating. It doesn't burn enough to count as any kind of special effort towards exercise. Don't count the silly stuff. :laugh:

registers

On MFP, it says you can burn calories from sitting and playing guitar or doing homework? How is that, why, and will it actually contribute to cardio?

You're talking about RMR(Resting metabolic rate) if you you are alive, your blood is pumping, nutrients are being transferred, your hairs growing, your skin... digestion... every organ in your body take "energy" to function. If there is no movement(death) you're burning 0 calories in theory. I heard of stories of people's nails growing after death. I think you get the point.

Driagnor

It's your normal calorie burn that you have from doing things like breathing, thinking, regulating your body temperature etc. It doesn't contribute to your cardio though, as you're not raising your heart rate, and to eat back those calories might cause you to net additional calories and slow your weight loss.

Unless it's something where you're moving around and exerting yourself somewhat, I wouldn't log it.

chevy88grl

Every single thing you do burns calories - from digesting food to walking to your car. Everything. Even simply breathing burns them. However, I would only count calories that are above your normal activity level as a workout. We can all sit and watch tv, but honestly.. will that burn enough to help lose weight?

No.

aswearingen

MFP takes those calories into consideration. Thats why if you change your settings from light activity to moderate activity, you will be given more calories. Because your calories burned during daily living changed. Plus to be cardio your heart rate needs to be increased