How to Log "Swimming" (with kids)

PrfctGdess

Any fellow mommy's of small kiddos, how do you log it when you take the kids swimming? We spent about 2 hrs at the pool today, but since I was chasing the boys and not ACTUALLY swimming laps or anything, I logged it as 60 mins of "Swimming - General, Leisurely" ... ??? Any thoughts? Anyone with a waterproof HRM know if that's about right? (I'm not that concerned about the actual calories; just curious)

(my kids are 11 mos, 2.5 yrs, and 4 yrs, so I spend a lot of time carrying a child, lifting in and out of the water to jump in, holding them so they can "swim", etc)

ChantalGG

I do the same, just dont eat back all of your calories from that because you really dont know for sure of the burn.

trapitt

I think there is another one that is called swimming-treading water.
Last time I went with the kid I tried to add a few calorie burner bursts like letting them climb on my back while I try to run across the shallow end.

themommie

I agree with chantelgg . I do the same thing. It is a great way to get in some exercise

TNAJackson

That sounds about right. I haven't yet used my HRM in the pool, but when I do, it'll be spent chasing/swimming with kids also... I have 3 kids 2 years and under. :happy:

bradynsmom

I do the same thing and log it under swimming general. I try to get som actuall swim time or do some sort of excerise while in with them.

PrfctGdess

Thanks ladies! I DO tend to get some "caloric bursts" in where I can I spend a lot of time jumping while holding a kid, or we make a "boat train" with their floaties and I pull them while swimming across the pool :P I KNOW I burn when I take them (I've been at this long enough now that I can tell when I've burnt SOMETHING), I'm just not sure how much. So I've been taking however long we're there, divide by 2, and record that time as leisurely swimming. I was just curious if anyone else had a better method.

TNAJackson, you're crazier than me! hahahaha Which is hard to find (we had 3 kids 3 and under when my youngest was born :P )

NeuroticVirgo

I dunno, swimming is hard I think. The last time I went swimming I used my HRM, and it had me at 1/4 the calorie burn that MFP did for leisurely swimming, and about half of what it was for threading water on MFP. And I did laps every now and then when she and her friends went up to go on the slide etc.

PrfctGdess

I dunno, swimming is hard I think. The last time I went swimming I used my HRM, and it had me at 1/4 the calorie burn that MFP did for leisurely swimming, and about half of what it was for threading water on MFP. And I did laps every now and then when she and her friends went up to go on the slide etc.

Thats really helpful, thanks! I have a HRM, but mine isn't waterproof

srp2011

swimming-general- leisurely is the exact same calorie burn as swimming freestyle laps at a slow to moderate pace so it probably is not accurate or appropriate for what most of y'all are doing at the pool. Treading water is probably a more accurate estimate.