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    How do You Track Cals Burned When Playing with Your Kids..

    Posts: 719
    edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
    Question? To all of you with little ones, how do you (if you do ) count/track your calories burned while playing with your kids ... say for example a day at the park, a couple hours at playground or just playing with them around the house?

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    • Posts: 131 Member
      I probably wouldn't track it (although I should say I don't have kids!). I'd just adjust my activity level, assuming you play with your kids every day! So if you're "sedentary" right now, I'd make yourself "lightly active."
    • Posts: 659 Member
      Unless I know I'm getting some sort of workout (like going for a walk or something), I basically avoid it adding it. Extra calories burned :)
    • Posts: 32
      IF you happen to already have a HRM you could wear it during the activity a couple of times to get an idea of the calories burned, then just add a similar activity that is close.
    • Posts: 1,422 Member
      I personally don't add it in as exercise (I have 3 children under 7 years old). I did change my "activity" as lightly active though. A HRM would be good though if you do want to log it.
    • Posts: 2,009 Member
      If asked myself that question a few times actually. I don't play with them actively every day, but on the weekends chasing two or more kids around a playground and interracting with them can sure work up a sweat on a warm day. I havent logged this before, but I'll allow myself just a little more flexibilty with my cals for the day if I think I've earned it :)
    • Posts: 817 Member
      I don't count it. I consider that a normal part of my day.
    • Posts: 114
      I don't count it either.
    • Posts: 196 Member
      I don't count it. I consider that a normal part of my day.

      Agree 100%
    • Posts: 813 Member
      I consider such things mere items that contribute to your general activity setting.

      Don't track it.
      You'll find people trying to track every single thing, and such wishful thinkers are usually those who over state calories burned and under report food intake, then complain when they make little progress.

      It's the very tomfoolery typical of the professional dieter.
    • Posts: 1,111 Member
      I probably wouldn't track it (although I should say I don't have kids!). I'd just adjust my activity level, assuming you play with your kids every day! So if you're "sedentary" right now, I'd make yourself "lightly active."

      That's what I did.
    • Posts: 661 Member
      I consider such things mere items that contribute to your general activity setting.

      Don't track it.
      You'll find people trying to track every single thing, and such wishful thinkers are usually those who over state calories burned and under report food intake, then complain when they make little progress.

      It's the very tomfoolery typical of the professional dieter.

      That sounds exactly right!
    • Posts: 8,897 Member
      I don't. The first 5 years of his life I played with him and I gained nearly 40 pounds...that said, he and I play tennis and jog together sometimes, so I do log that!
    • Posts: 719
      Good points, I don't track/ count them in my cals burned just interest to see if others did , how so is all.
    • Posts: 33 Member
      Look under care of primates/wild or wild animal care in the exercise database.
    • Posts: 205 Member
      I only track actual cardiac exercise……treadmill, bike, running, workout video etc. I am not one to track cleaning my house or shopping. To me those are normal daily living activities. To me playing with the kids is the same. The only extra thing I track is yard work or shoveling.
    • Posts: 526 Member
      I consider such things mere items that contribute to your general activity setting.

      Don't track it.
      You'll find people trying to track every single thing, and such wishful thinkers are usually those who over state calories burned and under report food intake, then complain when they make little progress.

      It's the very tomfoolery typical of the professional dieter.

      Agreed!
    • Posts: 4,894 Member
      You don't. Lump it into your lifestyle.
    • Posts: 504 Member
      show previous quotes

      That sounds exactly right!



      I totally agree with this. I see it all the time, if I logged playing with kids, doing laundry, washing dishes then I would have calories galore.... I did those things while obese and it didn't help any then... why would it help now?
    • Posts: 93 Member
      Look under care of primates/wild or wild animal care in the exercise database.

      I trust playing with my cat goes to this categhory also, LOL! :-D
    • Posts: 622 Member
      I don't have my own kids, but when I play with my friend's kids I log it, because its not a normal thing. Its usually once or a few times a month at most.

      I just add an extra 100 calories per hour, which is pretty conservative i think
    • Posts: 61
      I don't log playing with the kids but if I was to walk to the park I would log that walk but not once i got there. I log my shopping simply because I only do it once every couple of weeks (I don't log my weekly food shopping) I log some cleaning only if its something I don't do everyday like spring cleaning or cleaning walls and things like that because everything else is already in my daily activity.
      I have 3 kids 5 and under so they keep me busy but don't log it because I wouldn't know where to start lol not that it makes any difference to me if I did because I don't eat back my burnt calories anyway.
    • Posts: 719
      I only track actual cardiac exercise……treadmill, bike, running, workout video etc. I am not one to track cleaning my house or shopping. To me those are normal daily living activities. To me playing with the kids is the same. The only extra thing I track is yard work or shoveling.

      totally agree
    • Posts: 719
      show previous quotes



      well said!
    • Posts: 19 Member
      I dunno how you guys "play" with your kids, but when i do, im running over the jungle gym and crawling around on my hands and knees, and chasing my boys around, "helping" them climb up the slides, doing that for an hour or 2 definitely outta be worth something...the other day we danced around the living room for a half hour to some songs the kids love, I would log that, and I count the playing walking at 2 mile/hr even though most of the time I know i'm going faster then that. we don't go to the park everyday, so of course I'm going to log it...standing there putting dishes in a dish washer isnt much work, but working up a sweat chasing 2 little boys definitely is...

      I know I'm one of the few parents that actually climbs up into the toys with their kids, so maybe the parents that just hang out talking to other parents, shouldn't log that...
    • Posts: 673 Member
      I consider it part of my daily life and consider it built into my BMR.

      In other words, I wouldn't log / track it.
    • Posts: 1,237 Member
      I only track actual cardiac exercise……treadmill, bike, running, workout video etc. I am not one to track cleaning my house or shopping. To me those are normal daily living activities. To me playing with the kids is the same. The only extra thing I track is yard work or shoveling.
      me too
    • Posts: 194 Member
      I dunno how you guys "play" with your kids, but when i do, im running over the jungle gym and crawling around on my hands and knees, and chasing my boys around, "helping" them climb up the slides, doing that for an hour or 2 definitely outta be worth something...the other day we danced around the living room for a half hour to some songs the kids love, I would log that, and I count the playing walking at 2 mile/hr even though most of the time I know i'm going faster then that. we don't go to the park everyday, so of course I'm going to log it...standing there putting dishes in a dish washer isnt much work, but working up a sweat chasing 2 little boys definitely is...

      I know I'm one of the few parents that actually climbs up into the toys with their kids, so maybe the parents that just hang out talking to other parents, shouldn't log that...

      Yes indeed I would track it. I never really thought about it until now....damn good idea. I have 5 children and all under the age of 13 and I'm active with them. I use to consider that daily activities and not track it, but after playing soccer, racing, or dance contest in our living room and let's not forget jungle gym days yes I sure work up a sweat. I do log in my bike ride with a trailer, but now as I think about it....the next time at jungle gym I'm strapping on a HRM.
    • Posts: 86
      Look under care of primates/wild or wild animal care in the exercise database.

      :laugh: loved this!
      I don't track it, same as i don't track household chores. it's a personal choice- if you track it to see the calories burned one thing if you track it so you can feel better eating a large dinner~~~I'd suggest not
    • Posts: 16 Member
      I am in agreement with those that say it counts. I think your crazy if you say it doesn't, but then again it depends on how you play with your kids. When I play at the park with my kids I get a much better workout tban walking.
      But when they run somewhere I run too. I chase them up the slide and have to run nack down to catch them. And have you ever played freeze tag? That's comparable to sprinting. I found a site that gave it a 270 calorie burn per hour for a 150 pound woman. Come on people, working out doesn't have to be boring. Have some fun with it and include your kids!
    • Posts: 423 Member
      Did you do that stuff BEFORE you started your weight loss journey? IMO, I was fat because I ate too much and didnt work out. I still had 2 kids then too.

      Oh and I am not one of "those" parents that just hangs out. I play ball with my kids as I coach their soccer team. I dont count that though in my exercise. Being a parent isnt exercise.
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