Do you count resting on hikes?

rhapsody98

When I go out and hike, I usually just mark what time I start and stop, so today I hiked for three hours, almost exactly, and went 4.9 miles. Of course, I live in East Tennessee where we have some pretty rugged hills, so I stopped often to rest for a minute or two on my way uphill. My husband says then, that I didn't hike for a full three hours and my calorie count is wrong. I always thought that since my heart was still beating at an increased speed that the calories were still being used.

Which count is correct? Three hours, or the reduced time, which would probably be around 2:30 or 2:40?

bsharrah

You are over thinking it. The difference in time means very little, especially when you consider that whatever method you are using to compute your calorie burn isn't that precise anyway. Your husband just needs to be congratulating you on your hike, and not being so critical as too how long you did it for.

drgndancer

I tend to agree that the calorie difference would be minimal, and the margin or error lost in the wash of estimation error. If you want a more accurate calorie eatimate, get a heart rate monitor and wear it during hikes. You'll get a pretty accurate idea of calories burnt on the whole hike, without ending to worry about stops and starts.

KaidaKantri

I don't count rest periods. I count just the hike time. But, I suppose if you only took a couple minute break it wouldn't be that bad. I think Bsharrah about your husband not being so critical and being congratulating. But at the same time, he could be critical as his way of trying to help you.

rhapsody98

Bsharrah and KaidaKantri, I know he's being critical to help me be sure I'm actually burning that many calories, not to be critical or mean. We've both been using MFP for three weeks, and we're seeing results! I think he just wants there to be more accuracy to the system than there really is. I think he also thinks I sit down for 10 or 20 minutes, instead of standing still for 1-2 minutes, LOL!

Thanks everyone!

dward2011

My cheapo Timex watch has a stopwatch mode. I start it at the beginning of our hikes, runs, walks, bike rides, etc. I press stop when we stop for whatever reason, and press start again. Until I can afford a HRM, this makes me feel that I recording things in the best manner possible.

maroonmango211

Honestly this is where having a HRM can really help, it will help judge the intensity of your work out and not 'count' as high a calorie burn when you're taking a breather and your heart rate slows. Either way, unless you are stopping and having a picnic for an hour in between stretches its safe to say even the resting is part of your excercise.

Toomestwin

Before or after they bring out the defibrillator?

MoreBean13

An HRM would be the best accuracy for your hike. If you don't have one- do you have a smartphone? The runkeeper app (and several others like it) use distance, elevation and time to calculate your calories so it might be really helpful on a hike like yours, and they're free. I run hills, and the calorie count on runkeeper comes out pretty close to my HRM, which is way off from the running Xmph option here on MFP (which assumes flat ground), so I think the elevational changes are pretty accurate. At least for my n=1 case, anyway.

ETA: ...and it has a specific "hiking" option.

bsharrah

A hrm will not help much. For one thing, they are not as accurate for calculating calories as people think, and their calculations are still very rough estimates. Also, the calories burned function on them are only meant to be used during periods of cardio where the heart rate is being sustained at levels higher than you should be seeing while hiking.