HRM - Monitoring Burned Calories While At Work?

Sweetness023

I work in retail and am on my feet 95% of my shift. Saturdays are obviously a busy day as well as an 11hr shift for me. I usually don't do a workout on this day.

When I first got my HRM I used it to see how many calories I burned during my shift (3000+). I pause it when I have lunch, go on a small break or am sitting down resting my feet.

Usually when I work a 5-6hr shift I only log about half of that on my journal because it just seems a bit much.

I know your body burns a certain amount of calories a day just by breathing, digesting food etc. without all the extras and my thing is on an 11hr shift (like today) although I'm more active than what I would be if I was at home, it feels like I'm logging too many calories burned. If that makes sense. (I'll usually log about 8hrs out of the 11).

But then again the other half of me is like 'I ate 2.1k calories today but it's okay because I burned 3k' (my goal is 1380 but I usually eat around 1.5-1.6k with working out and such)

I'm kind of in two minds on this situation and was wondering what your thoughts would be. Or how you calculate your calories burned at your job (if you do at all).

birdieaz

I've had this exact same question. I work 3 12hr shifts and am on my feet the whole time minus an hour lunch, I don't work out on those days. The rest of the week I do Insanity but otherwise am sedentary. I've been struggling to figure out if that makes me lightly or moderately active. Though about wearing my HRM to work to see what it says.

Will be watching this thread to see responses.

gwicks54

I own a restaurant & do a lot of manual labor. Cooking, stocking cleaning, waiting on customers etc. Most days I put in ten to fourteen hours per day. on my feet. When I put in even half of my work hours the calories they give me are high. I have trouble losing weight othe than controlling carbs. I have not been eating the extra calories & staying around 1400 per day. & under 100 grams of carbs (per doctors orders). I am not sure if I should be eating any of the extra calories or not.

hannahcaringal

i know its so hard to count calories! i was thinking of investing in a HRM, but after reading this thread, i feel as if it logs in too many calories? is this right?

skylark94

HRMs really aren't meant to be worn all day. They are only going to be accurate for higher intensity activity.

For day to day wear, look into a Fitbit or a Bodymedia. I love my Fitbit.