How many calories does photography burn?

yogeshsarkar

I am photography enthusiast and at times I am out for several hours photographing monuments and urban landscape. Since one isn’t continuously walking, putting it in walking category doesn’t feel right.

But then again one is carrying around 10-15 pounds on the back with at least one pound in hand in the form of camera, so I guess that ought to count for something, especially considering that I will be riding (motorcycle) to a camel fair around end of month and will be out shooting for at least 4 hours a day for 3 days.

So kind of curious about this.

molly_grue

There is a category that is "walking carrying child or 15 lb load"
or change your activity level setting on those days.

ExplorinLauren

Well, I guess there is no real way to know without a HRM.

Maybe you can log it as walking or hiking, but only use half the time you are actually out there.

yogeshsarkar

There is a category that is "walking carrying child or 15 lb load"
etc or change your activity level setting on those days.

Yes saw that, but I guess that involves mostly walking, while doing photography one isn't continuously walking per say.

yogeshsarkar

Well, I guess there is no real way to know without a HRM.

Maybe you can log it as walking or hiking, but only use half the time you are actually out there.

Hmm... last time I had counted the kilometers done (as per GPS) and converted that into time based on the slow walking method. But I don't know if it is actually that much or not, sadly do not have access to HRM or Calorie counters.

belladonna786

If this is something you do on a regular basis I wouldn't count it as exercise. Count things you do above and beyond your normal/regular activity.

SomeoneSomeplace

If it's something you do every day I'd say change yourself to lightly active or moderately active, whatever you feel is best, instead of logging it as exercise

yogeshsarkar

If this is something you do on a regular basis I wouldn't count it as exercise. Count things you do above and beyond your normal/regular activity.

If it's something you do every day I'd say change yourself to lightly active or moderately active, whatever you feel is best, instead of logging it as exercise

I don't do it regularly (though I know I should), I do it maybe once or twice a month and usually for 2-3 hours at a stretch.

SideSteel

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd classify this as NEAT and not worry about it at all.

Consider it "bonus weight loss".

Katbody10

I think you may benefit from investing in either a heart rate monitor (HRM) or some kind of gadget that calculates your whole day (including sleep) calorie burn such as FitBit, BodyMedia, BodyBugg .. Those would give you the most accurate readings of what you're burning during any day .. including activities such as walking, (photography) , etc.

Otherwise .. MFP is extremely generous in their calculations here for activities .. I know I don't burn those kind of calories they say I do, so I have to adjust it by half at least. .. I barely burn 200 calories walking at a brisk pace (3.5-4.0 mph) in an hour up steep hills and inclines in my neighborhood.. but MFP likes to give me nearly 400 calories. (wrong!) LOL

My heart rate doesn't go up that much .. even going up inclines. I'm already in fit condition -- and don't weigh very much, so I'm not killing those calories like someone carrying 50 or more pounds in excess body weight either.

Just be careful relying on MFP for calorie burns.. it's really off ..

Edit:
Oh .. you can use a gps tracking program on your phone .. I use MapMyWalk .. it's a lot more accurate than MFP values :-)

Shua89

I'm also out doing photography a lot but I don't count it. I really don't see it burning nearly enough calories to count as above and beyond.

Car0lynnM

I would change your activity level to moderately active, and use that calorie count as your goal (I am assuming you want the extra calories earned by exercising). Since this is something you do on a regular basis, it shouldn't be counted as exercise, but you do want to account for those calories used so you're getting enough fuel/nutrients. If you really want to know how many calories you're burning during that time, you can get an HRM from Amazon at a very reasonable price (mine was less than $30).

Kristie18

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd classify this as NEAT and not worry about it at all.

Consider it "bonus weight loss".

Agree ^^^

wild_wild_life

There are too many variables to predict the calories burned for any given outing -- your best bet would probably be to keep track of how far/fast you are walking in between stopping to shoot and just count it as walking.

LorinaLynn

If you have a smartphone, use an app like runkeeper, mapmywalk, etc and set it to walk and just let it run while you're doing your activity. I had it running while I did the Zombie Walk a few weeks ago, most of which was just milling about the park waiting for the walk to start. I traveled a little over 2 miles at a 1.2mph pace and it estimated I burned about 200 calories.

Jorra

It's not necessary to log. You run the risk of overestimation for something that really isn't intentional exercise.

For example, my weekends are much more active than my weekdays because of my job. If I changed my activity level setting for those days, I'd only get a 200 calorie boost, max.That's for being on my feet all day long doing physical activity.

Unless your trigger finger is getting buff, I wouldn't worry about it.

yogeshsarkar

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd classify this as NEAT and not worry about it at all.

Consider it "bonus weight loss".

hehe true

I think you may benefit from investing in either a heart rate monitor (HRM) or some kind of gadget that calculates your whole day (including sleep) calorie burn such as FitBit, BodyMedia, BodyBugg .. Those would give you the most accurate readings of what you're burning during any day .. including activities such as walking, (photography) , etc.

Otherwise .. MFP is extremely generous in their calculations here for activities .. I know I don't burn those kind of calories they say I do, so I have to adjust it by half at least. .. I barely burn 200 calories walking at a brisk pace (3.5-4.0 mph) in an hour up steep hills and inclines in my neighborhood.. but MFP likes to give me nearly 400 calories. (wrong!) LOL

My heart rate doesn't go up that much .. even going up inclines. I'm already in fit condition -- and don't weigh very much, so I'm not killing those calories like someone carrying 50 or more pounds in excess body weight either.

Just be careful relying on MFP for calorie burns.. it's really off ..

Edit:
Oh .. you can use a gps tracking program on your phone .. I use MapMyWalk .. it's a lot more accurate than MFP values :-)

I know, which is why I normally count food calories on a little higher side to somewhat offset it and try and not to eat up the calories I gain by exercising. guess it is just for the ego sake and I really don’t want to invest in a heart rate monitor, just for that.

I am using My Tracks on a regular basis for logging my rides, will try MapMyWalk as well.

I'm also out doing photography a lot but I don't count it. I really don't see it burning nearly enough calories to count as above and beyond.

I was kind of hoping it would, since I won’t be able to work out for those 3 days and would be eating out, so watching and logging calories becomes difficult, since hotels in India don’t mention calories in food and calories can change rapidly for the same food items, depending on the cook.

I would change your activity level to moderately active, and use that calorie count as your goal (I am assuming you want the extra calories earned by exercising). Since this is something you do on a regular basis, it shouldn't be counted as exercise, but you do want to account for those calories used so you're getting enough fuel/nutrients. If you really want to know how many calories you're burning during that time, you can get an HRM from Amazon at a very reasonable price (mine was less than $30).

Sadly it would take a lot more to get it shipped to India, than its actual cost

taekwonkenpo

I don't know the answer to your question, but I'd classify this as NEAT and not worry about it at all.

Consider it "bonus weight loss".

Agree ^^^

This is 100% correct. If you are stopping often i would not count it as even walking. I don't log when i walk around the store or go check my mail. (my mailbox is about a block and a half away) That is just extra calorie burning, But not enough to count as excercising.

yogeshsarkar

There are too many variables to predict the calories burned for any given outing -- your best bet would probably be to keep track of how far/fast you are walking in between stopping to shoot and just count it as walking.

If you have a smartphone, use an app like runkeeper, mapmywalk, etc and set it to walk and just let it run while you're doing your activity. I had it running while I did the Zombie Walk a few weeks ago, most of which was just milling about the park waiting for the walk to start. I traveled a little over 2 miles at a 1.2mph pace and it estimated I burned about 200 calories.

Hmm... Sounds fair, will try this app. Hopefully GPS would be able to lock in the narrow alleys of Pushkar.

It's not necessary to log. You run the risk of overestimation for something that really isn't intentional exercise.

For example, my weekends are much more active than my weekdays because of my job. If I changed my activity level setting for those days, I'd only get a 200 calorie boost, max.That's for being on my feet all day long doing physical activity.

Unless your trigger finger is getting buff, I wouldn't worry about it.

Trigger finger doesn't goes buff, but back certainly does

This is 100% correct. If you are stopping often i would not count it as even walking. I don't log when i walk around the store or go check my mail. (my mailbox is about a block and a half away) That is just extra calorie burning, But not enough to count as excercising.

hmm...

darrensurrey

I'd just estimate how many minutes you walk for and divide it by 3. I'd be very reluctant to eat back calories spent on short walks. I mean, I spend about an hour a week at Tesco stopping and starting, reading labels etc, carrying shopping and wouldn't log that!

yogeshsarkar

I'd just estimate how many minutes you walk for and divide it by 3. I'd be very reluctant to eat back calories spent on short walks. I mean, I spend about an hour a week at Tesco stopping and starting, reading labels etc, carrying shopping and wouldn't log that!

I don't eat back calories I get by exercise, if anything I am generally less than weekly recommended calorie requirement (without counting exercise calories).