is this correct?

WonderNoodle

i have been outside for 6 hours with no breaks really, raking, seeding the yard, burning, picking the yard (we have an acre of property) of sticks and debris, watering....i put 4 hours of "general gardening" and it was 1,675 calories burnt....do you think that's a fair assumption?

jw17695

I don't know but that sounds awesome. I need a yard (I live in a third floor apartment). Then again, I would probably make Todd do the yard work. So much for that idea. :laugh:

nina1968

I would say that is about right. Good for you. Its great being outside.

robin52077

If you were sweating and breathing heavy through a lot of it, then maybe, but if you were relaxed and chatting and strolling around the yard then no.
Were you exhausted and sore when you were done?
Maybe you should only count the length of time when you think your heart rate was aerobically elevated, like during the raking part for sure....raking kicks my *kitten* even when I try to go easy!

If you are unsure, just log it but don't eat them back, or maybe eat a little of them but definitely not all, because if it IS way off then you'd actually end up way over your calories for the day and not even know it!

mromnek

That works out to about 420 cals per hour. The problem is that it just an estimate that is based upon some set activity.

How many calories would you burn doing a hour of walking? I would say it should be fairly close to that exercise.

If your concern is eating the exercise calories... Adzak (a fitness professional on MFP) suggests eating no more than 1/2 your calories. So, I would say, enjoy your 800 extra calories!!! You deserve it!

WonderNoodle

Thanks for all the input and advice!

Yes...the first two hours were blister-forming, short of breath from raking (wow, i'm pathetic), wood toting work. The next four hours were a bit more mellow, watering, and trapsing around the yard picking up this n that.

I've only hit 1,183 in calories for the day....I've not met my regular calorie goal of 1,400, let alone attempted to eat any extra calories. Will be a win win day for me I suppose.

Just because I use MFP to hold myself totally accountable, I think I'll back the "hours of gardening" down to 2 1/2 so I don't feel like I'm cheating myself.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

robin52077

I know what you mean about raking. I wear my HRM when I am out there and it frequently beeps at me for working TOO hard. For some reason, even though I'm practically standing still and mostly using my arms, it pumps my heart way harder then walking at a fast pace....

And if you don't eat them back, then it really wont affect anything, so it's win-win like you said!
Even though you don't know the exact number, just rest assured that they are ALL deficit calories, no matter how many there were!