Calories Burned at pool

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  • loseequalsgain
    loseequalsgain Posts: 24
    I say half it just to be safe... but that's just my opinion. :]
  • jcpmoore
    jcpmoore Posts: 796 Member
    There is a big difference between stationary play and swimming in a pool. If you are moving through the water you face a lot of resistance from the water and therefore burn a lot of calories. If you are stationary with the kids (more like water aerobics) you have less resistance and burn fewer calories. When I'm stationary I use water aerobics settings. When I'm moving through water I call it swimming or water jogging, depending on the level of effort.

    ETA: I have used my HRM in the pool. When I use vigorous effort (always for me), the calorie count for water aerobics and water jogging are 100% in line with the default in MFP.

    So no, MFP does not estimate high in this case.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    So I've been at the pool with the kids for 2 hours just playing and stuff with them. When I went to log the exercise, I put in how long I was there and chose leisurely swimming but it said I burned 540 cals per hour! Just doesnt seem right. Seems like alot for just leisurely playing at the pool. Could this be right? I eat my exercise cals so I don't want to overeat. Thanks!

    No, you shouldn't log it. Period.
  • DianneBoo
    DianneBoo Posts: 226 Member
    According to my doc and trainer...you burn almost double the calories in water due to the resistance than you would walking, running, using the elliptical. If you think the amount is too high, cutyour time in half so the calorie burn is lower.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Right, go with 250; I do likewise, and that works for me.
    Then high calorie burn is for swimming laps but not all out fast paced.
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
    When I do leisurely Lap swimming back and forth for an hour I burn about 660 calories almost the same as brisk walking for me If I swim hard I burn almost 2x as many calories per minute but my arms are ready to fall off and I have to stop after 20 minutes if you can judge from that you were playing around in the water and not moving constantly I would use alot lower number to compare like a leisurely walk 2 miles an hour
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
    I weigh 244lbs and I don't burn quite that much leisurely swimming, but I burn about 900 cals an hour actually swimming laps.
  • Hyacinthgirl
    Hyacinthgirl Posts: 6 Member
    I'm happy to see the input in this thread.

    I have 3 kids and while we're on a three-week vacation I've been in the water with them 2-3 hours every day! What I've been doing is taking my count for "leisurely swimming" and cutting it in half.

    I have my activity set at sedentary so that I can "eat back" my exercise and I don't want to go under my totals too much because a) I love to eat and b) I don't want to screw up my metabolism.

    I *do* try and jog, tread water, move my arms, etc etc the whole time I'm in there with them so it might be more like water aerobics. All I know is that I'm STARVING every day all the time now, haha.
  • debrisware
    debrisware Posts: 2
    A person burns a good deal of calories in water simply to maintain body temperature. Most pools are in the mid 80s. For air that is comfy, but water pulls the heat right out of us and we burn a lot of fuel to compensate. That's why we get chilly if we don't keep moving. You could stand completely still in most pools and be burning far mor calories than you realize. Moderate moving around through the denser substance is work, but the cooling properties of water make it not "feel" like as much exercise.

    I taught swim lessons as a teen. Not a lot of hard swimming. Demonstrations and supporting the kids. Didnt seem that much exertion. like playing with kids in water. But mostly in the water. For my two breaks and lunch I'd bring three turkey mayo cheese lettuce tomato sandwiches, a banana or two, and lots of milk almost every day. Plus breakfast and dinner and snacks. Had a hard time keeping weight on. Those were the days.

    I would believe a high calorie estimate for being in water. If you stayed in the water the whole time that is.
  • ninnyfurr74
    ninnyfurr74 Posts: 111 Member
    I was looking for more references for this online and found one that says at 155 lbs playing in the pool with your kids for 30 min will burn 149 calories. This sounds about right to me. I'm not actually swimming but we do a lot of rough horse play with the older ones and I am constantly moving with the little one (bouncing, walking, tossing etc..) Hope this helps....Btw, I love this. I get to have fun with the kids and burn calories in a non painful way!? Woot!!!!:bigsmile:
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    So I've been at the pool with the kids for 2 hours just playing and stuff with them. When I went to log the exercise, I put in how long I was there and chose leisurely swimming but it said I burned 540 cals per hour! Just doesnt seem right. Seems like alot for just leisurely playing at the pool. Could this be right? I eat my exercise cals so I don't want to overeat. Thanks!

    Swimming is my form of exercise, I swim three days a week for one hr in an Olympic sied lap pool...That said I do continuious laps with only a 30sec break in between laps if needed. That said at the end of my workout MFP gives me roughly 600 cals for swimming and I still round it down to about 400 cals because I believe it is to high. I think 600 is geared more to olympic swimmers with perfect form who use their body in the water correctly. Just my thoughts
  • TxMomof3Boyz
    TxMomof3Boyz Posts: 2
    Accidentally replied when I needed to quote a previous comment first. I can't delete this now, only edit.
  • TxMomof3Boyz
    TxMomof3Boyz Posts: 2
    So I've been at the pool with the kids for 2 hours just playing and stuff with them. When I went to log the exercise, I put in how long I was there and chose leisurely swimming but it said I burned 540 cals per hour! Just doesnt seem right. Seems like alot for just leisurely playing at the pool. Could this be right? I eat my exercise cals so I don't want to overeat. Thanks!

    No, you shouldn't log it. Period.

    Have you ever played in the pool with two small (or not so small any more in my case) children constantly hanging on you while you tread water or dog paddle dragging them along? I am EXHAUSTED after spending an hour with my two kids at the pool. Even more so than when I power walk a 5K! I'm constantly moving. You better believe I'm going to log SOMETHING for that!!
  • amstroughweisneck
    amstroughweisneck Posts: 1 Member
    you will laugh at me but when i take my son and daughter in the pool at my house. mind you its a 3.5 intex pool. i just walk around making a whirlpool with them. they love it and i figure it helps me burn some calories while in there. i try to do it every day during the summer.
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