Does Driving Actually Burn Calories?

staps065 · July 2013

I've seen where people have added calories burned from driving and it is even in the Cardiovascular Exercise database. Do you really burn calories driving? I have a long day trip tomorrow (about 7 hours to destination) and wonder if I'll actually burn while driving. Opinions? Fact? Fiction?

Thanks!

2013sk · July 2013

Never heard of burning calories while driving!!!!!!!!!

jetlag · July 2013

Well, yes, because you burn calories every minute of every day. EVERYTHING burns calories.

I suspect that driving doesn't burn many more calories than sitting down, however, especially if you drive an automatic, so I wouldn't be inclined to log it.

stefjc · July 2013

Anything you do 'burns calories'. Think about sitting down, sleeping etc, your body needs some energy to keep you alive.

Driving requires a couple of kcals more than sitting down as you move a little bit more, turning the steering wheel, flexing/extending your feet - hey you could call that weight training as the pedals provide a little bit of resistance, changing gear, steering too

But I would ask anyone thinking about measuring those kcals why as I would assume that they may be focussing on them a little bit too much than is helpful.

I do much the same with scales. I am still quite fascinated with the daily/weekly bounce. But I only record once or twice a month. I am just interested, not hung up on it.

Having said that, I had a client who did record ironing, chopping veg, driving etc. She had been couchbound for about a year, so absolutely any movement whatsoever was a bonus, raised her metabolic rate and was, for her, endlessly interesting (she started at 40stone and is now 22stone and doesn't track quite as much

)

(I just read that back. I am guessing it would be really easy to guess what I do for a living..... sorry. I sound sooooooooooooo very, very teachery)

SmartAlec03211988 · July 2013

I don't drive much, but on days I do my BodyMedia does register a TINY bump than normal. Maybe 10-20 calories for an hour.

mcibty · July 2013

Wow, really?

I'm totally adding my calorie burn from breathing!

ekz13 · July 2013

I read an article and yes it does burn a snotload of cals... if you are driving nascar or formula 1 cars... those guys/gals need to be in top shape due to the high demand on the body for those speeds in that heat for that length of time... I'd log that..

now, hopping in the honda mini van to get more breyers... not so much... :drinker: :bigsmile:

beachlover317 · July 2013

No. You are only burning what you normally would sitting. Maybe a little more because you hanging onto the steering wheel. But to me? This is NOT exercise.

Frood42 · July 2013

Part of your daily activities multiplication factor that MFP uses I would say.

If you have a manual and drive some distance in stop and start traffic then you may burn some additional calories by having to change gears and depress the pedals, but not that much.

7 hours will be quite some time in the car, but it would be similar to me sat at my desk working on my laptop in the office.

I would not add driving as an additional exercise in my exercise diary.

What I would add into my exercise diary is my 200 mile a week commute on bicycle into work.

.

Pamela_in_Progress · July 2013

Could it be driving, as in the driving range? Golf?

Sonj1973 · July 2013

Hi there, I know it's seems ridiculous does'nt it, but every thing your body does requires energy to perform whether it be reading, studying, driving sitting and breathing in fact!! There is other sites that break it down for you but whether they are accurate is another thing.... According to the site you burn 560 calories just sleeping for an 8 hr period... again how accurate I'm not sure)However this obviously ties in with your BMR that has already been calculated for you on the outset...
As for logging anything, If it's somthing you do on a daily basis then you can assume it's accounted for in your daily BMR, anything additional to this I suppose you could log it! Your call

Ps have a nice time

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · July 2013

I wouldn't count it. I would assume that it's part of activity level. If your activity setting is correct then I wouldn't add in anything that is part of your daily activity.

ekz13 · July 2013

I don't drive much, but on days I do my BodyMedia does register a TINY bump than normal. Maybe 10-20 calories for an hour.

that's just from the roadrage :devil: :bigsmile:

BrainyBurro · July 2013

I've seen where people have added calories burned from driving and it is even in the Cardiovascular Exercise database. Do you really burn calories driving? I have a long day trip tomorrow (about 7 hours to destination) and wonder if I'll actually burn while driving. Opinions? Fact? Fiction?

Thanks!

you burn calories every minute of every day. if you want to log 7 hours of driving, then you'll have to also subtract that from your BMR so that you don't double-count them.

people log all sorts of silly things on this site. i generally don't comment, even though i think they are fooling themselves. the reason i don't comment is that for some folks, logging is motivation and if they want to count their showering and teeth brushing calories, so be it. they won't see them reflected on the scale at the end of the month, but maybe on those days where they couldn't do any actual exercise, logging 30 minutes of emptying the dishwasher makes them feel like they still did something that day.

staps065 · July 2013

I thought it sounded silly but I've seen it in the database and I doubt we have too many NASCAR or Formula 1 race car drivers on MFP, but hey, I had to ask! :ohwell: I guess I'll just move my workout to the PM after I arrive at the resort! Cheers! :drinker: