Walking as a form of Cardio.

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marc_s_johnson
marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How many of you do this as a part of your working out?

Reason I ask is because I am a Postman, today I wore my HRM while I did my round and was shocked at the results, in 3 hours and 8 mins it registered that I burned 1231 calories, now in theory that is great if that's true and I wear a strap so I am taking it as true but I'm not sure if I should be eating an extra 1231 calories back.

It don't feel like I've done 1231 calories worth of exercise, ok, a lot of the time was spent walking up and down stairs with a bag on my back but still, when I do kettlebells or Insanity I know I have busted my nuts, it didn't feel like that at work so I am unsure if walking really is useful as a cardio exercise and if they are calories I should be eating back or not.

I know this sounds like a really stupid question but the thought of eating an extra 1200 calories a day is something I really don't want to get wrong.
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Replies

  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
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    It looks like a really optimistic estimate to me
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
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    It's not an estimate, I have a Polar heart rate monitor with a strap sensor, its the first time Ive used it at work to track my round.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    A heart rate monitor calorie estimates are not valid for lower-level occupational or recreational activities. I have seen different claims for the minimum intensity necessary--110 bpm or at least 40% of VO2 max, for example--but if you are under that than the numbers don't mean anything.

    Now you are moving and you are generating more calories compared to a sedentary office job, but nowhere near the amount on the HRM.
  • HeavenLeighx
    HeavenLeighx Posts: 1
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    I would def say that is accurate. My primary way of burning calories is walking and it works for me. Especially with a good diet! As long as your eating good as well then I'd say that's pretty accurate. Don't realize how many calories you're burning just being on your feet!
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    It's not an estimate, I have a Polar heart rate monitor with a strap sensor, its the first time Ive used it at work to track my round.
    I don't think hr monitors are accurate in this situation. I would not eat an extra 1200 cals.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
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    So we're saying roughly 400 calories an hour? I'd say that wouldn't be miles off personally. You could always round down to say 1000.

    Whether you want to eat some back or not is down to you but I wouldn't log it on MFP.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I don't use an HRM for walking, I use my Fitbit. I register approximately 100 calories in 25 minutes of walking (about 1.25-1.5 miles on average).

    I dislike a lot of cardio, so walking about 6 miles a day is about all I do anymore. I don't eat back exercise calories though, I use the TDEE-15% method which already factors in the exercise calories. It works great for me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I burn roughly 417 calories in an hour walking at roughly 4 MPH, so it's quite possible. Really though, you have what I'd call a pretty active job and that should be reflected in your activity level when you set your profile up. If you've included that activity already as part of your job and thus your activity level, you wouldn't eat those calories back...only "exercise" calories that are above and beyond your day to day hum drum. If you set yourself as sedentary you would eat those back...but really you should just change your activity level to reflect what you actually do.
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
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    So we're saying roughly 400 calories an hour? I'd say that wouldn't be miles off personally. You could always round down to say 1000.

    Whether you want to eat some back or not is down to you but I wouldn't log it on MFP.

    ^^^This... Make sure your activity level is active, and MFP should take that into account for your calories. IMO I would only log if you are exercising to exercise. If that makes sense.
  • svbeyer
    svbeyer Posts: 11
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    You might want to try tracking distance instead of time, using an app like My Tracks on your smartphone, which tracks your mileage using your GPS. Then you can figure about a hundred calories a mile. I don't know how accurate this will be, but it is probably close enough. I often take long brisk walks, and it works for me. :-)
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
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    A heart rate monitor calorie estimates are not valid for lower-level occupational or recreational activities. I have seen different claims for the minimum intensity necessary--110 bpm or at least 40% of VO2 max, for example--but if you are under that than the numbers don't mean anything.

    Now you are moving and you are generating more calories compared to a sedentary office job, but nowhere near the amount on the HRM.

    I was getting to 110-120bpms a fair bit, my round involves a lot of stairs, to put it into context, I wasn't just strolling around like you would do around the house,, I was walking briskly and climbing stairs for most of it with weight on my back, the heart was indeed pumping more than normal thats for sure but not Insanity style hard.

    I'm gonna give it another go tomorrow but I have eaten 1000 extra roday out of the 1400 total burned for the day, the rest came from cycling which I have no doubts about.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Maybe change your activity level to something more suitable to your job, IMO. Especially if that's what you do every day. Walking can burn a significant amount of calories, especially if you're doing it with extra weight. I'm curious, what was your average heart rate? I'm guessing the HRM probably isn't too far off especially if you had a good pace. Hours of walking will burn quite a bit, especially the faster you go.

    Alternatively, maybe calculate the distance as well. It's reasonably accurate to calculate calories burned per mile of walking. Assuming a good sized male, good pace, plus the extra weight you're lugging around, 80-90, maybe even 100 calories per mile of walking. Just as as sanity check. If that matches up with your HRM then you're probably pretty close.

    Finally, if you're still able to reach your goal weight loss eating back those 1200 calories, then do so. If not, adjust intake accordingly. Trial and error, pretty much what everyone does. Only way to find out is to try it.
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
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    I burn roughly 417 calories in an hour walking at roughly 4 MPH, so it's quite possible. Really though, you have what I'd call a pretty active job and that should be reflected in your activity level when you set your profile up. If you've included that activity already as part of your job and thus your activity level, you wouldn't eat those calories back...only "exercise" calories that are above and beyond your day to day hum drum. If you set yourself as sedentary you would eat those back...but really you should just change your activity level to reflect what you actually do.

    Yeah, normaly I set it to activate which is the serring for mailman but I have been on anual leave so left it on lightly active and used the strap/monitor out of curiosity.

    I will give it another go tomorrow and maybe not eat back the calories then maybe change the setting and stop logging it.
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
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    Maybe change your activity level to something more suitable to your job, IMO. Especially if that's what you do every day. Walking can burn a significant amount of calories, especially if you're doing it with extra weight. I'm curious, what was your average heart rate? I'm guessing the HRM probably isn't too far off especially if you had a good pace. Hours of walking will burn quite a bit, especially the faster you go.

    Alternatively, maybe calculate the distance as well. It's reasonably accurate to calculate calories burned per mile of walking. Assuming a good sized male, good pace, plus the extra weight you're lugging around, 80-90, maybe even 100 calories per mile of walking. Just as as sanity check. If that matches up with your HRM then you're probably pretty close.

    Finally, if you're still able to reach your goal weight loss eating back those 1200 calories, then do so. If not, adjust intake accordingly. Trial and error, pretty much what everyone does. Only way to find out is to try it.

    I will let you know the average heart rate tomorrow as it reset due to me using it again to cycle home, Im gonna test it again tomorrow.

    Im pretty sure it was between 110 and 125 and it was definitely 60% on the fat burn figure for the whole 3 hours, this surprised me because Insanity is usually around 45% for me.
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
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    So we're saying roughly 400 calories an hour? I'd say that wouldn't be miles off personally. You could always round down to say 1000.

    Whether you want to eat some back or not is down to you but I wouldn't log it on MFP.

    ^^^This... Make sure your activity level is active, and MFP should take that into account for your calories. IMO I would only log if you are exercising to exercise. If that makes sense.

    I agree. If you have your Activity level set to Active, you would be double counting; if you are set up as sedentary, then you should count it?
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
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    I do. Fast brisk pace, though. 30 min twice a week. Usually on rest days.
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
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    I was set to lightly active which is not double cointing as that is for someone who stands a lot, I made sure of that as double counting is not good to anyone.
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
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    So we're saying roughly 400 calories an hour? I'd say that wouldn't be miles off personally. You could always round down to say 1000.

    Whether you want to eat some back or not is down to you but I wouldn't log it on MFP.

    ^^^This... Make sure your activity level is active, and MFP should take that into account for your calories. IMO I would only log if you are exercising to exercise. If that makes sense.

    I agree. If you have your Activity level set to Active, you would be double counting; if you are set up as sedentary, then you should count it?
  • wsuduce
    wsuduce Posts: 68 Member
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    I would use it just as an estimate. The more you do an activity the more your body adapts, become more efficient and will use less actual energy. But it is a good start.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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    I count walking as exercise, and use a HRM to estimate calorie burn at over 60% voc. Walking is my principal exercise and as long as I keep within my calorie limits I lose weight just fine. (BTW, my calorie burn on walking is about 240 per hour, and I don't usually eat all of those calories back, just the majority).

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