Calorie Burning Question

cherub_72
cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to add small calorie burns throughout the day. Periodically walking around the building, an extra trip up the stairs, sitting on an excersize ball at my desk...etc etc. cause I know that every movement counts. BUT how MUCH does it count? 1 calorie? 4 calories? When I checked for a 1 minute it walk it said 4 calories BUT when I logged my 30 minute walk last night it was 180. That math doesn't work out right. Can someone help?

Replies

  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    Use a HRM..
    When your heart rate is up, the more calories you will burn.
    Don't use the site to determin how much calories you had burn... you better off with an HRM
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    there are way too many variables involved to give any kind of real answer here...and really, if you're using time as your predictor then your estimate may or may not be remotely accurate...your burn from this kind of stuff has more to do with the distance you are moving combined with the fact that if you are heavier this requires more energy to move more mass further than someone who was smaller. A good basis is to estimate roughly 100 calories per mile...you burn slightly more running a mile than you do walking a mile but it's pretty inconsequential until you really start getting up there in mileage. You will also burn a bit more than that if you're heavier and may burn less than that if you're lighter...but it a more or less good starting point to compare to the numbers you're getting from a data base, machine, or HRM.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,060 Member
    Use a HRM..
    When your heart rate is up, the more calories you will burn.
    Don't use the site to determin how much calories you had burn... you better off with an HRM
    Well, not really. Stress alone can raise heart rate. And if it's at work, then it's not uncommon for it to happen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,060 Member
    Your approach is called NEAT- non exercise activity thermogenisis. Burning more calories through movement from everyday things like walking.
    It's not gonna probably amount to anything more than 150-450 calories in a day, but it's still something. As mentioned there are alot of variables, so tracking would be mostly predicting. Some of the newer pedometers (FITBIT for example) may give you a pretty good guess.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • dawndovell
    dawndovell Posts: 48 Member
    For a general idea of calories burned you can key exercises into MFP. Most people will tell you that MFP is considerably generous in amount burned, and to only count about 60-70% of the burn it says.
    If you plan to use walking as a calorie earner a lot of people seem to enjoy the fitbit. It measures steps in the day. For the best possible information you could consider a heart monitor.
    Maybe if you are just getting started with small activities don't worry about the burn just yet? I had a lot to lose and in the beginning I did not count my exercise calories. I was just working at getting active.
    At this mid way point I use MFP stats but, have taken into consideration the advice of the experienced MFP people and only consider it at 60%. Eventually if my numbers stop coming down I will graduate to a heart monitor.
  • cherub_72
    cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
    Yes I am trying to increase my calorie burn through non excersize as well as excersize. I was thinking that if I could keep track of the little things that I am doing throughout the day to increase my calorie burn....the little walks I take, the stairs, sitting on the ball for x minutes, I will be motivated to increase those little activities and in the process gradually move my lifestyle from couch...to moving. I am also trying to get into a habit of working out daily but I primarily for THIS post I am interested in ways to track the minor progresses I am making. Thanks for your input.
  • cherub_72
    cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
    Your approach is called NEAT- non exercise activity thermogenisis. Burning more calories through movement from everyday things like walking.
    It's not gonna probably amount to anything more than 150-450 calories in a day, but it's still something. As mentioned there are alot of variables, so tracking would be mostly predicting. Some of the newer pedometers (FITBIT for example) may give you a pretty good guess.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • cherub_72
    cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
    Your approach is called NEAT- non exercise activity thermogenisis. Burning more calories through movement from everyday things like walking.
    It's not gonna probably amount to anything more than 150-450 calories in a day, but it's still something. As mentioned there are alot of variables, so tracking would be mostly predicting. Some of the newer pedometers (FITBIT for example) may give you a pretty good guess.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Yes I am trying to increase my calorie burn through non excersize as well as excersize. I was thinking that if I could keep track of the little things that I am doing throughout the day to increase my calorie burn....the little walks I take, the stairs, sitting on the ball for x minutes, I will be motivated to increase those little activities and in the process gradually move my lifestyle from couch...to moving. I am also trying to get into a habit of working out daily but I primarily for THIS post I am interested in ways to track the minor progresses I am making. Thanks for your input.

    Sorry Guys! Just learning how to post and reply here. I'm new have grace and mercy. :-)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes I am trying to increase my calorie burn through non excersize as well as excersize. I was thinking that if I could keep track of the little things that I am doing throughout the day to increase my calorie burn....the little walks I take, the stairs, sitting on the ball for x minutes, I will be motivated to increase those little activities and in the process gradually move my lifestyle from couch...to moving. I am also trying to get into a habit of working out daily but I primarily for THIS post I am interested in ways to track the minor progresses I am making. Thanks for your input.

    as has been mentioned, it's pretty much impossible to track these little things independently using any kind of a data base. You might want to look into a fitbit or other similar device that estimates total calorie burn throughout the day...it would be the best way to estimate burn from these activities and get that visual. Keep in mind that it's still estimation.

    A HRM is really only relatively accurate for a sustained aerobic event...you're not going to get anything remotely accurate just wearing a HRM around all day...contrary to popular belief, it's not the HR in and of itself that gives you the burn...if that were the case I'd just have someone walk into my office every 5 minutes and scare the piss out of me...people don't understand that the HR is just used in an algorithm to estimate some % of VO2 max the user is at and thus estimate a calorie burn...this algorithm also assumes a sustained steady state cardio event...so walking around for a couple minutes isn't going to be accurate.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Those things are called life, not exercise. You don't need to track one minute of walking or sitting on a ball or going up the stairs. If you really want that kind of data you need a Fitbit or Bodymedia type device but really it isn't the kind of thing you need to worry about. Great for you moving more but if you managed to burn off an extra 50 calories in the day just consider it a bonus.
  • cherub_72
    cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
    Those things are called life, not exercise. You don't need to track one minute of walking or sitting on a ball or going up the stairs. If you really want that kind of data you need a Fitbit or Bodymedia type device but really it isn't the kind of thing you need to worry about. Great for you moving more but if you managed to burn off an extra 50 calories in the day just consider it a bonus.

    I agree...it is called life not exercise. I am trying to change my life. ALL of it. From sitting on the couch to a lifestyle of movement. In no way do I think that an extra trip around the building is going to replace my workout at the gym. BUT if I make a habit of moving rather than sitting that WOULD help so I am trying to take an honest look at the minor changes I can make that can add up. Thanks everybody for your input.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Get a fitbit or other tracking device. Yes, it all does add up. And the more you move, the more you burn, so these devices are great for adding up all the little things.

    I personally wouldn't track them as exercise, though. That makes it too tempting to have the mentality of, "I worked out because I walked to the store." But knowing how much extra you burn by that walk is a powerful motivator.
  • cherub_72
    cherub_72 Posts: 45 Member
    Get a fitbit or other tracking device. Yes, it all does add up. And the more you move, the more you burn, so these devices are great for adding up all the little things.

    I personally wouldn't track them as exercise, though. That makes it too tempting to have the mentality of, "I worked out because I walked to the store." But knowing how much extra you burn by that walk is a powerful motivator.

    Yes...logging as exercise is a bad idea. I didn't think that is where I was headed with this post but maybe in a roundabout way I was. Thanks again everybody!

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