how to track calories burned????

annastasia_82
annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work on a beef cattle farm, so as far as a work out its everything from cardio to weight lifting and everything in between. However, I'm not sure how to figure out how many calories I burn while I'm there. Does anyone have any good ideas on how I could keep track?
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Replies

  • stacibuk
    stacibuk Posts: 276 Member
    Get a heart rate monitor
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Get a heart rate monitor

    Heart rate monitors are not made to use for daily activity. You may be interested in using a fitbit or bodymedia fit to track overall daily activity.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Your job is not exercise, and should not be logged as such. Your job determines your activity level.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    A bodymedia fit would work best for your daily burn.. It tracks everything you do throughout the day,even when you sleep.
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    Thank you, I will have to look into both of those. Have either of you used the bodymedia fit before or the fitbit?

    I realize that my job does not constitute as my work out, but knowing how many calories I use on a regular day without exercise will allow me to set a better calorie intake goal for the day so that my calories out exceeds those going in.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    I have a Fitbit Flex & a Jawbone UP. You wear activity trackers all day & night, and they tell you your TDEE. (So you can set your MFP activity level accurately.) HRM's are only worn during cardio exercise.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    set your activity level to active
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Thank you, I will have to look into both of those. Have either of you used the bodymedia fit before or the fitbit?

    I realize that my job does not constitute as my work out, but knowing how many calories I use on a regular day without exercise will allow me to set a better calorie intake goal for the day so that my calories out exceeds those going in.

    I wear a bodymedia fit, but some of the other tracking devices work just as well. One of the problems with it is that it requires a monthly fee as well. But I still like it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    HRM won't accomplish anything for your situation but give you bad numbers.

    The only way to really do what you want is to pick an eating level - i.e., X calories/day - and eat that way consistently for a few weeks. If your weight stays stable, that's your daily burn. If it goes up or down, adjust your intake by 100-200 calories/day and repeat.

    As a starting point, you can use one of the many calculators out there, and set it for moderately active.
  • ThinkInOregon
    ThinkInOregon Posts: 283
    I have a BodyMedia FIT Link band, and I LOVE it. I just upgraded from the Core band (big difference is that the Core data is not transmitted with bluetooth.) I like being able to to know in 'real time' with the phone app if I need to increase my calories.

    Here is my referral link, which will save you 15% if you order from the website: http://bodymedia.extole.com/a/clk/2371nx
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    Thank you everyone. With all the products out there its hard to know which ones to look into, but now I have some great choices.

    Right now I have been eating between 1,000 - 1,400 calories a day. I allow myself to get closer to the 1,400 calories on the days that I work on the farm but most of that comes from protein because I need it. The days I work as a lab technician and a tax preparer I stay pretty close to the 1,000 mark. So far that seems to be working for me (I think, I've only been at it a week but my pants already fit better). Being able to compare the calories I'm using to what I'm eating would be good to help keep me on track.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    You're not eating enough. Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    You're not eating enough. Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

    I agree. I think you are going to find you are definitely not eating enough. This is a great link.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.

    But it's unnecessary.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.

    But it's unnecessary.

    So is losing any weight at all.

    Everybody has to find their own path.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    HRM won't accomplish anything for your situation but give you bad numbers.

    The only way to really do what you want is to pick an eating level - i.e., X calories/day - and eat that way consistently for a few weeks. If your weight stays stable, that's your daily burn. If it goes up or down, adjust your intake by 100-200 calories/day and repeat.

    As a starting point, you can use one of the many calculators out there, and set it for moderately active.
    I agree, and I also agree she's eating enough. She doesn't have to lose at a snail's pace because it's popular here.
  • mcsweetly
    mcsweetly Posts: 133 Member
    You could try to put in all of your daily activities on this tracker. I hear its a good one.

    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

    Good Luck!
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.

    But it's unnecessary.

    So is losing any weight at all.

    Everybody has to find their own path.

    But so many start off that low because they don't know how to start. 1000 calories is unnecessary, and often leads to a plateau.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    1000 will get old quick. But everything often leads to a plateau.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    1000 will get old quick. But everything often leads to a plateau.

    Okay, agreed. But why not encourage eating at a deficit that is more sustainable. It is much easier to cut from there if you plateau.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I work on a beef cattle farm, so as far as a work out its everything from cardio to weight lifting and everything in between. However, I'm not sure how to figure out how many calories I burn while I'm there. Does anyone have any good ideas on how I could keep track?

    Are you this?

    Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)

    That's from your Diet/Fitness profile.

    Were you honest with that, or picked sedentary because you thought it would be better?

    Are you going to be just as honest with the food logging?

    Why not be honest with both.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.

    But it's unnecessary.

    So is losing any weight at all.

    Everybody has to find their own path.

    Why eat at such a restricted caloric intake when it is absolutely not necessary? I lost the vast majority of my weight eating over 3000 calories a day... Establishing a modest deficit and losing the weight over time is a sustainable path to take and one that offers a greater chance at adherence in my opinion.... and OP I would not factor in an calorie burns that are based of my everyday job... If anything set your status to active and go from there..... Best of Luck
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    You're not eating enough.

    According to the OP's profile, she needs to lose 80 lbs. If that is the case, her intake is fine, assuming it works for her and she is hitting her macros/micros.

    But it's unnecessary.

    So is losing any weight at all.

    Everybody has to find their own path.

    Why eat at such a restricted caloric intake when it is absolutely not necessary? I lost the vast majority of my weight eating over 3000 calories a day... Establishing a modest deficit and losing the weight over time is a sustainable path to take and one that offers a greater chance at adherence in my opinion.... and OP I would not factor in an calorie burns that are based of my everyday job... If anything set your status to active and go from there..... Best of Luck

    I am not the OP. but thank you.
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    Ok, so first I don't appreciate being called a liar. I work three different jobs. One full time two part time. I work atleast 20 hours a week at a cattle farm (on these days I eat more protein and more calories), 40 hours a week as a lab tech ( a lot of walking, moving around, and some sitting,) and 32 hours at a tax office ( a lot of sitting). So I set my activity level low because two of my jobs I don't consider to be active. In the summer I'm much more active riding horses and working on my own farm (all hay ground, no animals yet), so I'd would definitely change it to active then. I'm new to this, so I'm still trying to find what works for me. So, HEYBALES, I am honest. I never said that I only work on a beef farm, I was curious about what would work to count the calories I burn while I'm there. I know I'm not burning much at my other jobs.

    This whole debate about eating the right amount of calories as long as macro and micro are ok and eating too few calories is enough to send someone screaming for the hills. I prepare all of my meals for the week on Sunday and if you look at what I'm eating, you'd see that I eat a lot though out the day. There are so many conflicting theories about how many calories to eat. One person says to go by your BMR and TDEE and another says never go below 1200. Have I messed up and not ate enough, I guess so.

    I also know, that if I don't see results I wont stick with it. I have changed my settings to loose 1 pound a week instead of two as someone on another thread suggested. So, now my suggested calorie intake is 1600, I currently find it hard to always make it to that amount but I'm still trying to find what works. Obviously what I was doing in the past didn't work (before I got on this site and decided to dedicate myself to loosing weight), so I'm changing up how, when, and what I eat.


    DID YOU KNOW WHAT WORKED BEST FOR YOU ON THE VERY FIRST DAY? I'M GUESSING NOT.
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    Thank you for the great links and the positive comments and the positive suggestions/constructive criticism. I definitely appreciate all of them and take each one to heart and give them all equal consideration. That's why I'm here, to learn from others what has worked for them and what hasn't.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Ok, so first I don't appreciate being called a liar. I work three different jobs. One full time two part time. I work atleast 20 hours a week at a cattle farm (on these days I eat more protein and more calories), 40 hours a week as a lab tech ( a lot of walking, moving around, and some sitting,) and 32 hours at a tax office ( a lot of sitting). So I set my activity level low because two of my jobs I don't consider to be active. In the summer I'm much more active riding horses and working on my own farm (all hay ground, no animals yet), so I'd would definitely change it to active then. I'm new to this, so I'm still trying to find what works for me. So, HEYBALES, I am honest. I never said that I only work on a beef farm, I was curious about what would work to count the calories I burn while I'm there. I know I'm not burning much at my other jobs.

    This whole debate about eating the right amount of calories as long as macro and micro are ok and eating too few calories is enough to send someone screaming for the hills. I prepare all of my meals for the week on Sunday and if you look at what I'm eating, you'd see that I eat a lot though out the day. There are so many conflicting theories about how many calories to eat. One person says to go by your BMR and TDEE and another says never go below 1200. Have I messed up and not ate enough, I guess so.

    I also know, that if I don't see results I wont stick with it. I have changed my settings to loose 1 pound a week instead of two as someone on another thread suggested. So, now my suggested calorie intake is 1600, I currently find it hard to always make it to that amount but I'm still trying to find what works. Obviously what I was doing in the past didn't work (before I got on this site and decided to dedicate myself to loosing weight), so I'm changing up how, when, and what I eat.


    DID YOU KNOW WHAT WORKED BEST FOR YOU ON THE VERY FIRST DAY? I'M GUESSING NOT.

    I can understand your frustration. There is a lot of conflicting info out there, and it is tough to know the right thing to do. But I think you misunderstood heybales post. He is actually one of the most knowledgable people on here, and he has helped many, including me (from afar, and on a different account). He wasn't calling you a liar. I think he was telling you to honestly look at your activity level. You are probably more active than you think. And it is probably time to re-evaluate you goal.

    And many of us didn't know what the heck we were doing at first. But being on here and trying to learn is a great step.
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    That may be so, but I did post that I wanted to keep track of calories burned so that I knew where I was at. That's what this was about. Finding a way to keep track so I could set myself up for success.
  • annastasia_82
    annastasia_82 Posts: 940 Member
    I realize that my job does not constitute as my work out, but knowing how many calories I use on a regular day without exercise will allow me to set a better calorie intake goal for the day so that my calories out exceeds those going in.








    my activity level is also set at lightly active, not sedentary.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    I realize that my job does not constitute as my work out, but knowing how many calories I use on a regular day without exercise will allow me to set a better calorie intake goal for the day so that my calories out exceeds those going in.

    I'm actually on your side here. That is why in the beginning I recommended something like a fitbit or Bodymedia fit. They can help you get an overall picture of where you are at. It is very difficult for you because you are very active some days, and fairly sedentary on others.

    But any number you get, be it from a Fitbit, and Bodymedia fit, or an estimated TDEE based on activity level, is going to be an estimate. And it will take a little trial and error to come up with a reasonable goal that works for you. I just don't want to see you unnecessarily eat a low number of calories.

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