Calorie Burn- Working at a restaurant?

SKINNYsupermodel
SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone. I just finished a 5 1/2 hr shift at the restaurant where I work. I was really hungry, and I ate over my calorie goal. I was exhausted, had low blood sugar, headaches and dizziness, etc. My activity level is sedentary because I am sitting in a desk at day at school. So the extra 5 1/2 hours on my feet is not included in that. How would I calculate my calorie burn for my shift? I'm mopping, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping, emptying garbage cans, standing at the grill, all walking/standing/bending movements. Would I calculate it as "standing from a fish bank?" I calculated the burn for 5 1/2 hours for that and it was over 1000! And I think standing from a fish bank is a lot less active than what I am doing at work. So would I actually be burning over 1000 calories during my shift? Or is that completely unreasonable? Just wondering what everyone's thoughts on this were. Thanks!!
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Replies

  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    bump
  • Kyog
    Kyog Posts: 32
    I do 5.5 hour shifts at a restaurant too, I'd like to know the answer to this! but as I am full time, I have it set to 'active' anyway, so I don't suppose it makes much difference. I don't want to be overestimating though. I don't have to scrub things though, just walk taking orders etc...so it won't be as high as what you're burning! x
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    Hey everyone. I just finished a 5 1/2 hr shift at the restaurant where I work. I was really hungry, and I ate over my calorie goal. I was exhausted, had low blood sugar, headaches and dizziness, etc. My activity level is sedentary because I am sitting in a desk at day at school. So the extra 5 1/2 hours on my feet is not included in that. How would I calculate my calorie burn for my shift? I'm mopping, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping, emptying garbage cans, standing at the grill, all walking/standing/bending movements. Would I calculate it as "standing from a fish bank?" I calculated the burn for 5 1/2 hours for that and it was over 1000! And I think standing from a fish bank is a lot less active than what I am doing at work. So would I actually be burning over 1000 calories during my shift? Or is that completely unreasonable? Just wondering what everyone's thoughts on this were. Thanks!!

    Easily burning OVER 1000 calories in a 5 1/2 hour shift

    Calculate your TDEE , you very active so don't forget to factor it in
    People seem to under-estimate how much calories the body can burn by being active
  • sati18
    sati18 Posts: 153 Member
    Use a fitbit to track your steps - thats how i knew what i was burning working at a bar. usually for a 7.5 hour shift it'd be 10/12,000 steps and about 4-500 calories. But then i don't burn loads because im small
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    Use a fitbit to track your steps - thats how i knew what i was burning working at a bar. usually for a 7.5 hour shift it'd be 10/12,000 steps and about 4-500 calories. But then i don't burn loads because im small
    4-500 calories in 7.5 hours ?

    Highly doubt that
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    TOPIC: Calorie Burn- Working at a restaurant?

    Zero, because working in a restaurant is not exercise. Adjust you activity level from zero to active
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member

    Zero, because working in a restaurant is not exercise. Adjust you activity level from zero to active
    ^ This, in your MFP settings.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/article-detail/Calories-Burned-by-Occupation-How-Many-Calories-Does-My-Job-Burn-/bj/

    But, I don't think that's on top of what you would burn if you were say, napping. I took my BMR, divided it by 24, and that gave me an average of what I burn per hour. Not that I use it now since I use TDEE, but when I was using the MFP method I would subtract that number from the calories burned during an activity via my HRM (for cardio), and then only ate back a portion of the remaining calories. Since you're not a waitress, you're looking at at a litter less burn than they would get, so approx 127/hr.

    So, if it were me it would look like this:

    BMR/hour: 1891/24 = 78.8
    127*5.5 = 698.5
    Total burn = 698.5 - 78.8*5 = 304 extra calories burned

    So, I'd eat back maybe 200.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    You don't count work. I'm a nurse who works 12 hr shifts and I don't count it ever. It's your job.
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    I can't set it at lightly active because I'm not always working. So on days where I don't have work, I just do light activities, which I would presume would make me sedentary. If you aren't supposed to count work, then why does MFP give you the option to record the amount of calories you burn cleaning?
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    They allow you to pick cleaning as calorie burns because I am assuming someone added it to the database? (maybe someone else can answer that better)

    You, for accuracy, should just log separate exercise only. Treadmill, elliptical, biking, walking (dedicated walking like an hour) ETC. Not walking around at work or around a store shopping.

    Just my opinion. I think if you log all daily movement you're going to be eating far more calories and you might not lose weight.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I can't set it at lightly active because I'm not always working. So on days where I don't have work, I just do light activities, which I would presume would make me sedentary. If you aren't supposed to count work, then why does MFP give you the option to record the amount of calories you burn cleaning?

    You do to count cleaning either, or cooking, or just any normal activity. Count actual exercise only.
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    So on days that I am more active....should I just suck it up and eat less and face potential dizziness, weakness, etc?
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    If you work as a waitress then change your settings to lightly active. You may not be active every day but it's more than sedentary. You can count walking around in your normal routine as exercise if you want, maybe it will work for you. I personally don't consider everyday activities laws exercise.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I can't set it at lightly active because I'm not always working. So on days where I don't have work, I just do light activities, which I would presume would make me sedentary. If you aren't supposed to count work, then why does MFP give you the option to record the amount of calories you burn cleaning?
    I think you can change to lightly active, see if you lose then. Then maybe do some light exercise on your days off, can't you go for a walk or do an exercise video?
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    Okay. I guess if I stick to my calorie limit, it doesn't really matter anyway. The weight will come off in time :)
  • NiikouruDesu
    NiikouruDesu Posts: 100
    I have a 4 hour shift at a restaurant tomorrow night waiting tables and I will wear my HRM and tell you how many calories I burn. I'll try my best to remember to get back to this thread xx
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    Thanks :)
  • smc864
    smc864 Posts: 570 Member
    I work double shifts at a restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays -- each day working 13-14 hours. For those days I allow myself an extra 200-400 calories. On other days I stick to 1200 but that is just too difficult when I'm working around food for that long. The extra calories I allow myself aren't for the extra activity I've done, but more so to keep me from binging.
  • jfurrrr
    jfurrrr Posts: 43 Member
    I use a Fitbit for this. It integrates nicely with MFP and adjusts your daily calorie allowance based on your days activity level.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    So on days that I am more active....should I just suck it up and eat less and face potential dizziness, weakness, etc?

    No! Don't try and justify 3000+ calories because you had a busy day (I used to). But, if you need to eat, for the love of all that is good in the world, eat! So long as you're averaging a deficit, you will lose weight. I have some days that are over, some that are under, and I'm losing inches pretty well.
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Change your activity levels and some days eat less?
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    haha I rarely eat over 3000 calories. I usually net about 800-1000. Just wondering if I should up that a bit after a 5 1/2 hr shift.
  • Malkavias
    Malkavias Posts: 3
    .
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    You should probably up from that anyways. I didn't realize you were on a VLCD. You really need to be netting more. Eating so little explains why a short shift like that causes you to become dizzy. Why do you eat so little?
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    I just don't get hungry very often. And when I do, I'm easily filled with like a muffin or something.
    I also have a lot of food sensitivities. Certain foods make my stomach upset and then I don't feel like eating.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    You might want to see a doctor. It doesn't seem safe to be eating so little. Your body burns off a lot of calories just by living, even when sedentary.
  • SKINNYsupermodel
    SKINNYsupermodel Posts: 61
    Most of the time I eat because I'm lethargic or dizzy, I usually have little desire to eat. So I just try and put in as many calories as possible before a shift and hope it carries me through.
  • laurelboynton
    laurelboynton Posts: 104 Member
    I recently bought a FitBit and was suprised at the extra calories it was telling me to eat.

    I would say that you definitely need to change your setting to active, even if some days you sit down a lot. That 5 1/2 hour shift walking round etc will easily be burning hundreds of calories over your BMR.

    Also, eating 800 is why you feel dizzy!!! Fuel your body and you will lose weight :)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    so let me get this straight.....

    the OP eats 800-1000 cals per day....and has dizzy spells and distinct lack of energy.....and says that she doesn't get hungry very often. Is that correct?

    has someone pointed out to her that feeling light-headed and lethargic actually IS a sign of hunger? does she need to pass out and end up in the hospital to realize that her plan isn't working?

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