How do I figure out calories burned while gardening?

ajff
ajff Posts: 986 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all-

My garden is bigger than my house. Really.

Today I spent the day working in my mom's garden as she recovers from back surgery. (So maybe it is bigger than TWO houses!!!!).

How do I figure out how much I burned? MFP seems to think it is A LOT. I did come in hot, red-faced, and sweaty.... But I really can't figure out how to log my day! Is the only way a heart rate monitor???

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Replies

  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    a heart rate monitor won't be accurate for low intensity activity like that. I wouldn't bother tbh :/
  • ACrowsDay
    ACrowsDay Posts: 64 Member
    I give myself half of what MFP does... It's hard work for sure but I don't feel I burn that many calories???
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
    I'm not sure how to accurately log that type of stuff. I never count my gardening or anything but my treadmill. Even when I go for walks outside. I usually just chalk it up to my daily activities. Same with things like cleaning.
  • writer4him
    writer4him Posts: 225 Member
    I use the gardening topic in the mfp database and just only eat back half of the calories. I think the MFP database probably estimates calories pretty high, but it really is impossible to tell for sure without a heart rate monitor. But I beg to differ about gardening being a low intensity activity, depending on what you are doing. I know that swinging a hoe to chop weeds down my garden rows is pretty intense.

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