Confused about calories burned while walking...

LarryPGH · January 2011

Maybe I'm confusing info I'd heard years ago, but it seemed to me that the calories burned while walking depended not only one's pace, but also, on the amount of time *during one session*. In other words, if I walked for 5 minutes at five different times during the day, that would be a different number of calories burned than if I walked once for a 25 minute period.

If I recall correctly, it had something to do with aerobic exercise kicking in -- something about needing to walk for 20 minutes at least in order to get the most gain?

However, here at MFP, the exercise log counts it all the same, regardless of the amount of time per session. (I walk to and from class three days a week; so, I've got 6 walks of 5 minutes. The log here counts that exactly the same as if I'd been walking for 30 minutes straight.)

Is that right? Is there something else going on that the log isn't taking into account? Or am I just mis-remembering something?

Thanks!

Larry

lutzsher · January 2011

The exercise calories on MFP are general, they are a guideline only and not 100% accurate. You are correct though, the calorie burn would be different.
This is why I don't eat all of my exercise calories, I actually don't log my exercise much as I don't own an HRM and know they are not always accurate.

kao708 · January 2011

I don't think that is the type of activity that you are supposed to count separately. That should be pre-calculated into your total daily calorie intake goal based on what you entered as your daily activity level. Go to My Home and then click on goals. You may want to double check what your activity level is set at. This should probably be part of your daily activity level and not be entered as separate activity. IMHO

elainegsd · January 2011

(I walk to and from class three days a week; so, I've got 6 walks of 5 minutes. The log here counts that exactly the same as if I'd been walking for 30 minutes straight.)

Is that right? Is there something else going on that the log isn't taking into account? Or am I just mis-remembering something?

Larry, if your activity level is set to sedentary, you might (or might not) want to log these walks. If it is set to anything but sedentary, then things like this are already figured into your daily totals.

Livi_Loves_Pink · January 2011

I agree this shouldn't be counted as exercise but part of daily activity.

Missevanston · January 2011

Such a good point! I walk, walk and walk for 4-5 hours a morning. Turns out to be about 3-5 miles a day, depending on how long I am there. I have a pedometer that I started using just after the new year. I measured my stride when I set it (and yes, it does matter). I also use the moderate setting because I won't say never, but I don't often 'sweat' like I do at the gym. those 3-5 miles equate to approximately 7-9,000 steps, and are good for about 3-500 calories. That is before I go to the gym. The key point for me, is that this is not a new activity for me. It is new information, since I started counting it, but I have been actively walking the same amount. Make sense? What is a new activity, is counting and thinking about everything that goes into my mouth, and dragging my *%#@ to the gym when I finish work. I enter my 'exercise' points separately. Notably, after running on the elliptical for 45 minutes, and walking (incline) on the treadmill for another 30, I will have burned more in the hour and half than I did at work! I don't eat my 'extra' points either!

LarryPGH · January 2011

I don't think that is the type of activity that you are supposed to count separately. That should be pre-calculated into your total daily calorie intake goal based on what you entered as your daily activity level. Go to My Home and then click on goals. You may want to double check what your activity level is set at. This should probably be part of your daily activity level and not be entered as separate activity. IMHO

Katy,

I hear what you're saying, but there's a big difference between "sedentary" ("most of the day sitting") and "lightly active" ("a good part of the day on your feet"). Strictly speaking, the student's schedule I keep seems somewhat in-between those. Does sedentary include a half-hour of walking daily? Does "a good part of the day on your feet" mean "I walk 5 minutes, six times a day"? See what I mean -- it doesn't seem to fit either of these...!

I saw another post here that's gotten tons of bumps, and which explains why "eating your exercise calories back" works -- it included a different explanation for the activity levels. Again, neither of these seemed to include the "walking at 20-minute mile pace, a number of times a day" that's in my normal daily activities...

What it comes down to, it seems, is that this setting is used to determine the multiplier for activity over and above the BMR. If I say "sedentary", I'm guessing that MFP gives me a 20% bump in order to determine daily calorie requirement, and if "lightly active", then a 37.5% bump.

For me, at about 1880 BMR, this choice is the difference between adding ~370 calories or ~700 calories. Perhaps the suggestion to put myself down as "sedentary" then add the exercise, is the right way to go for me.

However, it still doesn't help me resolve the nagging question: are six 5-minute walks the same as one 30-minute walk, as far as calorie burn is concerned?

So confused...! :grumble:

LarryPGH · January 2011

OK... so, I changed my settings to "sedentary", thinking that this doesn't include the walking that I do on many week days.

That being said... should I be concerned that MFP's exercise tool thinks that 6x 5-minute walks burns the same calories as one 30-minute walk?

Thanks!

Larry

DJH510 · January 2011

Whether or not these walks should be included into your daily activity level or not is an issue i won't comment on, but to answer the original question: No, it makes no difference whether you do 6 separate 5 minute walks or 1 30 minute walk. As long as the overall distance covered remains the same, then the amount of work you've performed is the same, so the calorie burn is the same.

Azdak · January 2011

I don't think that is the type of activity that you are supposed to count separately. That should be pre-calculated into your total daily calorie intake goal based on what you entered as your daily activity level. Go to My Home and then click on goals. You may want to double check what your activity level is set at. This should probably be part of your daily activity level and not be entered as separate activity. IMHO

Katy,

I hear what you're saying, but there's a big difference between "sedentary" ("most of the day sitting") and "lightly active" ("a good part of the day on your feet"). Strictly speaking, the student's schedule I keep seems somewhat in-between those. Does sedentary include a half-hour of walking daily? Does "a good part of the day on your feet" mean "I walk 5 minutes, six times a day"? See what I mean -- it doesn't seem to fit either of these...!

I saw another post here that's gotten tons of bumps, and which explains why "eating your exercise calories back" works -- it included a different explanation for the activity levels. Again, neither of these seemed to include the "walking at 20-minute mile pace, a number of times a day" that's in my normal daily activities...

What it comes down to, it seems, is that this setting is used to determine the multiplier for activity over and above the BMR. If I say "sedentary", I'm guessing that MFP gives me a 20% bump in order to determine daily calorie requirement, and if "lightly active", then a 37.5% bump.

For me, at about 1880 BMR, this choice is the difference between adding ~370 calories or ~700 calories. Perhaps the suggestion to put myself down as "sedentary" then add the exercise, is the right way to go for me.

However, it still doesn't help me resolve the nagging question: are six 5-minute walks the same as one 30-minute walk, as far as calorie burn is concerned?

So confused...! :grumble:

Calorie tables and calculations are based on being in a steady state. So while theoretically, walking at 3 mph should give you the same calorie expenditure regardless of duration, it does take a few minutes to reach steady state. If you are just walking in 5 min increments, there is no way to really tell. That is why that would be considered casual activity and not separate "exercise" activity. Even if it were a separate activity, the amount would be 2 x times your body wt in kg divided by 12. If you weigh 90 kg, that would be a grand total of 15 cal per walk. And that's a hypothetical "best case" scenario. Our methods of estimating calories--both intake or output--are not precise enough that a 15 cal "event" can be significant.

Confused about calories burned while walking...

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