Can someone help me calculate cals burned?

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Hi everyone,

I usually get my cardio in by doing a power walk/run on my treadmill. Today, I decided to take my 2yo out and go for a power walk/run in the stroller, but I'm not sure how to add in any lost calories. I went for 25 minutes and when I do that on the treadmill I burn somewhere around 200 calories, maybe 230 (according to my treadmill). This felt significantly tougher, just from the different terrain, and incline halfway (I do usually have my treadmill at an incline also, but still this was harder), plus pushing the 27lb child.

I should've tried downloading an app or something before hand to track how far I went, but I didn't think of it. This wasn't just a leisurely walk, I was pushing myself quite hard and during the walking parts it was quite brisk. I know nobody can tell me exactly, but would anyone venture to give me a ball park as to how many calories I may have burned? I weigh 118lbs and am 5'2 female if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

Replies

  • All4Me2014xx
    All4Me2014xx Posts: 155 Member
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    Since it was around the same amount of time, just use the same calorie burn and call it a day.

    Trying to figure out inclines, speed, etc. will probably be more trouble than it's worth. It may not be the same for everyone, but if I don't have any reliable way to guage calories, I put as much effort into whatever I am doing as I can and count it about 10 calories a minute.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    It's all an estimate...and personally, with your stats I don't think you're burning 200+ calories in under 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill. Probably about half of what your treadmill tells you is probably more accurate. I find it very difficult to believe you would burn 8 calories per minute above and beyond your basal calories with your stats.

    A good way to estimate this is just chalk it up to about 5 calories per minute...or 70-80 calories per mile walked. It's better to be conservative here.
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
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    Gee, thanks for the buzz kill. :tongue:

    In all seriousness, do you not think that pushing a child up an incline (not steep, by any means but still - not flat ground) is only burning about 5 cals/ minute? That is so unmotivating for me, lol.

    I don't usually eat back all my exercise calories because I actually did figure that the real number I burned was less than what the treadmill is telling me, but not by half! :sad:
  • lpeterson
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    Use a heart rate monitor and then you wont have to guess.
  • Shalva
    Shalva Posts: 55 Member
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    scoobys workshop has a nice calculator that gives burned during and burned by calculations
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Gee, thanks for the buzz kill. :tongue:

    In all seriousness, do you not think that pushing a child up an incline (not steep, by any means but still - not flat ground) is only burning about 5 cals/ minute? That is so unmotivating for me, lol.

    I don't usually eat back all my exercise calories because I actually did figure that the real number I burned was less than what the treadmill is telling me, but not by half! :sad:

    No, it burns more.

    I tested mowing the lawn several times, has a max speed not limited by my fitness level, so not going to change except as I lose enough weight.

    It was the same as walking 4 mph flat with a 15 lb backpack, for me about HR 125 bpm.
    Walking flat with no extra weight is only 90 bpm.
    But pushing extra 30 lb mower over bumpy ground is not the same as carrying 15 extra.
    So until you test, like if you are going to do this frequently enough to matter, you don't know what it equates to.

    And you can confirm what the treadmill is telling you too, since this formula in studies has was shown to be within 4% of measured.
    Also, the Gross option is what the treadmill or HRM or database would be telling you. Net option is what you'd log to eat back.
    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

    And ya, at your weight, sadly it appears only 118 cal burned in 25 min if you went 4 mph flat. Gonna have to get that incline up to actually make it a workout for you that burns more calories.
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. :) I really appreciate the advice. I have been thinking of getting a fitbit or something similar, maybe I will look into that this weekend. I don't have too much more that I would like to lose so I wasn't sure if it would really be worth it for me or not, but I will think about it and talk to the hubs anyway.

    My treadmill actually does have a 'pulse indicator', would that be anywhere near accurate? Just a little metal spot where you put a thumb to calculate HR.
  • marlyu
    marlyu Posts: 24 Member
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    If you search MFP Exercise database for stroller, it's in there.
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
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    Thanks! I didn't realize the stroller pushing was in there.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. :) I really appreciate the advice. I have been thinking of getting a fitbit or something similar, maybe I will look into that this weekend. I don't have too much more that I would like to lose so I wasn't sure if it would really be worth it for me or not, but I will think about it and talk to the hubs anyway.

    My treadmill actually does have a 'pulse indicator', would that be anywhere near accurate? Just a little metal spot where you put a thumb to calculate HR.

    So first - Fitbit won't know you are pushing a stroller either, regarding this specific case. It'll be seeing impacts and deciding if walking or running, and how long the stride is compared to expected. The calories based on that.
    In fact lots of inclines and carrying backpack and pushing mower/stroller is exactly when you need to over-write Fitbit's estimate with a better one.
    But for the day to day stuff and normal walking - excellent. But if not much to lose, may not be worth it if you have a sense of right amount to eat for your activity. Maintenance obviously being higher than now.

    The treadmill's own HRM or it reading say a Polar HR strap has no bearing on the reported calorie burn - it merely allows displaying the HR on the screen. They may have some built in program to use the info with desired settings, to say vary it based on HR range you want to use.
    Besides, if it's using the standard lab tested formula's - more accurate than HRM anyway.
    Does it ask for weight at the least, and you use it?
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
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    No, doesn't ask for weight. I got this second hand and I don't have the original instructions but it doesn't seem too technically advanced...
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    No, doesn't ask for weight. I got this second hand and I don't have the original instructions but it doesn't seem too technically advanced...

    Oh, forget it's estimate of calories burned. Use that website link I gave.

    Even MFP's entries are based on that, but you must hit the speed in the description for the whole time.
    Many people think it over-estimates because they aren't honest with the entry.
    Just because you eventually got up to 4 mph say doesn't mean you did 4 mph for 60 min.
  • mrsmcmo
    mrsmcmo Posts: 109 Member
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    Right, that makes sense.

    What is the "grade"?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Right, that makes sense.

    What is the "grade"?

    % incline as called on some treadmills.

    NOT degrees though, as some countries or equipment may use. That requires conversion.
    45 degree incline, would be 100% grade.