Swimming - Calculating Average Calories Burned Help!

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Sarahndipity30
Sarahndipity30 Posts: 312 Member
edited March 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
So real quick question - I am 6'2", 290 lbs. MFP says for an hour of swimming I burn roughly over 700 calories... that seemed a bit high. So I started reading online.. finding other websites with calculators and articles regarding studies done. The numbers ranged from 500 to over 900 calories for an hour of leisurely, general swimming for someone who weighed 260 lbs to my actual weight. Not really sure what to go with.

So what I did was add a few of the numbers I was given up, and found the average and I have been using that. I generally do not eat my calories back.. So I am not sure if it really matters all that much but I was hoping to maybe get some opinions. When I swim I do at least 30 mins of hard laps, then tread water, arm/leg aerobics. I don't stop form the moment I get in to the moment I get out. Being of larger weight, I can imagine I do burn more than an average weighing person, but again, how can one really be sure? I know you can't be 100% accurate but am I right in using an average form multiple sources? Just to be safe?.

Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • pmm3437
    pmm3437 Posts: 529 Member
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    If your not eating back, it will not matter.
    The estimates on MFP for calorie burn are notoriously high.
    An average of multiple calculators is just as reasonable as the estimates themselves.
    Since many ppl have a hard time gauging intensity, I would recommend you use the lowest one for the activity when calculating, unless you can measure using an objective metric.
  • rbiss
    rbiss Posts: 422 Member
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    I go by perceived exertion. If you are out of breath and couldn't talk, you are around 80% or more of your max heart rate. For me with similar levels of perceived exertion, I burn roughly 550 calories per hour as measured by a heart rate monitor doing other activities. For me, a leisurely swim where I could talk immediately after stopping would be closer to 400-450 per hour. I have also seen people use the MFP calculator and then just enter in 50% of those calories. I would eat exercise calories back to stay above 1200 net.
  • Sarahndipity30
    Sarahndipity30 Posts: 312 Member
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    If I fall under I usually do, but right now it puts me around 1200, so If I am off a bit with the average I think ill be a hundred or more higher so I think I am ok. Thank you both for your feedback!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I use a swim calculator...

    http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php

    "Leisurely" isn't a measure of anything - you want time, and you want distance.
  • Sarahndipity30
    Sarahndipity30 Posts: 312 Member
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    Well, the indoor pool at my apartment complex isn't an Olympic swimming pool. its oddly shaped as well (like 2 small squares?). I will ask the office if they know the measurements/distance from the furthest points, but I doubt they do lol.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    I posted this in the swimming thread.
    The MFP calculator makes the following assumptions.
    For Light/moderate pace it assumes 50 yards per minute.
    For Fast/Aggressive is assumes 75 yard per minute.
    My pace is between the two. I just enter 1 minute per lap using light/moderate. So for my morning 120 lap (6000 yard swim) I enter 120 minutes.
    The table below shows the count from 3 different swim calorie calculators.
    Personally I stick with MFP because for me it is more conservative.
    Swimcalc_compare.png
  • Sarahndipity30
    Sarahndipity30 Posts: 312 Member
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    Thank you, I know weight plays a factor in it as well. Studies have shown the more you weigh the more you can tend to burn, metabolism as well. Right now as an average im getting just over 700. Im thinking of cutting that down to 500 and just using that. I make 2 trips back and forth and count that as one normal lap. I know I feel it, because im sore the next day and there are moments where I am truly out of breath. its all very confusing. thank you guys again
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    edited March 2015
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    You are 290lbs, 6'2 and netting 1200 calories? What?!?!?!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,405 Member
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    I use METs to calculate my swimming calorie burn, and it's been pretty accurate so far.
  • Robertus
    Robertus Posts: 558 Member
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    There are so many subjective and other individual factors, it is no wonder that the various equations and Internet calculators differ by so much. If you are confident in your food calorie logging, it is not too difficult to periodically check your weight loss over a couple of weeks vs what MFP is predicting and adjust as necessary.
  • naughtymum42
    naughtymum42 Posts: 20 Member
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    OK here's the best calc I have...use mapmyhike...you can enter your weight details( although display seems to be a bit screwy) it does directly link with mfp and copies your vital stats over. You plug in laps done/ time taken and the length of each lap( ie 33 of 25m)
    It then auto calcs the calories burnt for your heightvand weight. I use zero to a mile app to break down a laps into manageable chunks that you can count reliably. And build up to the point you are swimming larger lumps of lengths and getting closer to mile each week.
    I concentrated on doing the lengths on the strokes that were the best for me to build stamina... Like backstroke or a bit of breaststroke. Front crawl I found v exhausting( but I have found afab way of practicing the breathing technique now so that's my next focus)
    By doing distance vs time..and factor in your size. It will reliably calc how much you personally will burn.
    App is also v good to track hikes cycles and walks.
  • bsbbaby3
    bsbbaby3 Posts: 8 Member
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    Get a polar heart rate - they have waterproof ones you can wear swimming & that would be the best. Everyone is going to be different & burn different. I average around 650-800/hr in the pool depending on my workout. If I'm doing a straight 2,000yrd swim sometimes it will be around 300cal, I just did a 3200yrd sprint training and burned a little over 650cal. It's going to be different also depending on stroke swimming, how fast, how long.
    Overall - everyone is different!!!!! Get a heart rate monitor if you want to track accurately because MFP just goes off 'what you should' be burning. It doesn't take into account if you've had enough to eat, if you are tried before a workout, if you haven't drank enough... All those can affect how much you burn.
    I go to box and some days I burn 300cal and others I burn 700. Sure I could average it but I love having my heart rate monitor for thoselower burn days to try to figure out why my workout was not as efficient as the past and learn for next time!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    HRMs are only accurate for a narrow range of steady state cardio activities.

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