Riding a mower cuts calories? REALLY??
lrash1167
Posts: 16 Member
I'm not too sure about this one... I just mowed the yard on a RIDING lawn mower for 90 minutes (yea, it's a BIG yard!) and when I entered the activity it said I burnt 303 calories...Can this be RIGHT??? I mean, all I did was sit and drive a machine... Thoughts??
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No... it's for the manual lawn mowers. Why would you even bother logging it... lol.0
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Why would even bother entering that as exercise?0
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I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!0
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Mfp (and most websites) (way) overestimate calories burned. With that said, using a riding lawn mower burns more calories than laying on the couch. Not that I would log it...0
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Work (including commuting, housework, yardwork, and childcare) is part of your activity level, and should never be logged as exercise.
Work = activity level. Workouts = exercise.0 -
I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!
There's literally no point in logging it. You didn't burn 300 calories just sitting on a lawn mower.0 -
honestly I'd count mowing the lawn as part of your lifestyle, not exercise. If you're adamant about logging it then enter 5 minutes worth of activity for it. That way the calorie burn is more accurate.0
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i wasn't logging it as a workout, but more for accountability so down the road i can see that i did SOMETHING other than holding the couch down all day today!0
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I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!
there's no way that this site or any other site is going to be able to accurately determine your calorie burn from sitting on a lawn mower.
personally, I include stuff like this in my activity level...do I mow everyday? no...but most days there's something to fix or some yard work to do or something to clean, etc.0 -
I log it, but you must have a different entry pick, because mine was 120 minutes at a 245 calorie burn. And for those of you that think it is not a workout, try mowing a 10 acre pasture on a JD garden tractor with no power steering. And I don't use the cruise control either. All of my muscles get a workout just trying not to get bounced off the thing!0
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you had to ride a mower to burn calories? Slacker! I burned 700 calories last night in my sleep.0
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Riding a lawn mower is definitely work. Especially if your yard is large. I spend 3 to 4 hours mowing my lawn. That includes getting on and off the mower to open and close gates, move toys, hoses etc. I am also constantly moving my arms with turns. If it's not considered work, why do people get paid to mow?0
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It is possibly "work" but if you do it regularly (as part of your routine life), I wouldn't call it a "workout". However, there are people on MFP who will log every little thing. I don't think MFP is really supposed to demonstrate (to you, or anyone else) that you didn't just lie on the couch all day, but to each their own.0
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Riding a lawn mower is definitely work. Especially if your yard is large. I spend 3 to 4 hours mowing my lawn. That includes getting on and off the mower to open and close gates, move toys, hoses etc. I am also constantly moving my arms with turns. If it's not considered work, why do people get paid to mow?
they are getting paid for the time they spent landscaping. its not exercise just because people do it as a career
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I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!
what you also have to consider here is that you have a basal burn...you burn calories 24/7...anything like this that you get from a calculator is going to have your basal calories buried in there...so you're not burning 300 more calories than you would otherwise just hanging out...
so, like I burn around 80 calories per hour just existing pretty much...then you add to that I'm doing more than merely existing so really, I'm probably closer to 100 calories per hour just hanging out...so in 1.5 hours of just hanging out I would burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 calories...so maybe another 150 for the mowing...maybe.0 -
If you think that mowing with a tractor doesn't burn calories please feel free to come mow my lawn for 3 hours or so. Oh, maybe I should really call it an old cow pasture turned green.... There are definitely calories being expended just staying seated on the tractor as it bounces you in all directions, let alone the constant steering, turning, backing and getting on and off to move things that you don't want to run over. This is not a daily activity but it is way more than my normal daily routine.....1
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What is 90 minutes of your BMR? For me, that would be around 120 calories. So take that off and you're left with 180 calories. The equivalent of 2 calories per minute riding around on your mower...still sounds high LOL. But, you are burning something over your BMR - though I too wouldn't count it.
Just go edit your exercise and manually change it to 1 calorie burned. Problem solved.0 -
Can't see how anyone who has actually done any physical labor in their life calls riding a lawn tractor exercise.0
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This place never ceases to amaze me0
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Oh yay, I was bored at work. This thread will do nicely for awhile.
On another note, I should look up how many calories I burn spinning on my chair and drinking coffee all day, since I get paid for it.0 -
Riding a lawn mower no, pushing a lawn mower yes!! There are those who says it's part of your everyday lifestyle, Who mows their lawn everyday?? Exercise is more a part of your everyday lifestyle than that is.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!
what you also have to consider here is that you have a basal burn...you burn calories 24/7...anything like this that you get from a calculator is going to have your basal calories buried in there...so you're not burning 300 more calories than you would otherwise just hanging out...
so, like I burn around 80 calories per hour just existing pretty much...then you add to that I'm doing more than merely existing so really, I'm probably closer to 100 calories per hour just hanging out...so in 1.5 hours of just hanging out I would burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 calories...so maybe another 150 for the mowing...maybe.
This. MFP isn't subtracting out your BMR; the calories you expend not doing anything. Depending on your weight, that's likely 50-100 calories per hour.
ETA: And you can solve this by either, logging it and manually changing the calorie burn to 1 calorie, or you can just use the notes section of your diary instead of logging random activities as exercise.0 -
LOL0
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If the OP really wants a good idea of burn take a look at the difference between driving a car and sitting on the couch.0
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If you think that mowing with a tractor doesn't burn calories please feel free to come mow my lawn for 3 hours or so. Oh, maybe I should really call it an old cow pasture turned green.... There are definitely calories being expended just staying seated on the tractor as it bounces you in all directions, let alone the constant steering, turning, backing and getting on and off to move things that you don't want to run over. This is not a daily activity but it is way more than my normal daily routine.....
Exactly! I always thought the same thing about riding mowers - like riding a motorcycle. But it's more like riding a horse.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I entered it just to track that i wasn't couch potatoing all day - and NO, it SPECIFICALLY said mowing with a RIDING lawn mower...PLUS, I looked it up online to verify the entry and it is listed on SEVERAL other workout sites this way too... That's just weird!
what you also have to consider here is that you have a basal burn...you burn calories 24/7...anything like this that you get from a calculator is going to have your basal calories buried in there...so you're not burning 300 more calories than you would otherwise just hanging out...
so, like I burn around 80 calories per hour just existing pretty much...then you add to that I'm doing more than merely existing so really, I'm probably closer to 100 calories per hour just hanging out...so in 1.5 hours of just hanging out I would burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 calories...so maybe another 150 for the mowing...maybe.
This. MFP isn't subtracting out your BMR; the calories you expend not doing anything. Depending on your weight, that's likely 50-100 calories per hour.
ETA: And you can solve this by either, logging it and manually changing the calorie burn to 1 calorie, or you can just use the notes section of your diary instead of logging random activities as exercise.
^^this. Honestly, if you do want to log it, subtract your BMR at least and do not eat those calories back. These are things you should consider a bonus (or part of your activity level), just like that quick bike ride to the store or that walk around the block with the dog.0 -
I log it, but you must have a different entry pick, because mine was 120 minutes at a 245 calorie burn. And for those of you that think it is not a workout, try mowing a 10 acre pasture on a JD garden tractor with no power steering. And I don't use the cruise control either. All of my muscles get a workout just trying not to get bounced off the thing!
AMEN GF! I mow 2 different 5 acre pastures each with a tractor too and you're right Brush Hogging IS hard work with a JD!! PLUS We farm over 1,000 acres of corn, beans, and hay along with taking care of our livestock - cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and cats and dogs... always either on a tractor or horseback!
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