8hrs gardening 3555 calories burned?

steveharford
steveharford Posts: 4 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Surely not? That's just an average days work.
I've actually been laying a block paved drive which is more strenuous but gardening is the closest thing in the database. But no way 3.5k calories worth ?

Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    thats 437.5 calories an hour. that could be possible if you are doing some serious labor.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    If you used the MFP calculator, which uses METs values, that number includes your BMR (basal metabolic rate) where BMR = 1.0 METs. You will need to determine your full day BMR using the MFP calculator on the Web version by navigating to APPS > BMR; then divide that by 3 (24 hours divided by 8 hours = 3). Then subtract that number from the 3555 to find a better estimate. Plus, did you account for the time resting during those 8 hours, or were you constantly doing that?

    Compare to what would be your daily Calorie goal if you set MFP to Very Active. That is calculated as approximately BMR x 1.725 for the full 24 hours.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Sometimes I halve things like that that I did for many hours...like if I did 4 hours of raking/sweeping/mowing/weed wacking I'll only count 2 hours. 8 hours of physical labor is not insignificant though...
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    I have laid a patio and numerous paths through our garden and never counted the calories. I found that what I would have been doing daily activity wise if I wasn't laying the patio was only the difference of a few hundred calories.

    You could see what your MFP calories are for very active, (manual labour) and use that as your intake for the day. I think that would be more accurate as it is the setting for people who do that kind of work for a living.

    Cheers, h.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    8hrs of digging garden beds doesn't sound unrealistic....8 hrs of laying interlock still significant but probably half of that.
  • steveharford
    steveharford Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks for your replies everyone. My activity setting is at 'active' but that doesn't allow for weekends when I'm too shattered to be anything but inactive
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    steveharford wrote: »
    Thanks for your replies everyone. My activity setting is at 'active' but that doesn't allow for weekends when I'm too shattered to be anything but inactive

    Maybe use tdee instead?
  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    If 8hrs of digging out trees, yes definitely.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    Anyone who wants to come and mow my lawn to see how many calories they burn you're more than welcome! It's pretty darn hard work as it's on a slope.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    I walk, garden, and swim. I get the least calories from walking, and the most from swimming, and am the least tired from walking and most from swimming. Gardening seems in line with the other MFP entries, which are generally considered to be inflated by about 50%.
  • steveharford
    steveharford Posts: 4 Member
    Makes more sense Kshama
This discussion has been closed.

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