Swimming for calories??

Xo_healthylc
Xo_healthylc Posts: 77 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'4" and 216 down for 225 in the last few weeks. I just recently started entering my swimming calories into my day. I wasn't aware that was something you could enter into MFP. MFP is saying when i leisurely swim 60 minutes I burned 568 calories. I do stay moving the whole time and I stay in the deep end so I'm always treading water but I just find it hard to believe I burned that many calories not breaking a sweat. I eat back my exercise calories on the weekend and special occasions (like a 4th of July party yesterday) but I am freaked out that I am over eating those calories that I "burned" do you trust the database when it comes to swimming calories burned?

Replies

  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,138 Member
    For most exercise calories a good rule of thumb is to eat back 50%. After a few weeks if you are losing faster than expected you know you can eat back more and if you are losing slower you know to eat back less.
  • subakwa
    subakwa Posts: 347 Member
    I don't trust it entirely, but eating back half is always a good hedge.
  • Xo_healthylc
    Xo_healthylc Posts: 77 Member
    I've have been tracking about 1/2 my exercise as far as time wise. If I swim 120 minutes I have been tracking 60 so I am hoping that helps.
  • casmithis
    casmithis Posts: 216 Member
    Thanks for the tip. I'm going to go find me a pool. Nice calorie burn.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    I don't personally use or track my exercise calories. The one thing you have to remember about the suggested calories burned in mfpis that is meant as a general average for a large population pool. Calorie burn is going to be different due to yoyr level of fitness body metabolism and genetics.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    swimming leisurely is a very different calorie expenditure than treading water in the deep end. Especially if you are heavier and therefore naturally float easily. YES you are way over estimating your calorie burn from your pool workout.

    So log less calories or spend more time actually swimming.
  • sjbuescher
    sjbuescher Posts: 45 Member
    Also - you sweat in the pool. Don't forget to stay hydrated like would on dry land.

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