Blood donation

Spitspot81
Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Didn't know where to post this. I am donating blood tomorrow and I have read that you burn up to 400 calories from donating. I have been donating for years but have never logged it on mfp.

Does anyone else log blood donation in their calorie log
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Replies

  • Spitspot81
    Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
    Fair enough...thanks for that. Will definitely enjoy the free biscuit afterwards though
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    No problem. Thank you for donating! I can no longer donate due to a blood disorder. A lot of my family needed transfusions to save their lives. You're doing a great thing :)
  • juliebowman4
    juliebowman4 Posts: 784 Member
    Actually, a study out of University of SanDiego reports a calorie loss of up to 650ca.
    lmkr3lcxqm79.png
  • poorlittlefish
    poorlittlefish Posts: 38 Member
    I donate and don't count it though I do eat some free cookies after and don't count those :)
  • Russandol
    Russandol Posts: 71 Member
    I donate regularly (I have for over 10 years) but I honestly never even considered the possibility of it burning calories. o_O All I've accounted for is the temporary dehydration/desanguination, meaning I try to drink more water and take it easier that afternoon/evening. Oh, and I try to amp up my iron intake too.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    poorlittlefish wrote: »
    I donate and don't count it though I do eat some free cookies after and don't count those :)

    I do this, too. Donation doesn't happen often enough to interfere with weight loss. Eat the cookies and enjoy them as a "freebie" for that day.
    Thanks for donating!
  • Gena575
    Gena575 Posts: 224 Member
    juliebowman4 wrote: »
    Actually, a study out of University of SanDiego reports a calorie loss of up to 650ca.
    lmkr3lcxqm79.png

    I saw that article too. And it, or a similar one, deeper in the article stated it was over a 6 or 8 week period. Bummer! Lol!
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I donate every six weeks and I never log the calories because (as is pointed out above) the calories are replenished gradually day-by-day over the next few weeks -- not all at once. 15-20 calories a day isn't worth logging, IMO. I just make sure to hydrate well around those days.
  • AJF230
    AJF230 Posts: 81 Member
    spitapot81 wrote: »
    Didn't know where to post this. I am donating blood tomorrow and I have read that you burn up to 400 calories from donating. I have been donating for years but have never logged it on mfp.

    Does anyone else log blood donation in their calorie log

    I'm donating tomorrow at work. Its like 600 cal, yeah. but don't put it into MFP. Have a free half cookie a day for 5 weeks maybe? or just lose an extra 1/6 pound or so, hopefully of fat.

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    AJF230 wrote: »
    spitapot81 wrote: »
    Didn't know where to post this. I am donating blood tomorrow and I have read that you burn up to 400 calories from donating. I have been donating for years but have never logged it on mfp.

    Does anyone else log blood donation in their calorie log

    I'm donating tomorrow at work. Its like 600 cal, yeah. but don't put it into MFP. Have a free half cookie a day for 5 weeks maybe? or just lose an extra 1/6 pound or so, hopefully of fat.

    600 calories over 4-6 weeks which translates to very little every day.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    lisalewis7588 wrote: »
    You don't burn calories from DONATING blood... you burn about 600-650 extra calories over the next 4-6 weeks as your body regenerates the blood cells you gave. If you divide it up, that's only an extra 15-20 calories per day. Go ahead and enjoy your cookie for donating because 1. you just helped save lives and 2. you probably need the sugar boost, but I wouldn't eat 600 extra calories that day :lol:

    THIS.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lisalewis7588 wrote: »
    You don't burn calories from DONATING blood... you burn about 600-650 extra calories over the next 4-6 weeks as your body regenerates the blood cells you gave. If you divide it up, that's only an extra 15-20 calories per day. Go ahead and enjoy your cookie for donating because 1. you just helped save lives and 2. you probably need the sugar boost, but I wouldn't eat 600 extra calories that day :lol:

    Hmm, perhaps my extremely heavy periods are why I can eat more than expected...

    GAWD wouldn't that be nice? I wish we got some sort of bump from that, I dunno if we do. It feels like the guys have it easier because of their (statistically more likely to have) greater muscle mass. I want a girl-card benefit.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    I dunno. You're supposed to eat more and not exercise strenuously for a while after you've given blood, so it does put a damper on your calorie budget for a day or two. You have to take care of your body, so trying to maintain a full deficit after blood loss while eating more and not exercising is a bad combination.

    I usually give myself an extra 300 kcal for the day of the donation and the next day.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lisalewis7588 wrote: »
    You don't burn calories from DONATING blood... you burn about 600-650 extra calories over the next 4-6 weeks as your body regenerates the blood cells you gave. If you divide it up, that's only an extra 15-20 calories per day. Go ahead and enjoy your cookie for donating because 1. you just helped save lives and 2. you probably need the sugar boost, but I wouldn't eat 600 extra calories that day :lol:

    Hmm, perhaps my extremely heavy periods are why I can eat more than expected...

    GAWD wouldn't that be nice? I wish we got some sort of bump from that, I dunno if we do. It feels like the guys have it easier because of their (statistically more likely to have) greater muscle mass. I want a girl-card benefit.

    My energy level plummets. My blood loss is so extreme that my GYN has offered me transfusions, but I don't have the strength to drive up there for them. I just grit my teeth and power through (and supplement aggressively) until I get my energy back.
  • powr69
    powr69 Posts: 22 Member
    This seems to be the most recent thread on this, so I'll post here. Sorry if thread necro upsets anyone, I figured it'd be less offending than yet another post on the topic.

    I notice all anyone discusses with regards to this is the burn *after* the donation from replenishing red blood cells etc. No one seems to note the instant loss of nutrients, etc. that leave the body with the blood. That stuff doesn't magically avoid the blood that you lose and stay in your system. Obviously you don't immediately lose 600-650 calories in the donated pint. The average human has 8 pints, so maybe it might be more honest to log the 75-82 calories presumably in that single pint, and then just mulligan the rest since it happens over a decent span? Not sure I can see the donation offsetting the rich breakfast one had beforehand, but it does seem fair that *something* be counted due the instant loss, not just the overall. Thoughts?
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    powr69 wrote: »
    This seems to be the most recent thread on this, so I'll post here. Sorry if thread necro upsets anyone, I figured it'd be less offending than yet another post on the topic.

    I notice all anyone discusses with regards to this is the burn *after* the donation from replenishing red blood cells etc. No one seems to note the instant loss of nutrients, etc. that leave the body with the blood. That stuff doesn't magically avoid the blood that you lose and stay in your system. Obviously you don't immediately lose 600-650 calories in the donated pint. The average human has 8 pints, so maybe it might be more honest to log the 75-82 calories presumably in that single pint, and then just mulligan the rest since it happens over a decent span? Not sure I can see the donation offsetting the rich breakfast one had beforehand, but it does seem fair that *something* be counted due the instant loss, not just the overall. Thoughts?

    Yeah, I don't think there's one right way to do this. I usually give myself a maintenance day when I donate, and divide the calories up over two days. I find that exercising is very difficult on days I've donated - so much so that I usually take it very easy. NB: I often do double red.
  • powr69
    powr69 Posts: 22 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    Yeah, I don't think there's one right way to do this. I usually give myself a maintenance day when I donate, and divide the calories up over two days. I find that exercising is very difficult on days I've donated - so much so that I usually take it very easy. NB: I often do double red.

    I can't lie, I was hoping I'd be able to offset more of the breakfast I had, vs. what I'd normally eat. It won't be a huge deal, aside from my sodium being a fair bit over. I still plan on going for a bit of a walk this evening to burn off a few hundred to help as well. Donating blood has never really caused me to not be able to work as normal. Never done double red though. How does that affect you generally, vs. standard donation?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I donate every six weeks and I never log the calories because (as is pointed out above) the calories are replenished gradually day-by-day over the next few weeks -- not all at once. 15-20 calories a day isn't worth logging, IMO. I just make sure to hydrate well around those days.

    @janejellyroll If you don't mind me asking, to what organization do you donate? I give to the American Red Cross. I'm only allowed to donate every 8 weeks. Or do you not donate whole blood? Because ARC has different time limits on platelets and plasma.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    TR0berts wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I donate every six weeks and I never log the calories because (as is pointed out above) the calories are replenished gradually day-by-day over the next few weeks -- not all at once. 15-20 calories a day isn't worth logging, IMO. I just make sure to hydrate well around those days.

    @janejellyroll If you don't mind me asking, to what organization do you donate? I give to the American Red Cross. I'm only allowed to donate every 8 weeks. Or do you not donate whole blood? Because ARC has different time limits on platelets and plasma.

    I donate to Memorial and I just checked their site -- they're 8 weeks too, I just got confused on the time. I just go down there whenever they show up at my workplace so I don't keep track of the time between donations. I just know when they come back, I'm good to go. Sorry about that!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    LOL. No problemo!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    powr69 wrote: »
    Jruzer wrote: »
    Yeah, I don't think there's one right way to do this. I usually give myself a maintenance day when I donate, and divide the calories up over two days. I find that exercising is very difficult on days I've donated - so much so that I usually take it very easy. NB: I often do double red.

    I can't lie, I was hoping I'd be able to offset more of the breakfast I had, vs. what I'd normally eat. It won't be a huge deal, aside from my sodium being a fair bit over. I still plan on going for a bit of a walk this evening to burn off a few hundred to help as well. Donating blood has never really caused me to not be able to work as normal. Never done double red though. How does that affect you generally, vs. standard donation?

    I find that I just don't have much aerobic capacity for a day or 2. Considering that red blood cells carry oxygen perhaps that's not surprising. However, it is possible it's mostly psychosomatic. ;)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Jruzer wrote: »
    powr69 wrote: »
    Jruzer wrote: »
    Yeah, I don't think there's one right way to do this. I usually give myself a maintenance day when I donate, and divide the calories up over two days. I find that exercising is very difficult on days I've donated - so much so that I usually take it very easy. NB: I often do double red.

    I can't lie, I was hoping I'd be able to offset more of the breakfast I had, vs. what I'd normally eat. It won't be a huge deal, aside from my sodium being a fair bit over. I still plan on going for a bit of a walk this evening to burn off a few hundred to help as well. Donating blood has never really caused me to not be able to work as normal. Never done double red though. How does that affect you generally, vs. standard donation?

    I find that I just don't have much aerobic capacity for a day or 2. Considering that red blood cells carry oxygen perhaps that's not surprising. However, it is possible it's mostly psychosomatic. ;)

    I don't *feel* a difference after a blood donation, but I've noticed that my runs are a bit slower for 3-5 days afterwards when I'm expending the same amount of relative effort. I always attributed it to the red blood cells because I don't notice feeling tired, I just . . . run slower.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Spitspot81 wrote: »
    Didn't know where to post this. I am donating blood tomorrow and I have read that you burn up to 400 calories from donating. I have been donating for years but have never logged it on mfp.

    Does anyone else log blood donation in their calorie log

    Congrats!

    The calorie burn is true, but considering that the energy expended to replenish will take place over the next 60 days this is meaningless for the purposes of MFP. I still add this to my diary just to note when my donations take place.

    I'm a life-long donor and we're only beginning to understand the health benefits of long term donation.

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