Raking Leaves Cardio?

clg1241
clg1241 Posts: 41 Member
edited December 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I have looked up the average calories burned while racking leaves. For my age and weight it should be about 350-450 an hour. When I ware my Microsoft Band while raking I log about 1100 calories an hour. I do rake at a quick pace that will elevate my heart rate, however this seems like a big discrepancy between the average and the Band. Now I am curious.

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I didn't count raking leaves despite doing it for most of a day. I figured it was a bonus burn and makes up for the times I have underestimated how many calories I have eaten.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    This was a one time thing? Eat back what you need..

    Connsider what you burned doing this "one time activity" as a bonus.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I can pretty much guarantee it wasn't 1,100 cal/hr - I'm a pretty big guy (close to 200 lbs) and I burn about 750 cal/hr running at 6mph.

    One of the errors many fitness trackers make is correlating heart rate with calories expended. Your heart is just one, fairly small, muscle in your body. There is not a linear relationship between heart rate and calories burned.

    The 350 to 450 per hour sounds more reasonable but unless it was a regular activity I'd consider it a bonus too.
  • clg1241
    clg1241 Posts: 41 Member
    Raking leaves is a regular activity for me in the Autumn. I rake 2-3 times a week, my own lawn and some of the neighbors' who can't rake their own. The 1100 calories and hour seemed too high for the way I physically feel. Raking just doesn't feel like I have spent that much energy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited October 2016
    clg1241 wrote: »
    Raking leaves is a regular activity for me in the Autumn. I rake 2-3 times a week, my own lawn and some of the neighbors' who can't rake their own. The 1100 calories and hour seemed too high for the way I physically feel. Raking just doesn't feel like I have spent that much energy.

    Yeah, I'd keep it at the 350-450 mark...1100 calories in an hour is hell of work...I might hit 800-900 in an hour at a 16-19 MPH clip on my bike
  • renae161
    renae161 Posts: 334 Member
    I personally say any yard work like raking, shoveling or lifting is cardio in my opinion since you're working out your calves and arms.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories