Stroller question

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lizwilsonng
lizwilsonng Posts: 15
in Fitness and Exercise
I operate a daycare and I ususally try to get out for a walk with the kids a few times a week. I have a stroller that seats 5 kids (think Jon and Kate style stroller) When it has kids in it , it weighs about 200-230lbs. I see that the excercises I have to choose from (walking -mod. pace, or pushing or pulling stroller) on MFP. However, I am not happy to see that the stroller walking burns fewer calories that other walking, why is this? is it true? does anyone out there have a other info about extra calorie burning with a stroller, I would think it would burn more to be pushing something heavy, not less! Am I wrong?

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  • SportySpiceVT
    SportySpiceVT Posts: 59 Member
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    You are right, the calories on here aren't always accurate. You can manually enter the calories burned if you think you need to add calories to make it more accurate.
  • jsarafinchin
    jsarafinchin Posts: 1 Member
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    I agree... i push both of my kids who would together weigh over 70lbs at a brisk pace and i don't think i can calculate that proprerly. i know i'm working hard but it doesn't had up to much....normally i am just putting in that i did it a bit longer than actual to account for some of the extra calories burned (a little guess work)
  • LoriLou67
    LoriLou67 Posts: 173 Member
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    I walk with a double stroller. The calories on MFP are not accurate, I wear a HRM. MFP may figure that the pace is slower when pushing the stroller. I burn more with them, even if one jumps out to walk!
  • L4JSnP
    L4JSnP Posts: 6 Member
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    HI. I don't actually know the answer to your questions, but if you have, or can get, a heart rate monitor that tracks how many calories you burn then you can start it and stop it on all the walks you do and it will tell you what you burned. That is the most accurate way of knowing what calories you burned in any kind of workout because it's based on you personally (height, weight, sex, age, etc.) and uses technology based on heart rate to figure out what you are burning. So...though I can't answer your questions, if you get a Heart Rate monitor that tracks calories you won't have to wonder anymore. :) Hope this helps. I run everyday with my daughter in a stroller and I was struggling with this question until I just got a HR monitor and now I know.
    P.S. a Polar F4 or F7 both work great $60-$100 based on what you get...and check for sales.
  • thedestar
    thedestar Posts: 1,278 Member
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    I have a hrm that I use to calculate the calories I burn, but when I push my 25 lb baby in her stroller I burn about 80 more calories than when I'm walking my dog.
  • niccole679
    niccole679 Posts: 21
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    After looking around online I found: that pushing a stroller with a 35lb. child and a diaper bag will help you burn 20% more calories than your friend who is going at it solo.
  • lizwilsonng
    lizwilsonng Posts: 15
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    Thanks so much for all the answers I will start poking around and see if I can find a hrm that could give me some more accurate info, but for nowI will do the math with the 20% stuff.
  • TipMcE
    TipMcE Posts: 158
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    I had this issue last weekend when I plugged in an exhausting stroller walk and got a measly 60 calories burned in half an hour. I googled pushing a stroller and calories burned and basically figured that the assumption of MFP is that you are taking a leisurely stroll and basically walking more slowly than if you were just walking down the street (not even walking for fitness). Some of the articles I found showed mommies pushing a stroller looking into shop windows - i.e barely walking at all. So, I figured out my distance walked and speed and plugged it in as a regular walk at a 3.5 mph pace. Of course with your situation of pushing around so much weight because of the number of kids even that probably wouldn't be accurate but at least might give you a better idea of calories burned. Have you looked at websites like parenting.com or parents.com to see if there is any relevant info? I also found a pedometer website that allows you to map your walk and figure out mileage and it will also figure out calories burned. The link is:
    http://gmap-pedometer.com/
    Hope this helps!

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