70 minutes of lawn mowing burns 508 calories?

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just got done mowing my yard and according to MFP I burned 508 calories in 70 minutes which doesn't seem possible to me. It also almost completely wiped out the 545 calories that I gained from my breakfast so now I need an intake of 1813 calories in the next 8-9 hours plus I'm going hiking with the dog after lunch.........anyone have any suggestions for a filling high calorie/low sodium lunch?

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  • mcdonl
    mcdonl Posts: 342 Member
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    just got done mowing my yard and according to MFP I burned 508 calories in 70 minutes which doesn't seem possible to me. It also almost completely wiped out the 545 calories that I gained from my breakfast so now I need an intake of 1813 calories in the next 8-9 hours plus I'm going hiking with the dog after lunch.........anyone have any suggestions for a filling high calorie/low sodium lunch?

    Just curious, what did you eat for breakfast that was 545 calories?
  • NurseHthr
    NurseHthr Posts: 43 Member
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    My first suggestion would be to get a heart rate monitor and use ti next time you mow. I found MFP was way off for me. Good luck!
  • brittg7
    brittg7 Posts: 146 Member
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    the burns that MFP states are wayyyyy off...get a HRM..
  • shannonkk
    shannonkk Posts: 192 Member
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    I wore my hrm while mowing the grass and it said 240 calories for 40 minutes
  • otr12
    otr12 Posts: 632 Member
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    According to my Polar FT7 that's about what I burn doing that much lawn care.
  • Depends entirely on the lawnmower. If it's one of those ride-on things with integrated donut bar, then it's way off. If it's one like my dad's which is powered purely by effort and involves ramming it forwards and backwards like a mad thing and cutting a 2metre square piece of lawn in about 10 minutes, then I think mfp is right on.
  • calebespnsmommie
    calebespnsmommie Posts: 111 Member
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    Before I got my HRM I would just use the site for an estimation. Honestly it was WAY less when I used my HRM then what the site suggests. The last time I mowed my yard I did it fo 17 mins and I burned 138 calories. We dont really have that big of a yard either. I would take half of what they suggest on here to be safe. It all will depend on your weight also. Hope this helps a little!
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    I'm going to mow grass right NOW!!! I've been putting it off but have a completely new motivation!!! :)
  • GreenGettingLean
    GreenGettingLean Posts: 252 Member
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    I'm really skeptical of MFP's burn estimates for lawn mowing. It accounts for minutes, but MFP has no idea how hilly your yard is or how easy/hard it is to push your lawnmower. I'd definitely recommend an HRM for activities like that. 540 cals could be right, but there's really no way to know for sure with one.
  • fitplease
    fitplease Posts: 647 Member
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    I can see that being possible with a manual mower instead of anything gas or electric powered.
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I burned a lot when I mowed just the front area for about 25-30mins...I think it was around 300. I would invest in a heart rate monitor just to be sure. Good luck to you:drinker:
  • FlyFishinX2
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    My breakfast:

    Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 3 cup (8 fl oz) 7 0 0 1 14 0
    Fresh Banana - Banana , 1 Medium 105 27 0 1 1 14
    Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 1.5 cup 129 18 1 13 191 0
    Quaker Oats - Oatmeal Old Fashioned, 1 cup dry (40g) 300 54 6 10 0 2


    I've never thought about a heart rate moniter and don't know anything about them but apparently it's something I should look into ?
  • FlyFishinX2
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    and yes I did mow with a manual mower and my yard is mostly flat but swampland right now
  • Luckiestmomever
    Luckiestmomever Posts: 44 Member
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    I'm curious about the heart rate monitor thing. I don't know anything about it, but you all seem to use them. Are the calories burned in MFP that far off? I mostly just do walking for now, but I wouldn't want to be incorrect about the calories burned.
  • mcdonl
    mcdonl Posts: 342 Member
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    My breakfast:

    Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 3 cup (8 fl oz) 7 0 0 1 14 0
    Fresh Banana - Banana , 1 Medium 105 27 0 1 1 14
    Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 1.5 cup 129 18 1 13 191 0
    Quaker Oats - Oatmeal Old Fashioned, 1 cup dry (40g) 300 54 6 10 0 2

    I've never thought about a heart rate moniter and don't know anything about them but apparently it's something I should look into ?

    Good breakfast!

    I got a heart rate monitor and it helps. I picked up a cheap one at wally world for $26.... I tells me my heart rate and calories burned. I was giving myself credit for 800 calories last week based on taking my pulse during a 60 minute kempo-x workout, and this week with the HRM it says I burned 625 so there is a significant difference.