We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Desk Job - Burning Calories?

KtotheD78
KtotheD78 Posts: 58 Member
edited January 26 in Fitness and Exercise
How many calories burned by stuffing an envelope?

The paper does not have to be folded.
I have to put together two sheets, a small catalog and stuff it in to one large catalog size envelope. I have 500 to do.
That burns SOME calories, yes? How many?

Are there any other menial tasks that you are curious as to how many calories are burned by doing them? Normally I don't count things like this but it took me the entire day so I figure that even if it is just 100 calories burned, I will take it! I know a lot of people have desk jobs and it would just be interesting to have a list of activities that aren't the norm to refer to :)

I found these for reference for the more common inquiry:
http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

http://caloriecount.about.com/activities-sports-ac15

Replies

  • soykk1995
    soykk1995 Posts: 21 Member
    I'd like to know too. I work for an accounting office and I've spent the past 10 days stuffing W2s in envelopes for about 8 hours a day. I know I burned a lot of energy.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Keep in mind if those estimates are gross calories including what you will have burned anyway in that time period or purely the very few extra calories (net calories) you would have burned just moving your hands.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited January 2021
    So what you would have been doing during that time if not this new activity would have burned 0 calories?

    Study shows typing is 1.3 x sleeping BMR rate of burn.
    Desk work is 1.5.
    https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/occupation

    That's what's already included for Sedentary, with 45 hr work sitting, 56 hr sleeping, 60 hr sitting/standing, 7 hr slow walking. Avg out to 1.25.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,536 Member
    Sadly, not much. You're using small muscles of your body. You could check you HR to see if there's any elevation above just sitting typing on a computer. Again, I suspect that it's not very significant. Not to say you aren't tired at the end of the day!
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,514 Member
    KtotheD78 wrote: »
    How many calories burned by stuffing an envelope?

    The paper does not have to be folded.
    I have to put together two sheets, a small catalog and stuff it in to one large catalog size envelope. I have 500 to do.
    That burns SOME calories, yes? How many?

    Are there any other menial tasks that you are curious as to how many calories are burned by doing them? Normally I don't count things like this but it took me the entire day so I figure that even if it is just 100 calories burned, I will take it! I know a lot of people have desk jobs and it would just be interesting to have a list of activities that aren't the norm to refer to :)

    I found these for reference for the more common inquiry:
    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

    http://caloriecount.about.com/activities-sports-ac15

    This is so majoring in the minors has to be a joke.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    soykk1995 wrote: »
    I'd like to know too. I work for an accounting office and I've spent the past 10 days stuffing W2s in envelopes for about 8 hours a day. I know I burned a lot of energy.

    Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I imagine your "just being alive" calories during that time were far greater than your envelope stuffing calories.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories