Driving

Pynkklady
Pynkklady Posts: 51 Member
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I read an article on eHow that driving burns calories. A person weighing 150 lbs. will burn about 68 calories an hour driving. A person who weighs 120 lbs. will burn about only 55 calories an hour driving, while a person weighing 220 lbs. will burn about 100, per the CalorieLab.

I'm driving across the country, moving to NC. So if I've been driving for 9 hrs/day, I'm burning 900 calories?? Can this be real? I'd love to count some calories burned because being on the road, I'm stuck with unhealthy food options.

What do you think??

Replies

  • lucylue21
    lucylue21 Posts: 214
    hmm.. its a toughie. because it depends on how they did there research. i burn about 60 calories an hour just living. is there 55 calories plus those 60 or is it including it. and plus it also probably depends on driving in a city where its ( stop, go, look over shoulder, flip on blinker, adjust radio, get phone call, stop, go , look over shoulder, yell at moron next to you....yell at him some more) or if its just driving straight for hours and hours at a time. p.s. if you need a healthyer option for fast food. wednesday is great. a small chili is 120 calories and they have the baked potatoes there thats 120 plus 30 for the sour cream plus butter for 60 per tablespoon but i leave out the butter part and stick to the fat free sour cream.



    wendys not wednesday sorry!
  • mandasimba
    mandasimba Posts: 782 Member
    A person with a bmr of 1500 burns about 60 calories an hour just by being alive. (1500/24) so pretty much the same as sleeping, just try not to drive and sleep at the same time ;)

    Perhaps road rage burns slightly more.


    ETA: As for snacks, I like to bring pretzels, nuts, granola bars, a pb sandwich and about a gallon of coffee... though my typical road trips are only 6 hours to visit the parentals. Perahsp bring a mini cooler so you can bring some fruit something else :)
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    I doubt that- I wouldn't count it as exercise. I assume that includes your BMR, which means that you're hardly burning more than you would by just being alive. Maybe 10 extra calories an hour or so.
  • Pynkklady
    Pynkklady Posts: 51 Member
    Not a fan of chili, but I the baked potato is a great idea! It will keep me full too. Thank you!

    Haha, I'll try not to sleep and drive...I'm getting into some pretty boring areas now. =)

    That's a good idea...the 10 extra per hour, it sound much more reasonable to me than 100. Thanks!
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    Sorry, I think that kind of activity is already included in your 'breathing' calories!
  • sryan8408
    sryan8408 Posts: 244
    I wouldn't count it. It may sound stupid but every time you stop to use the bathroom or get gas or get food, how about you get a circuit workout off the internet and do one exercise per stop. So like stop every hour and one stop do jumping jacks, another lunges, another squats, another push ups, etc. Then you can get exercise and be able to afford certain indulgences on the road. You may look stupid doing it but what are the chances you're going to run into who ever saw you again? lol
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    Don't count it as exercise. You're literally sitting there, with your foot pushing slightly on the gas petal (or maybe not at all if using cruise control).

    You're not moving any body parts, your heart rate is not going up. We burn calories all the time, just sitting and breathing burns calories. You're totally cheating yourself (and doing harm in the long run if you eat back your exercise calories) by logging something that isn't exercise.
  • meganepreston
    meganepreston Posts: 487 Member
    Welcome to NC! :smile:
  • lucylue21
    lucylue21 Posts: 214
    another goof fast food cheep place to do is to stop at circle k if you drink diet soda. you can get the 44 ounce cups of soda for 69 cents and with tax its on 76. i get that on occasion and theh ave diet pepsie and diet coke and diet dr. pepper all in one machine. its great if you are a soda drinker. another thing. if you stop at sonic looking for fries, a small fries is 200 calories yet a small tator tots is 130. just something to keep in mind.
  • sagetracey
    sagetracey Posts: 607 Member
    Stock up on fresh fruit to eat on your journey.:love:
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I read an article on eHow that driving burns calories. A person weighing 150 lbs. will burn about 68 calories an hour driving. A person who weighs 120 lbs. will burn about only 55 calories an hour driving, while a person weighing 220 lbs. will burn about 100, per the CalorieLab.

    I'm driving across the country, moving to NC. So if I've been driving for 9 hrs/day, I'm burning 900 calories?? Can this be real? I'd love to count some calories burned because being on the road, I'm stuck with unhealthy food options.

    What do you think??

    I personally don't count "driving" calories. But as far as the food--on my last trip--a 6.5 hour drive--I took a lot of healthier snacks so that I wouldn't need to stop at fast food places. I splurged on a frappucino because I needed the caffeine lol... but otherwise I had almonds, grapes, banana, peanut butter crackers, string cheese, water...met a friend for dinner when I arrived and had a big salad. It is possible to eat healthy "on the road" if you plan ahead.
  • wildkatt7
    wildkatt7 Posts: 163 Member
    I wouldn't count it... and there are plenty of alternatives to "fast food" as I did it last summer and I don't eat fast food at all... pack a cooler with veggies and get healthy snacks to put in the car... stop somewhere halfway decent for lunch or dinner and you will save money and eat healthier
  • wildkatt7
    wildkatt7 Posts: 163 Member
    I wouldn't count it... and there are plenty of alternatives to "fast food" as I did it last summer and I don't eat fast food at all... pack a cooler with veggies and get healthy snacks to put in the car... stop somewhere halfway decent for lunch or dinner and you will save money and eat healthier
  • lucylue21
    lucylue21 Posts: 214
    oh anothdr good thing to do is walmart, int he deli section has the cute little box that is plastic and clear and looks like a lunch box but it has a turkey sandwhcih on wheat bread, a box of natural apple juice, a piece of fruit and a single cookie its like 2.50 or less. but its a godo little lunch that is healthy.
  • Pynkklady
    Pynkklady Posts: 51 Member
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions! They are so great!

    Because I have to make the trip in 5 days, I need to keep stopping to a minimum, which means stopping for gas and bathroom breaks. I don't have room in my jam packed car for a cooler, so everything has to be potable. =(

    I decided to pay attention, today, to what I'm doing while I'm spending 10 hrs a day in a car. I realize that I am not sitting still very often. I mean, of course, the minimal movements of blinker operation, looking at blind spots, rear view mirrors, etc. But also, I jam! If I'm not basically chair dancing, I'm tapping my foot or my hand on the steering wheel.

    So, I've decided to stick with claiming burning 10 calories per hour. It's not a ton, but I think it works for what I'm doing...

    Thankfully, I only have 2 more days of driving left. Thanks again for all your suggestions!
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