Walking with a stroller

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ashleyrowell
ashleyrowell Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
When I am counting my exercise for the day, should I add both walking at a brisk pace AND pushing a stroller? It would seem to me that the combined effort of walking and pushing a stroller would be more than each individual activity, but is it really beneficial to increase my calories burned by combining the two?

Replies

  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I would think that adding both would overestimate your calorie burn, which could be a problem if you eat back all your exercise calories. If it were me, I'd probably use the entry 0.5 mph higher than my actual pace if pushing the stroller adds effort to brisk walking. In other words, if my pace were 3.0 mph, I'd maybe log it as 3.5 mph.

    If you're not eating your exercise calories, record it however you want. It will give you a record and the numbers don't really matter.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    On a smooth surface the extra effort required to push a stroller will be negligible. I'd recommend you log it as walking.
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
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    I would think that adding both would overestimate your calorie burn, which could be a problem if you eat back all your exercise calories. If it were me, I'd probably use the entry 0.5 mph higher than my actual pace if pushing the stroller adds effort to brisk walking. In other words, if my pace were 3.0 mph, I'd maybe log it as 3.5 mph.

    If you're not eating your exercise calories, record it however you want. It will give you a record and the numbers don't really matter.

    This is what I do :)
  • MrsSorenson
    MrsSorenson Posts: 450 Member
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    I would just add it as walking. I'm sure it is an increased effort by some, but not enough to combine the two. But if you eat a few more calories, know you most likely burned them. :)
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    I wish I knew how to catalog it specifically too! I walk very briskly with my daughter in the stroller in the mornings. Yesterday, I was battling winds with my little one in the stroller and my 40lb son stood on the front while briskly walking around a lake. I just put in brisk walking. Hm.
  • ka_bateman
    ka_bateman Posts: 230 Member
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    I would think that adding both would overestimate your calorie burn, which could be a problem if you eat back all your exercise calories. If it were me, I'd probably use the entry 0.5 mph higher than my actual pace if pushing the stroller adds effort to brisk walking. In other words, if my pace were 3.0 mph, I'd maybe log it as 3.5 mph.

    If you're not eating your exercise calories, record it however you want. It will give you a record and the numbers don't really matter.

    This is what I do :)

    Me too
  • HowardRose
    HowardRose Posts: 138 Member
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    I frequently walk with a stroller, pushing around my 3 yr old. I just log it as walking at whatever pace I walk at. It probably low in terms of the calorie burn, but I figure that the numbers are not exact anyway.
  • adoptakalyn
    adoptakalyn Posts: 18
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    I would just take the extra burned calories and not log them or eat them back. That's what I do, even if I put my baby in the wrap and carry him for my walks, sure it's extra calories but it just goes towards weight loss at this point, especially if you're already eating enough. :)
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    On a smooth surface the extra effort required to push a stroller will be negligible. I'd recommend you log it as walking.

    It depends on how heavy the stroller is. I have a double stroller that weighs 50 pounds by itself. When my two kids and diaper bag are added it's about 125 pounds. Even on a flat road it still takes effort to push it.
  • samandlucysmum
    samandlucysmum Posts: 320
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    I just add it as walking, at whatever speed I go, any strength training from pushing is an unseen added bonus.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    You choose one or the other. You do not log both. Honestly I have worn my HRM for walking with and without the stroller and have not found any significance in the difference in calorie burn. Now running while pushing the jogger is a different story, as I can sometimes burn a significantly higher amount of calories than when just running alone, but I've never found walking with the stroller to burn that many more calories.
  • Reedern
    Reedern Posts: 525 Member
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    I would think that adding both would overestimate your calorie burn, which could be a problem if you eat back all your exercise calories. If it were me, I'd probably use the entry 0.5 mph higher than my actual pace if pushing the stroller adds effort to brisk walking. In other words, if my pace were 3.0 mph, I'd maybe log it as 3.5 mph.

    This is what I do. It seems to reflect a little better accuracy I think. If you were to log both, I am certain it would over calculate the burn.
  • ezramedic
    ezramedic Posts: 119
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    I frequently walk with a stroller, pushing around my 3 yr old. I just log it as walking at whatever pace I walk at. It probably low in terms of the calorie burn, but I figure that the numbers are not exact anyway.

    I run with my 35lb 3yo son in our 25lb stroller. I use the calorie burn calculator at http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc and add 15lbs to my weight, calculator the calories burned, then subtract my BMR calories (BMR divided by 1440 minutes in a day)

    I feel like that the best estimate I can give myself.

    (Well, now i have a HRM, and use that - but before that...)
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    It depends on how heavy the stroller is. I have a double stroller that weighs 50 pounds by itself. When my two kids and diaper bag are added it's about 125 pounds. Even on a flat road it still takes effort to push it.

    The weight of the stroller and all the bits and pieces only has an impact on the effort when you start to push it. Once you get it up to speed the weight is irrelevant,what then makes a difference is the rolling resistance of the stroller, which on a flat course (or circular where the downs cancel out the ups) which is reasonably smooth is going to be a very small amount. Of course if you are starting and stopping lots then you will use more energy than if you didn't have the stroller but not a massive amount more.
  • ekone
    ekone Posts: 10 Member
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    I think it depends how you are walking. If it's a leisurely stroll, I would just use the regular walking calories. But, I am usually walking vigorously (because we are late) pushing a double stroller on a mostly uphill commute, so I am sure it should be more calories than just walking. I log 135 calories for a 20 minute walk based on a study I read about. I think the study was on livestrong and they found that women burned a little less than 7 calories a minute pushing a stroller. This sounds more accurate to me. The MFP "walking with a stroller" assumes a leisurely pace.
  • ekone
    ekone Posts: 10 Member
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    Actually, I think this was the study I referred to above: http://www.acefitness.org/getfit/studies/WellnessOnWheels.pdf. I think I calculated an extra 18 percent calorie burn for myself or something to get my numbers.

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