stretching question

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 14:01:17 -0700, "myrrha"
wrote:

I've got the exercise beginning to be worked in, so far 3 out of 4 days I've
done some sort of cardio type exercise, walk bike. Now trying to fit in the
toning exercises. I went to fitday.com, and love the site, and am at the
moment religiously putting in all my food and activities. One question I
have is, anyone have any idea how many calories are burned during
stretching? I spend about 20 mintues on stretching generally whether I do
toning exercises or not. I find I need it to keep things from getting too
tight and painful.

Only numbers I can find are for yoga, and I don't do that, just my own
version of stretching, with some neuromuscular proprioception work
(contract, relax, stretch), so I'm imagining it's got some sort of calorie
burn.

myrrha
190/130

I'd gather a guess - a little more than sitting for 20mins, but less
than walking for 20mins.

Based on www.caloriesperhour.com and my stats:

Stretching - 51cals for 20 mins
Sitting watching TV = 20 cals
Sitting doing moderate work = 51 cals
Standing doing light work = 47 cals
Walking at 2 mph (light walk/stroll) = 51 cals

So - based on that - the calculations for stretching are similar to:
Sitting doing moderate work, standing doing light work, or walking at
2mph (a slow pace)

On 2 Oct 2003 18:22:44 GMT, Ignoramus8561
wrote:

One question I
have is, anyone have any idea how many calories are burned during
stretching?

assume a big fat 0.

And you would assume incorrectly then.

I spend about 20 mintues on stretching generally whether I do
toning exercises or not. I find I need it to keep things from getting too
tight and painful.

Excellent. Just do not count it as calories.

Read what you wrote.

Stretching is very good
for you and will help in your later years.

How is that?

Only numbers I can find are for yoga, and I don't do that, just my own
version of stretching, with some neuromuscular proprioception work
(contract, relax, stretch), so I'm imagining it's got some sort of calorie
burn.

assume 0...

And you would assume incorrectly then.

Strike three, you're out. Now drop out of this thread until you have
something accurate to say.

Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.

"myrrha" wrote in message
.. .
I've got the exercise beginning to be worked in, so far 3 out of 4 days
I've
done some sort of cardio type exercise, walk bike. Now trying to fit in
the
toning exercises. I went to fitday.com, and love the site, and am at the
moment religiously putting in all my food and activities. One question I
have is, anyone have any idea how many calories are burned during
stretching? I spend about 20 mintues on stretching generally whether I do
toning exercises or not. I find I need it to keep things from getting too
tight and painful.

Only numbers I can find are for yoga, and I don't do that, just my own
version of stretching, with some neuromuscular proprioception work
(contract, relax, stretch), so I'm imagining it's got some sort of calorie
burn.

Fitday grossly over-estimates the amount of calories burned without
exercise. When you set up your account with fitday, they ask if you are
sedentary, active, etc. Then it gives you the number of calories you
supposedly need just to breath each day. I had to put sedentary, because
when I entered active, the maintenance calories would have had me gaining
over a lb a week!

I only list activities that burn a significant amount of calories - cardio,
weights, skiing, biking, etc. I wouldn't even bother with things like
stretching, unless you want to track how much/often you are doing this.
What could end up happening is fitday will tell you you're burning X number
of calories, but really it's much less and you could wind up gaining rather
than losing.

det

"myrrha" wrote in message
.. .
I'd gather a guess - a little more than sitting for 20mins, but less
than walking for 20mins.

Based on www.caloriesperhour.com and my stats:

Stretching - 51cals for 20 mins
Sitting watching TV = 20 cals
Sitting doing moderate work = 51 cals
Standing doing light work = 47 cals
Walking at 2 mph (light walk/stroll) = 51 cals

So - based on that - the calculations for stretching are similar to:
Sitting doing moderate work, standing doing light work, or walking at
2mph (a slow pace)

wow, that kind of sucks. I tend to do stretching more often than weight
training because of how it makes me feel. I feel much more energetic and
ready to face the world all nice and limber. I'm not going to stop doing
it, not even going to lessen the number of times I do it, but it is a bit
of
an eye opener.

The things that burn lots of calories are the things that 1. make you breath
hard/elevate heart rate 2. are resistance based. That means cardio and
weights. I've never done any kind of stretching that elevated my heart
rate...

The benefits of lifting weights are worth mentioning... When you are in a
calorie deficit, you lose a certain amount of muscle along with the fat. If
you do resistance training, you will lose less muscle, maybe even maintain
or increase it. Muscle requires something like 35-50 cal per lb to maintain
each day, whereas fat requires only 5... So you can see how increasing
muscle mass by even 5 lbs will increase your basal metabolic rate (resting
metabolism) by as much as 200-250 calories. So not only do you get to count
the calories burned during weight lifting, but the increased metabolism as a
result.

det

In article , "myrrha"
wrote:

Snip
So - based on that - the calculations for stretching are similar to:
Sitting doing moderate work, standing doing light work, or walking at
2mph (a slow pace)

wow, that kind of sucks. I tend to do stretching more often than weight
training because of how it makes me feel. I feel much more energetic and
ready to face the world all nice and limber. I'm not going to stop doing
it, not even going to lessen the number of times I do it, but it is a bit
of
an eye opener.
Snip
myrrha
190-130

Yes! Keep stretching! Don't worry about whether or not your burning
"enough" calories. You're keeping yourself limber and flexible and ready
for whatever comes along. I incorporate a lot of stretching into my
weight lifting routine--after the weights, before the cardio, after the
cardio. And I started doing pilates, where flexibility is a must. Can't
event begin to how I would feel if I didn't spend so much time on
stretching.

I use the activity feature on Fitday as a tool to track exercise, not to
track calories burned. It's my calorie savings account, and I'm not
allowed to make any early withdrawls...

Amy

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 12:54:38 -0700, "determined"
wrote:

So you can see how increasing
muscle mass by even 5 lbs will increase your basal metabolic rate (resting
metabolism) by as much as 200-250 calories. So not only do you get to count
the calories burned during weight lifting, but the increased metabolism as a
result.

Pure unadulterated pseudo science form someone who can't even keep on
her own exercise program.

Toss this advice in the sewer where it belongs.

Lift well, Eat less, Walk fast, Live long.

I've got the exercise beginning to be worked in, so far 3 out of 4 days I've
done some sort of cardio type exercise, walk bike. Now trying to fit in the
toning exercises. I went to fitday.com, and love the site, and am at the
moment religiously putting in all my food and activities. One question I
have is, anyone have any idea how many calories are burned during
stretching? I spend about 20 mintues on stretching generally whether I do
toning exercises or not. I find I need it to keep things from getting too
tight and painful.

Only numbers I can find are for yoga, and I don't do that, just my own
version of stretching, with some neuromuscular proprioception work
(contract, relax, stretch), so I'm imagining it's got some sort of calorie
burn.

myrrha
190/130

--
You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because
thorns have roses.
Ziggy



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On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 14:52:25 -0700, "myrrha"
wrote:

wow, that kind of sucks. I tend to do stretching more often than weight
training because of how it makes me feel. I feel much more energetic and
ready to face the world all nice and limber. I'm not going to stop doing
it, not even going to lessen the number of times I do it, but it is a bit of
an eye opener.

by the way, that's a wonderful website, I've been having a hard time finding
some good free websites, and that is deffinately going on my bookmark list.


Don't obsess over calories ... It sounds like you are trying to
calculate every exact calorie. That isn't going to work.

Remember - these calorie consumptions and calorie expenditures are
based on formulas taken from "averages"... At best they are
guestimates. Your individual results WILL vary. That's not even a
question.

Consider stretching to be nothing more than sitting on the couch.
That's about all you are doing anyway.

That being said - its a long time coming, I've been meaning to post an
editorial post on the essance of stretching. Stretching is
WONDERFUL. I was reading a book not too long ago, about dog
training. One comment in the book was that we humans could learn a
lesson or two from our wonderful canine compainions. STRETCH and
stretch often. Ever notice how a dog will stretch just about every
time it stands up or before it goes for a walk. I think about this
statement every morning when I walk my dog. I put on her leash, she
sits nicely and waits. I open the door and step out, she steps out
the door and then she stops to stretch both front and back legs and
her back before we proceed with the walk. Its routine. And there is
no thought involved.

With my backpain I feel - I do the same now too. I get up and stretch
often, manytimes without putting prior thought into what I'm doing.
Heck, I could be in the middle of a meeting w/ my boss or with a
client and I'll stretch. Its habit.

Bottom line - continue stretching, but stop obsessing over every
single calorie there is. You won't get it down to an exact number.
ANd even if you did -your body will have its own way of doing things
which would scew the formula anyway.

I'd gather a guess - a little more than sitting for 20mins, but less
than walking for 20mins.

Based on www.caloriesperhour.com and my stats:

Stretching - 51cals for 20 mins
Sitting watching TV = 20 cals
Sitting doing moderate work = 51 cals
Standing doing light work = 47 cals
Walking at 2 mph (light walk/stroll) = 51 cals

So - based on that - the calculations for stretching are similar to:
Sitting doing moderate work, standing doing light work, or walking at
2mph (a slow pace)

wow, that kind of sucks. I tend to do stretching more often than weight
training because of how it makes me feel. I feel much more energetic and
ready to face the world all nice and limber. I'm not going to stop doing
it, not even going to lessen the number of times I do it, but it is a bit of
an eye opener.

by the way, that's a wonderful website, I've been having a hard time finding
some good free websites, and that is deffinately going on my bookmark list.

myrrha
190-130


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