What would you guess metal detecting burns, calorie wise?

[mr helton]

I've been dieting for the last few months and went from 200-165 since Memorial Day, but with the detecting season coming to an end soon in Michigan, I'll be missing a big chunk of my calorie burning I think.

Any thoughts?

 

[DonDigger]

While any outdoor activity is a good thing, I doubt that the slow pace required for swinging a detector, or the kneeling down to dig targets, played a significant roll in your weight loss. Just not that strenuous of exercise. Sounds to me like your diet and will power played the biggest roll. Even in the dead of winter you should be able to find some time to bundle up and go for a walk and get the same benefits. Down here in the south, with the heat, humidity, weeds, and skeeters, it is just now starting to get into detecting weather! Maybe you could just move south for the next six months.

 

[mr helton]

I want nothing more than to detect in some of the awesome southern sites out there :P

 

[Igyjastabay]

It burns calories, especially when hunting the woods with all the ducking and diving etc. if your swinging a minelab you will develop one Popeye arm that looks ridiculous.

 

[OWK]

If I'm digging nickle signals and hoping for gold it burns about twice as many calories as when I'm cherry-picking a park.

And if I'm squeezing my way into a vine-choked woods that is rumored to be colonial to jam my coil into the last foot of accessible space (while promising myself I'm coming back with a chain saw) then it burns about twice as many calories as when I digging nickle signals.

 

[RiverRat]

Hey...ANY walking/moving is better than none....sometimes I carry a pedometer on my hunts, and am amazed at how many steps I actually take...even from car to field/hunt site, etc....plus, I'm almost 70 and have arthritis and I'm absolutely positive that the constant bending and movement of detecting is quite helpful in keeping my limbs/joints more limber and strong...whether it helped you lose weight, I couldn't tell you...but I think it's obvious you have to replace it in the winter...

 

[Coin Digger]

For me it's not about calories burned, it's about getting out of the chair and not consuming calories.

 

[RustyGold]

200 - 500 calories is my guess. In the winter I would knock off at least 500 calories per day from your daily
calorie intake! Depending on your activity level!

 

[Darrow]

Way to go on the weightloss. Really is a great, healthy hobby.

 

[cudamark]

It will depend on where you hunt, how many targets you dig, temperature, humidity, and how long you hunt. When I walk miles in dry sand at the beach and then climb several hundred feet up the cliff to the car, I KNOW I've burned some serious calories!

 

[SouthFLdigger]

150-250 calories for the average 180 lbs person for 4 hours. I bike ride 4 times a week 25 miles. After 25 miles i only burn 900 calories I'm 5,11, metal detecting is a very leisure non aerobic activity even when digging heavy. Exception to this is the water hunters! Its still much better than sitting at home watching TV. Congrats on the weight loss!

 

[Igyjastabay]

150-250 calories for the average 180 lbs person for 4 hours. I bike ride 4 times a week 25 miles. After 25 miles i only burn 900 calories I'm 5,11, metal detecting is a very leisure non aerobic activity even when digging heavy. Exception to this is the water hunters! Its still much better than sitting at home watching TV. Congrats on the weight loss!

Hey, I ride too. I road bike maybe 100 miles a week. Been at it for about 8 years or so. I really enjoy it and it is a great way to burn calories. With riding it all depends on how you maintain your speed, vigorous exercise is considered 15 mph or higher at a constant and this will burn 50 calories per mile. When I ride, I'll do 20 miles at 18 mph. IM burning a 1000 calories or more because I weigh 200lbs

 

[SouthFLdigger]

Hey, I ride too. I road bike maybe 100 miles a week. Been at it for about 8 years or so. I really enjoy it and it is a great way to burn calories. With riding it all depends on how you maintain your speed, vigorous exercise is considered 15 mph or higher at a constant and this will burn 50 calories per mile. When I ride, I'll do 20 miles at 18 mph. IM burning a 1000 calories or more because I weigh 200lbs

I average 20 MPH cyclocross bike, continentals slick, 80 plus RPM cadence. Best cardio exercise ever, fun and exciting! No impact on the knees, i still love my metal detecting but its not much exercise

 

[Silver Worm]

Sometimes it's not just the calories you burn but also the calories you are not taking in, sitting on the couch eating chips and dip.

 

[cudamark]

I average 20 MPH cyclocross bike, continentals slick, 80 plus RPM cadence. Best cardio exercise ever, fun and exciting! No impact on the knees, i still love my metal detecting but its not much exercise

Good cardio workout? Sure, until some idiot in a Beamer runs you over! With all the texting and other distractions people have while driving, it's not safe to ride on the streets any more.

 

[Sharpshovel]

Your detector swinging arm will get a workout if you hunt often that's for sure

 

[mr helton]

Your detector swinging arm will get a workout if you hunt often that's for sure

 

[SouthFLdigger]

Good cardio workout? Sure, until some idiot in a Beamer runs you over! With all the texting and other distractions people have while driving, it's not safe to ride on the streets any more.

ride in an area with an insulated bike path that's over 5 miles long encircling my community. I do 5 full laps, cars are the least of my concerns

 

[mr helton]

ride in an area with an insulated bike path that's over 5 miles long encircling my community. I do 5 full laps, cars are the least of my concerns

Well now I'm jealous. I hadn't mentioned it yet, but I do a lot of road bicycling too, but we don't have any good places to ride that aren't on the road, at least not right near me.