Shoveling

[Mike]

How many calories can you burn when you shovel? Is this a good workout? I'm hoping it is because a lot of snow has already fallen where I live and we're going to be getting more soon...This is going to be a long winter...

[madscientist]

I think you do but a lot of calories. If you've engaged in a half hour of intense shoveling and your're 185 pounds you'll burn about 266 calories, which is pretty awesome. The number of calories burned increases the more you weigh and reduces the less you weight. That said, do be careful. Shoveling may be an awesome way to get exercise but it's also an easy way to injure yourself because most of us aren't in super-shape and snow is heavy and involves a lot of lifting and twisting.

[Maggie]

Wow! I had no idea you could lose so many calories with only 30 minutes of shoveling. That said, you're not kidding about possible injuring yourself! In previous years I've hurt my back, my arm and my ankle from lifting heaving snow. It's so true that you don't really know how out of shape you are until you do something like shoveling.

[1000kw]

Yah you can totally break a sweat shoveling but be REALLY careful! People get really hurt all the time from over-doing it with shoveling. Take your time, bend with your legs (not your back) and pace yourself, even if that means doing half your driveway and taking a break.

[treehuggertodd]

Agreed you can burn a lot of calories when you shovel but it is important to take it easy. This isn't only for your back, shoulders and ankles, which are the ares of your body that are most likely to get injured, but also for your heart. I've heard one too many stories of people who are overweight and out of shape going too hard with the shoveling and overdoing it with their blood pressure. Never push yourself, no matter how much something needs to be done. Get help if you need to. There are plenty of other ways that you can exercise.

[char]

I think you do but a lot of calories. If you've engaged in a half hour of intense shoveling and your're 185 pounds you'll burn about 266 calories, which is pretty awesome. The number of calories burned increases the more you weigh and reduces the less you weight. That said, do be careful. Shoveling may be an awesome way to get exercise but it's also an easy way to injure yourself because most of us aren't in super-shape and snow is heavy and involves a lot of lifting and twisting.

Wow! That's way more calories burned than I would have guessed! I won't feel so bad the next time we're hit with a large snowfall LOL

[Mike]

Wow! That's way more calories burned than I would have guessed! I won't feel so bad the next time we're hit with a large snowfall LOL

LOL me neither. Thanks for enlightening us madscientist!