Aug 24, 2026
How Many Calories Does Heavy Gardening / Digging Burn?
Heavy gardening burns about 175 kcal in 30 minutes at 70 kg (MET ≈ 5). Tables by weight/duration, intensity caveats, and how IGNITE AI keeps food honest after the session.
Digging and hauling soil is not light weeding. Tool choice and continuous shoveling set the cost.
Working MET ≈ 5 (digging, hauling, vigorous yard work). At 70 kg that is ~175 kcal / 30 min. Scale for bodyweight; long rests lower the real total.
Calorie table
Estimated calories for Heavy gardening (MET ≈ 5):
55 kg: 15 min: ~69 · 30 min: ~138 · 45 min: ~206 · 60 min: ~275
70 kg: 15 min: ~88 · 30 min: ~175 · 45 min: ~263 · 60 min: ~350
85 kg: 15 min: ~106 · 30 min: ~213 · 45 min: ~319 · 60 min: ~425
Continuous effort only.
Where IGNITE AI fits
Yard work plus unlogged snacks is peak weekend fiction. IGNITE AI keeps chores and grazing in the same honesty system.
Bottom line
Use ~175 kcal / 30 min at 70 kg as a starting point for heavy gardening, then trust weekly food averages more than any single board.