Shoveling combines lifting, twisting and carrying, often in the cold, so it is rated as moderate to vigorous activity. Heavy, wet snow and throwing it over a bank push the effort toward the vigorous end. A walk-behind snow blower takes far less effort.
Shoveling is hard on the heart
The American Heart Association warns that snow shoveling can trigger heart attacks. In one study, people's heart rates passed 85% of their maximum within two minutes of shoveling, and cold air raises blood pressure and narrows the arteries that feed the heart. Hundreds of people in the U.S. die during or just after snow removal each year.
The risk is highest for people who are usually inactive or who have heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity or a history of smoking. The AHA says people who have had bypass surgery or angioplasty should not shovel snow at all.
Shovel more safely
- Push the snow rather than lifting and throwing it.
- Take short breaks, and clear deep snow in layers.
- Use a snow blower if you can; it lowers the strain on your heart.
- Stop right away if you feel chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, or a racing or irregular heartbeat. Call 911 if symptoms don't go away soon after you stop.
Total vs net calories
Your body burns calories all day just to keep running, roughly 1 MET. The total figure includes those calories. The net figure subtracts them, leaving only the extra energy the activity cost. Net is the more honest number if you are thinking about how much a workout adds to a calorie deficit.
Don't count the same calories twice
If you set a calorie target with our TDEE calculator and chose an activity level that includes your usual workouts, those workouts are already in your target. Adding exercise calories on top would count them twice. Use these numbers for workouts beyond your normal routine, or to compare activities.
How accurate is this?
MET values are averages measured in groups of adults aged 19 to 59. Your real burn can differ by 10 to 20% or more because of fitness, technique, body composition and how hard you actually worked. Adults over 60 often burn somewhat less than these estimates; a separate Compendium for older adults exists for that reason. Treat the result as a solid estimate rather than an exact count. Fitness trackers are no more precise; see how accurate fitness trackers are for calories.
Questions people ask
How many calories does shoveling snow burn?
For a 155 lb person, 30 minutes of shoveling snow by hand burns about 196 to 277 calories in total, depending on effort. An hour of general shoveling is about 443.
Is shoveling snow a good workout?
It uses your legs, back, shoulders and arms and gets your heart rate up quickly. But it is not a good way to start exercising if you are normally inactive, because the sudden strain in cold weather can trigger a heart attack. If you don't usually exercise, use a snow blower or ask for help.
Does a snow blower burn calories?
Yes, but far fewer. Walking behind a snow blower is rated about 2.5 METs, about 92 calories in 30 minutes for a 155 lb person, compared with 221 for shoveling by hand.
Sources
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2024;13(1):6–12. pacompendium.com