Vacuuming

We should be able to calculate calories burned doing light housework.

Replies

  • sweetzoejane
    sweetzoejane Posts: 153 Member
    No, we shouldn't, but it exists in the database.

    Search for, "Cleaning, light, moderate effort."

    I recommend you include housework in your activity level and not count it as separate exercise.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    No, we shouldn't, but it exists in the database.

    Search for, "Cleaning, light, moderate effort."

    I recommend you include housework in your activity level and not count it as separate exercise.

    What she said.
  • Lifting_Knitter
    Lifting_Knitter Posts: 1,025
    No, we shouldn't, but it exists in the database.

    Search for, "Cleaning, light, moderate effort."

    I recommend you include housework in your activity level and not count it as separate exercise.

    What she said.

    Agreed.
  • skrakalaka
    skrakalaka Posts: 338 Member
    At least vacuuming is somewhat active. What I don't get is "food preparation".
  • MSam1205
    MSam1205 Posts: 439 Member
    The way I have to vacuum with a dog and long haired cat, it is most definitely a calorie burner!
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    ^^^ And this is why I dislike FitBit and the like. I think a lot of people are counting their "activity" twice and then wondering why they aren't losing weight.

    Mindset:
    "burn as many calories a day as I can"

    ---fails when compared to---

    "do as little dieting and exercise as is necessary to lose at the [realistic] rate I would like."
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    No, we shouldn't, but it exists in the database.

    Search for, "Cleaning, light, moderate effort."

    I recommend you include housework in your activity level and not count it as separate exercise.

    What she said.

    Agreed.

    Exactly!!
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    ^^^ And this is why I dislike FitBit and the like. I think a lot of people are counting their "activity" twice and then wondering why they aren't losing weight.

    Mindset:
    "burn as many calories a day as I can"

    ---fails when compared to---

    "do as little dieting and exercise as is necessary to lose at the [realistic] rate I would like."


    Absolutely!!!
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    The way I have to vacuum with a dog and long haired cat, it is most definitely a calorie burner!

    teehee. Seriously. Vacuuming cat hair off the couch is a chore.

    That said, I do not actually count vacuuming and most housework towards my exercise, I just consider it a nice bonus. :)
  • pet1127
    pet1127 Posts: 572 Member
    I got fat while doing house work so no I don't count it



    I have a fitbit :grumble:
    and I don't double dip with my exercise burn :tongue:
    I let the fitbit do its thing and I don't log exercise on mfp or fitbit
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    At least vacuuming is somewhat active. What I don't get is "food preparation".

    You can really add those calories?!


    I dont count day to day activities, eveno ones thatwork up a swaet (like scrubbing floors on my hands and knees). I do count occasional and highly active chores like cleaning outthe garage.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    At least vacuuming is somewhat active. What I don't get is "food preparation".

    You can really add those calories?!


    I dont count day to day activities, eveno ones thatwork up a swaet (like scrubbing floors on my hands and knees). I do count occasional and highly active chores like cleaning outthe garage.

    If you know that you're about to do some abnormally difficult cleaning and your heart rate will be up, maybe put on a heart rate monitor to see about how much you burn. I only do this for serious spring cleaning that requires strength and makes me sweat.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    how about we just go with no ....

    This should just be build into your daily activity ..

    I don't log every time I take the trash out ...
  • I got fat while doing house work so no I don't count it



    I have a fitbit :grumble:
    and I don't double dip with my exercise burn :tongue:
    I let the fitbit do its thing and I don't log exercise on mfp or fitbit


    This exactly! I have a Jawbone Up. I have MFP set at sed
  • I got fat while doing house work so no I don't count it



    I have a fitbit :grumble:
    and I don't double dip with my exercise burn :tongue:
    I let the fitbit do its thing and I don't log exercise on mfp or fitbit

    This exactly! I have a Jawbone UP. My MFP is set at sedentary, and I do not log any exercise. I just let UP synce with MFP and they figure it all out, and let me know how many calories I need to eat. I would never think of logging housework as exercise anyway. It's just bonus calories burned.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    At least vacuuming is somewhat active. What I don't get is "food preparation".

    You can really add those calories?!


    I dont count day to day activities, eveno ones thatwork up a swaet (like scrubbing floors on my hands and knees). I do count occasional and highly active chores like cleaning outthe garage.

    If you know that you're about to do some abnormally difficult cleaning and your heart rate will be up, maybe put on a heart rate monitor to see about how much you burn. I only do this for serious spring cleaning that requires strength and makes me sweat.

    Thats what I do. Day to day activity calories are just part of my daily burn...I dont count them (I think its rediculous to log light cleaning and food prep calories).
  • dancingj2
    dancingj2 Posts: 4,572 Member
    I set my activity level to sedentary and count all of my food and any significant activities. If I am tidying up a bit or just vacuum one room, I do not think that counts. If I clean and vacuum the whole house (which does not happen very often) I include that as exercise.

    As for food prep, making lunch is not a work out. Making Thanksgiving diner is.
  • I agree that if you want to track accurately then you should count the vacuuming as an exercise. I don't understand or why they don't have playing with kids. If I am outside playing with my daughters running around the yard and kicking a ball or whatever they want to do. There is nothing for me to put in there for that. Anyone with kids should know that if you are playing with kids out in the yard. That is exercise.
  • Wendysueelliott
    Wendysueelliott Posts: 9 Member
    I agree, they need a few more options for us to choose from.