Housework as exercise

Misslove36

Do you class housework as exercise?
If so do you track it?

tiptoethruthetulips

No, I don't get my heart rate up nor do I work up a sweat. For me, its just incidental activity.

libbydoodle11

I don't track housework.

ljones27uk

no i dont.. and I dont log fidgeting either, which I have seen some people recording big calorie burn for... only kidding themselves

DaveTimeKeeper

I track housework, in the cardio section there is cleaning vigorous effort and light effort.
I work on a farm and keeping house for my elderly grandparents and my own home next door to them.
on an average day I have 6 hours of active cleaning and 3 hours of less active work and cooking meals.

shadow2soul

No, I don't consider it exercise (for me). However, context is important here. I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment.
It is tracked however. I did wear a fitbit and currently wearing a VivoFit. So in a way, they track it, but generally it only increases my daily activity a little bit. I might get 30 extra calories on a day I did housework and didn't exercise/do much else. So if, I wasn't wearing the activity tracker, it wouldn't be tracked or logged.

Azexas

I don't consider it exercise because it's doesn't get my heart rate up. I count the steps on my fitbit but thats about it.

malibu927

No. That's already included in your calorie goal.

UnicornAmanda

Nope i dont track it. Mfp often overestimates on the calorie burn on certain activities. For some people i imagine it is a real work out depending on how much vigorous cleaning but i dont track it because i don't think it matters much in my case. I do wear a fitbit though and i have higher step counts days where i spend a few hours cleaning. But i wouldnt track it outside of just keeping my fitbit on.

fat2strongbeth

I count it when it's above and beyond my normal housework.

sexymonicat

Its only exercise in the summer when you dont have an air conditioner lol .

sexymonicat

But someone logged an hr n a half of house work and MFP said 720 calories were burned which I found very hard to believe because I would burn that much on the elliptical machine for that long if I was at a fast pace and had some resistance up and I cannot imagine picking up clothes and sanitizing some countertops would burn the same amount of calories.

theskinnyonme

thats some hard scrubbing ^^^

yogaveg

i only consider my exercise to be my planned physical activity like a hike, going running, practicing yoga, rock climbing, etc. plus it seems like the calculation for cleaning is way too high! my phone adds some calories if i walk more so i just use that

lessismoreohio

Yes and yes

sijomial

I'm married - what is housework?

DawnieB1977

I don't log housework, it's just part of my daily life! As is running round after my kids, which I don't log either. I've just got a Fitbit so I'll probably easily get my 10,000 steps a day, but I won't log anything except proper exercise.

lishie_rebooted

DaveTimeKeeper wrote: »

I track housework, in the cardio section there is cleaning vigorous effort and light effort.
I work on a farm and keeping house for my elderly grandparents and my own home next door to them.
on an average day I have 6 hours of active cleaning and 3 hours of less active work and cooking meals.

It should be included in your daily activity level since its a daily thing for you

rosebette

I haven't in the past, or just logged the steps I walked doing housework, just as a regular walk. Then, I got a HRM, and I was surprised how many calories I was burning. I have a two-story house and was doing laundry, so carrying baskets up and down the stairs, etc., plus did some post-Christmas clean-up, picking stuff up and putting things away. I was surprised that it burned a couple of hundred calories and that my heart rate was often over 100. If everything were all on one floor, I guess it would be a different story. I know when I've gone to stay at my mom's when everything is all on one floor, I don't think I did a 1000 steps in one day.

miriams76

No. I don't think it's good exercise unless you're doing some seriously hard labour (eg farm work, building etc). I don't understand logging activities like vacuuming.

ErinK09

I do if I'm really busting my butt.
Like hand mopping floors, washing walls and baseboards. But I don't do that too often.

ErinK09

I track it under vigorous cleaning. And I don't eat back those calories.

lindagrimm904

Yes, I certainly do count house work as part of my exercise! My Son has a dog that sheds. You have to sweep everyday in my Son's home. I haven't swept all weekend, tomorrow I'm going to have a lot to do! I hope everyone has a blessed evening! lyl!

editorgrrl

All work (including housework, yard work and child care) is part of your activity level—not exercise.

Work = activity level. Workouts = exercise.

mykaylis

sijomial wrote: »

I'm married - what is housework?

them's fightin' words, boy

arditarose

I was overweight when I cleaned too, so no.

maryseb63

I only track outside work that takes up extra time like shovelling snow and lawn mowing.

cliffodom1

Like a friend of mine said if you don't have a maid then you is a maid.

hismuse

Ok I was wondering if I should include the housework I do but this clarifies it for me. Thank you. I want to make sure my myfitpal is as accurate as possible.