Housework as an activity

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  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    It depends on your activity level. You can log any activity which is more intense than your normal activity level.

    You've said yours is sedentary. Therefore, your "normal activity" is sitting on the couch or at a desk, and maybe walking back and forth to the kitchen, folding laundry, and taking out the garbage. You drive to work, or take the bus but the stop is less than a 10 minute walk away. Don't log any of that stuff. BUT: a 2 hr leisurely Sunday walk? Log it. An hour of vigorous cleaning? Log it. An hour of gardening? Log it.

    If you had set your activity to "lightly active" (activity level of a mom with toddlers or a classroom teacher), I'd say you don't get to log any of that as exercise, because it is *already part* of your daily activity, so you'd be double-counting.

    I tend to eat back about 50% of exercise calories, and using this method I am losing over a pound a week.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    funchords wrote: »
    If you classified your activity as "sedentary," then your calorie goal was calculated without expecting any activity save being awake and minimal movement. You clearly should include housework in your log in that case.

    If you classified your activity as "lightly active," then it's more of an iffy area. Some activity is factored into your TDEE because you're a bit more naturally busy. To be on the safe side, I probably wouldn't add housework or other non-fitness activities if you're in as "lightly active."

    Exactly. Like the 'farm work' comments above. A farmer would classify themselves as 'active' and would therefore not separately log any farm activities because it's already built in.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    stevew_68 wrote: »
    Someone told me how to work out the calories burned doing housework. I don't do any proper exercise so the housework takes it out of me physically.
    Tonight I went mad with our new steam cleaner for about 1.5 hours. Was knackered after it.

    Any advice is welcome. I know some people dont log housework, and some do. I think its one of those grey areas. How do I work out the cals burned on activity. Housework wasnt listed there.

    You can't be serious.

    It's obviously 100 calories per 10 minutes.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    KatieHall77 wrote: »
    It becomes more important when you are trying to maintain. If you keep loosing faster than your goal, or if you dip below the goal, then you may want to adjust.
    As a farmer, I disagree with the person who stated that the only real workout you can get only happens with a gym membership. Come and carry bales of hay into my barn with me anytime. No charge.

    LOL, someone always comes up with this funny little argument.

    That's already accounted for in your daily activity level. I wouldn't double track it. rofl.
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