How many 'exercise' calories a day do you NOT log?

Lysander666

I notice a lot of people here logging things like "walking up stairs", "falling over" and "thinking". Some people really will log anything to make themselves feel better. But how many calories do you NOT log?

Through work and walking to the station and back etc etc I use about 200 cals a day. I also do a 30 min abs workout every day and strength training every 2-3 days, none of which I log. I only log cardio. So that means there's about 300+ cals a day I don't log.

Anyone else work similarly?

fat2strongbeth

I only log my workouts and activity not part of my daily routine. I don't log my walking that is my commute or all the stairs I walk up!

chasecohen

Don't log any of the following:

* My weight sessions (3 times a week)
* Walks if they are under 2 miles
* Ab workouts

If you set your activity level right, you shouldn't have to log the small things I don't log weights as there's no really consistent way to tell how much I'm burning.

danglewtf

I only log conscious efforts to exercise. Things like walking the 3 km round trip to pick up schoolies when possible, c25k, treadmill, and circuit training. All the other stuff I would assume is part of my "lightly active" activity profile.

Lysander666

I only log conscious efforts to exercise. Things like walking the 3 km round trip to pick up schoolies when possible, c25k, treadmill, and circuit training. All the other stuff I would assume is part of my "lightly active" activity profile.

I have mine set to 'sedentary' because I eat calories back.

_Zardoz_

Does it really matter what people log? As long as they are happy with what they are logging and it's working for them who really cares.

Achrya

I don't log any of it/eat any back. I eat 1700 calories a day, give or take, and let the rest fall where it may.

Alwayssohungry

Seems to be a common theme - I only log my 'additional' cardio. I am trying to change my way of life so I don't log the things I want to keep in my everyday life. I also sync my fitbit at bedtime so I don't mistakenly eat all those back. I do log my abs only so I can remember what I did and make sure what day I am on in my 30-day crunch challenge.

Lysander666

Does it really matter what people log? As long as they are happy with what they are logging and it's working for them who really cares.

I didn't start this topic to criticise other peoples' methods, purely to observe how different people work. It's you that's assumed an issue with it.

pennydreadful270

I used to get the bus to work every day, started walking and starting logging it (2 miles each way). Maybe I should stop now... but when the winter comes around I will probably bus again. Hard to know.

learnerdriver

I've allowed for exercise in my daily allowance, so I don't really log extra cardio.

I amend calories downwards so 100 cals=1. I assess net calories and time spent on cardio per week.

BreakingUpWithObesity2013

I only log my actual workouts...I hate when people log saying they burned 1078 calories "preparing dinner" Did you have to go out and catch/kill everything you made for dinner? Sheesh!

Sailfindragon

I only log my workouts, long walks, treadmill, biking etc. Do not log everyday activities.

kitticus15

I log the stuff I never did before I made the decision to be healthier until it becomes normal... i.e walking to and from supermarket ( as I used to catch bus there and taxi back) some cooking not all as now I am making from scratch and its those meals that I log( before I ate a lot of pre-made foods) I don't log all exercise as if I don't feel like I worked hard it don't go on here

paulperryman

I only log my intentional exercise, just the gym or maybe going for a walk. I could log my job at last check 4kilo's ago which burns somewhere in the vacinity of 4500 calories on an average 9 hour nonstop day as a Storeman/Forklift Driver according to my Heart Rate Monitor i wore a few times, but i don't and it doesn't seem to make any difference anyway or if it does it's miniscule.

JanetP124

Fitbit logs for me, so I really don't consciously log anything.

I've been doing some at home resistance training and I don't log it. I probably should - not for the calorie tracking but to keep a record.

NJD2885

I only log my actual workouts and i don't eat back exercise calories

johannypoo

I pretty much just log cardio. I don't log daily activities, or strength training.

barbaratrollman

I only log conscious efforts to exercise. Things like walking the 3 km round trip to pick up schoolies when possible, c25k, treadmill, and circuit training. All the other stuff I would assume is part of my "lightly active" activity profile.

I have mine set to 'sedentary' because I eat calories back.

Me too!
I keep mine set for "Sedentary" as well, because I don't have consistency in my regular (non-intentional exercise) activities. I then log extra strenuous efforts, such as big job cleaning tasks or gardening/yard work tasks. I don't add normal, everyday cleaning and chores, like washing dishes, making my bed, etc...

This has been really working for me since the start, since I'm losing about a pound every 5 days or so. If your activity setting is "Sedentary", that setting assumes sitting much of the day. If my job requirement, on any given day, is that I must drive a long distance, or that I must do a load of computer work, I may indeed be sitting most of a day.
However, if I am unloading/loading boxes, assembling tech products or furniture, etc...I am burning a lot of extra calories. I sure in the heck am going to log those and eat many of them back.

I think it is funny that so many people, in this community, seem bothered by folks adding their work tasks, "not specifically exercise" efforts to their exercise diary. I am unconcerned about how my fellow MFP members work toward their goals, as long as their method is working for them...more power to them! If they are active and burning calories, why should those not be documented and accounted for in their diaries? If they consistently lose weight using this method, what's it to anybody else?

brevislux

I don't log walking unless I walked for at least an hour nonstop. I don't log short dance practice I often do at home (less than 30 minutes won't get logged and I can't log every time I hop around a bit). I don't log cleaning or cooking. And of course I don't log sex because that's just gross. Any daily activity basically...

astrovivi

I don't log exercise calories. The methods used by any and all of the gadgets are simply too way off to bother.
It also takes extra time to do and expense for said gadgets.

for me, not worth it. I'm very active so account for that in an average way to work out my TDEE, which ends up amounting to about the same thing but with less effort.

I can then test that TDEE over a few weeks and can use that as a base from then on.
Done once and just log macros from then on.

mcibty

Hmm, I log my walk to/from work, because it's a 20 minute up-hill walk (obviously downhill on the way home). It's not like it's 5 minutes round the corner. Having said that, as I do it 5 days a week, I do sometimes feel like I shouldn't bother.

I do log a hefty cleaning session at home, if it's 30-60 minutes of 'vigorous' - but then I'll log it as 'gentle' so I don't kid myself into thinking I've done more than I have.

I also often downplay the workouts for the same reason.

I go to the bathroom a lot during the day, but I wouldn't want to log the 5 calories I burn walking to/from! I go outside to buy lunch too, so I guess that's another 5. I also take the stairs, there's another 2...

I guess if it's not something I do every day (hence thinking of not bothering with logging my daily walk), then I'll log it if I feel it's a genuine burn.

SutapaMukherji

I only log my workouts and activity, not part of my daily routine. I don't log my walking that is my commute or all the stairs I walk up!

This

juliegrey1

I would always log my bicycle rides although its almost part of my daily routine I have to cycle 6 miles with 2 of them steadily uphill to get to town if I need anything the hill on the way back is even worse and Im gradually working on cycling up the whole lot but even for competitive cyclists its a difficult one and Im not in that brackett,I always burn 800-900 cals on that ride,but to be fair I do not log walking around the town into the shops I pause my FT4 until Im back on the road again!
I did log cutting the grass last 2 days for example one side of my garden took over 2 hours to cut and the grass box on the mower had to be emptied 8 times so to be honest it was a fair workout!

zyxst

Does it really matter what people log? As long as they are happy with what they are logging and it's working for them who really cares.

I didn't start this topic to criticise other peoples' methods, purely to observe how different people work. It's you that's assumed an issue with it.

Considering the second sentence in your OP:

Some people really will log anything to make themselves feel better.

That reads as pretty critical to me.

Since you don't care so much, I don't log any exercise.

amy1612

I notice a lot of people here logging things like "walking up stairs", "falling over" and "thinking". Some people really will log anything to make themselves feel better. But how many calories do you NOT log?

I work at a light TDEE deficit, so dont log anything. I just eat for my activity level.

I have to say though since you mentioned 'thinking' lol.....I am currently writing my doctoral thesis and definitely finding I'm hungrier/more mentally exhausted these days.

freemystery

I walk to work and back, a round trip of just over an hour so I log that because hey, it's an hour of extra work you're doing in a day so it seems worthwhile.

I do feel the calorie burns are little generous on MFP so I do not log flights of stairs... I live in a 4th floor walk up and work on the 5th floor. I don't log my lunchtime walks or where I take a longer route home to buy groceries on the way. I don't log the walking about I do during the day...c alories burned setting 50 tables for a conference or reorganizing office furniture for half a day... nope I don't log those. Honestly, who has the time?

I figure it balances itself out.

JessicaJoanJarvis

Does it really matter what people log? As long as they are happy with what they are logging and it's working for them who really cares.

I agree, I sometimes log washing dishes, because I've made the concious effort to do that instead of loading the dishwasher. Or I'll log general tidying if I've done the housework for my mum. My profile is set to sedentary.

Annerk1

I don't log walking the dogs, doing light housework, or pretty much anything except my actual runs, yoga classes, and heavy housework--cleaning carpets, scrubbing floors, etc. I don't log strength training, although I do note it in the exercise notes just to have a record of what I did on which days.

danimalkeys

I log my lifting and cardio sessions, but only count 1 calorie burned, as I have my calorie goal set to accommodate those workouts.

I'll log more normal stuff like walking if I'm out walking around all day- last weekend we were in the mountains and did some hiking to see waterfalls, I logged that, but again, only counted 1 calorie. Things around home, like gardening, cleaning, cooking, I don't log, but if I'm splitting wood with an axe for an hour, I'll log that with 1 calorie.

ShubhaBansal

I log everything as it keeps me active. It helps me taking stairs then escalators. I feel i have become more active and my energy level has increased as i make choices better.