Legit question. Housework....exercise or no?
Replies
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I wouldn't necessarily log the extra housework, but I would maybe do it if you're hungrier on those days and want to eat more. Here's just a little note about housework from my perspective:
When I joined MFP I set my activity level to "sedentary" because I'm a SAHM and spend a good amount of time on the computer. What I have found since - via Fitbit and Body Media Fit - is that my NEAT burn on most days is at least 800 calories. So on days I don't exercise I burn about 2300+ calories (BMR is 1500). And honestly I don't do an astronomical amount of cleaning, but I go up and down the stairs in our house throughout the day and do a lot of dishes and food prep (5 kids; 1 pre-schooler). That actually puts me at MFP's "Very Active" level... actually above it. So those people setting up at "lightly active" may be giving themselves a much higher deficit than is useful, especially if they have less fat to lose.
So I'd say instead of logging the housework, set your activity level to "moderately active" instead of "lightly active" or whatever you have it at now.0 -
As long as you have a sandwich ready by the time I come home.0
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Now, I have a bit of OCD.
I clean everyday but 2 days out of the week I go crazy with cleaning. and when I do that. I log it in as exercise. Because for me it is, I sweat more those 2 days than i do for my normal work outs, wake up with arms and legs sore as crap and all that mess.
I'm not talking taking a mop and doing the floors, folding laundry and all that.
As an example, when I go crazy cleaning I do all my floors on my hands and knees, packed with a toothbrush to get the nooks and crannies, and scrub every inch.
Log it or no?
***EDIT***
I am saying to log the 2 days where I deep clean, not everyday housework. I do wear an HRM and it levels out the same as when I'm working out.
IF this is new (the 2 days) - ie joined mfp and started your deep clean housework then yes log it but if it's something you've always done even when/if you were heavy then i say no. this is imo though. i look at it as a happy bonus and a very clean house.0 -
I LOVE how many replies say "don't count it cause it is normal activity" when you have clearly stated it isn't an everyday activity.
It doesn't have to be a daily activity to be included in your NEAT....whether you're using NEAT or TDEE, it's all about activity that takes place over time with any frequency. For example...I don't exercise every single day...or burn the same amount every single day...but over the course of a week, I burn roughly the same amount week to week...same goes for stuff like this. I mow once per week and spend a couple more hours in the yard doing stuff...I don't do it every single day, but I include it in my NEAT as a light to moderately active individual...most of the time, not day to day minutia.
Most people who log this kind of stuff and eat back these calories end up back here on the forums *****ing about how they're doing everything right but the weight just isn't coming off.0 -
As long as you have a sandwich ready by the time I come home.
I dont make sandwiches. I make a full 3 course meal hot and ready.
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I know the type of cleaning you're talking about. I only do it once a week/every 2 weeks because it can get crazy.
I don't feel like the mop did a good enough job so I get on my hands and knees and scrub the whole house. I scrub baseboards and bathtubs with toothbrushes. HECK yes that is a workout and I log that mess.
I admire you for doing it twice a week!0 -
NO0
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I wouldn't necessarily log the extra housework, but I would maybe do it if you're hungrier on those days and want to eat more. Here's just a little note about housework from my perspective:
When I joined MFP I set my activity level to "sedentary" because I'm a SAHM and spend a good amount of time on the computer. What I have found since - via Fitbit and Body Media Fit - is that my NEAT burn on most days is at least 800 calories. So on days I don't exercise I burn about 2300+ calories (BMR is 1500). And honestly I don't do an astronomical amount of cleaning, but I go up and down the stairs in our house throughout the day and do a lot of dishes and food prep (5 kids; 1 pre-schooler). That actually puts me at MFP's "Very Active" level... actually above it. So those people setting up at "lightly active" may be giving themselves a much higher deficit than is useful, especially if they have less fat to lose.
So I'd say instead of logging the housework, set your activity level to "moderately active" instead of "lightly active" or whatever you have it at now.
Makes sense. 0 -
UH OH< I have been counting cleaning, chasing a 2 year old, walking the dog, etc.
So I shouldn't?0 -
UH OH< I have been counting cleaning, chasing a 2 year old, walking the dog, etc.
So I shouldn't?
If it's working and you're losing, keep counting. But MFP is trying to set your deficit based on the assumption that you will do some of those things during the day. So you eat all your BMR calories and your exercise calories but your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) burn IS your deficit. If you log and eat NEAT you lose your deficit.
But if you're achieving your goals, keep doing what's obviously working for you.0 -
now that's just sad or pathetic not sure which :laugh:No.
I saw someone on my fl log in 'burned 16 calories doing 10 minutes of Cooking or food preparation'0 -
If I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed the **** out of my house from top to bottom I would count it.. But I haven't yet because I haven't done that yet. :laugh:0
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It's quite possible to unnecessarily overcomplicate this. I remember when I was so confused and concerned about whether to log my bootcamp as cardio, weights, or try to figure out some kind of split system. But I took a friend's advice about keeping it simple and it's working out just fine. My advice is keep focused on results. As long as you are getting predictable results with how you are eating, exercising, and logging those then you are doing things "right".
Personally, I don't log things that I don't specifically do for exercise. So, I don't log mowing the lawn or walking across a parking lot to get to the store just for example. For me, it doesn't have to do with the frequency but my intent. I vaccum the living room because it needs it. This wouldn't work for everyone or for every instance; maybe sometimes the intent is to get something done AND to exercise - like I'll ride my bike to go pick up a gallon of milk. In those cases, I usually just default to not logging because I'm most concerned that I don't overestimate my calories burned and, more importantly, because I've learned this is what works best for me and I want to keep it simple. Your mileage may vary.I say no. Anything that is a regual life activity, such as cleaning I do not count on as calories burned, I don't count any calories I may burn walking during the day at work etc. Anything I do above and beyond my daily routine I count. So if I decided to walk to work one day (which I don't normally do) I would count that, any running, weight lifting, workout clases I do count. But I don't really think cleaning counts, sorry, just my opinion.
Appreciate your opinion.
I guess that's where I'm confused at. I work out everyday. I run a min of 2 miles every single day and have been for a good while now (before joining MFP) also i lift weights, hit the gym etc etc.
I run everyday....your saying I should count that.
I deep clean 2 days out of the week, breaking a full sweat and wake up sore as if i just just squats, push ups and bicep curls.....doesn't count?
I was told I do not eat enough, so I try to log strenuous activities to fully realize the activity level and kinda base it on how much i should eat even though i dont eat back those calories...if that makes sense?0 -
To be able to provide you with a proper answer, I believe I need you to come to my house and show me these 2 days of deep cleaning by cleaning my house.
........please.
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As long as you have a sandwich ready by the time I come home.
I dont make sandwiches. I make a full 3 course meal hot and ready.
That a girl! Then do what ever your little heart desires.0 -
I think the EDIT answered your question. If the HRM matches what you are logging I would log it.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT ACTIVITY LEVEL YOU SET YOURSELF AT!!
If it is set at Active or higher, I wouldn't. Mine is set at Sedentary so I log everything above average.0 -
I suddenly feel like my house must be really filthy. :laugh:
That being said I use TDEE minus because I personally find trying to count up every calorie I might burn needlessly confusing. I guess my answer is that if it is working for you and you enjoy doing the math then go for it...but when it stops working you will know where to start making changes.0 -
I have 2 jobs. and I normally rotate them throughout the week unless other circumstances occur. (I am the owner of one and the manager of the other)
1 job requires me to sit 95% of the time
the other requires me to run around like a mad man 95% of the time.
My sit down days are normally when the deep cleaning takes place.
Wouldn't the extra work on the two days you sit on your butt get canceled out with the rest of the days you don't sit on your butt? It sounds like you're getting the same amount of activity on a daily basis (whether running around or not you make up for it), so the extra housework doesn't sound like it's going above and beyond the other days.
I would adjust your lifestyle setting, and not count it as exercise.0 -
It really depends for me. Some days, I go out of my way to make my cleaning part of my workout. I rearrange my room, I haul laundry baskets from room to room, I move everything out of my cabinets, clean them, then put them back in, etc. I make the cleaning "more work than it should be" because that is my aim. For that reason, the "its what you would normally do so don't log it" doesn't necessarily apply to me. I like feeling like I'm working my body, so I go all out. Those days, when I'm so sweaty a person might think I just came from hot yoga, I log it. Otherwise, I don't.0
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It totally counts! Anything that gets your heart rate up burns those pesky calories... Log it girl !0
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Nope.
It's housework. If it's part of what you were doing normally when you came to the site, you've already accounted for it when you set up your tracker.
I know, it cracks me up that people would want to log housework as exercise. If it really was exercise, how come they never lost weight doing it before. Any excuse to add something for exercise.0 -
Nope.
It's housework. If it's part of what you were doing normally when you came to the site, you've already accounted for it when you set up your tracker.
I know, it cracks me up that people would want to log housework as exercise. If it really was exercise, how come they never lost weight doing it before. Any excuse to add something for exercise.
Totally hilarious.
I mean too bad I'm not here specifically to lose weight (not over wight and never have been) but to get healthy and asked a serious question. But thanks for your input, it was completely useful.0 -
I have 2 jobs. and I normally rotate them throughout the week unless other circumstances occur. (I am the owner of one and the manager of the other)
1 job requires me to sit 95% of the time
the other requires me to run around like a mad man 95% of the time.
My sit down days are normally when the deep cleaning takes place.
Wouldn't the extra work on the two days you sit on your butt get canceled out with the rest of the days you don't sit on your butt? It sounds like you're getting the same amount of activity on a daily basis (whether running around or not you make up for it), so the extra housework doesn't sound like it's going above and beyond the other days.
I would adjust your lifestyle setting, and not count it as exercise.
Makes sense! I guess i always considered myself as lightly active but now looking into it I guess I'm not at all. so adjusting I shall do!0 -
Thanks everyone!
and again thanks to everyone who actually read what I said.
Looks like I'll be adjusting my activity level :happy:0 -
Nope.
It's housework. If it's part of what you were doing normally when you came to the site, you've already accounted for it when you set up your tracker.
^^^ THIS!!! Totally agree!!! When I first started MFP I use to log housework and a good friend of mine told me that if I cleaned my house when I was fat than why would I even consider it as 'exercise'?? ... but if you wanna log it... so be it.0 -
Do you lift heavy objects? Do you work your muscles? Does your heart rate go up?
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck...0 -
I usually don't log housework as exercise, unless it is very out of ordinary, like moving furniture to clean behind things.0
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Nope.
It's housework. If it's part of what you were doing normally when you came to the site, you've already accounted for it when you set up your tracker.
^^^ THIS!!! Totally agree!!! When I first started MFP I use to log housework and a good friend of mine told me that if I cleaned my house when I was fat than why would I even consider it as 'exercise'?? ... but if you wanna log it... so be it.
Just because you cleaned the house when you were fat, doesn't mean that you didn't sit your *kitten* down on the couch after and jam a bag of chips in your mouth, and eat back everything you worked off! Maybe it didn't count as exercise because you weren't actually living in a way in which benefits could be seen. If someone is extremely overweight and counting calories, then cleaning the house could be extremely exhausting to them and have a huge effect. Heck, I've seen extremely obese people that just getting themselves out of a chair is hard work, let alone cleaning a house.
I have three dogs, two small children, constant house guests for weekends at a time, a partner(who doesn't clean but loves leaving mess) and myself. My house is three stories. Laundry (a daily chore) involves running up three flights of stairs, and down, running back up three flights to put it all away again. Lugging a vacuum up and down, moving furniture to sweep and wash floors, then dragging pails of water for washing the floors over and over up and down steps again, hauling out garbage bags, and then there is the days where I decide to remodel the living room and go "wonder woman" and rearrange everything.
Hell yes I'm counting that. What is the difference between me running up and down the stairs as many times as I do (and I am sure to make extra trips for the exercise) versus someone on a step machine at the gym? A hundred bucks or more a month on a gym membership is what! I'm not going to count picking up a pot and putting it in a cupboard, or wiping down a kitchen counter, maybe not even cleaning a window, but on the days when I'm hauling *kitten* around here and cleaning for a few hours...yeah...that's getting logged, I deserve that much.0 -
Nope.
It's housework. If it's part of what you were doing normally when you came to the site, you've already accounted for it when you set up your tracker.
^^^ THIS!!! Totally agree!!! When I first started MFP I use to log housework and a good friend of mine told me that if I cleaned my house when I was fat than why would I even consider it as 'exercise'?? ... but if you wanna log it... so be it.
Just because you cleaned the house when you were fat, doesn't mean that you didn't sit your *kitten* down on the couch after and jam a bag of chips in your mouth, and eat back everything you worked off! Maybe it didn't count as exercise because you weren't actually living in a way in which benefits could be seen. If someone is extremely overweight and counting calories, then cleaning the house could be extremely exhausting to them and have a huge effect. Heck, I've seen extremely obese people that just getting themselves out of a chair is hard work, let alone cleaning a house.
I have three dogs, two small children, constant house guests for weekends at a time, a partner(who doesn't clean but loves leaving mess) and myself. My house is three stories. Laundry (a daily chore) involves running up three flights of stairs, and down, running back up three flights to put it all away again. Lugging a vacuum up and down, moving furniture to sweep and wash floors, then dragging pails of water for washing the floors over and over up and down steps again, hauling out garbage bags, and then there is the days where I decide to remodel the living room and go "wonder woman" and rearrange everything.
Hell yes I'm counting that. What is the difference between me running up and down the stairs as many times as I do (and I am sure to make extra trips for the exercise) versus someone on a step machine at the gym? A hundred bucks or more a month on a gym membership is what! I'm not going to count picking up a pot and putting it in a cupboard, or wiping down a kitchen counter, maybe not even cleaning a window, but on the days when I'm hauling *kitten* around here and cleaning for a few hours...yeah...that's getting logged, I deserve that much.
Yes people don't understand that they were overweight, because they ate too much, not because of what they did or did not do. Because you can sit on the couch all day long, and as long as they are eating less then they are burning they are going to lose weight. I went to the gym all of the time when I was gaining weight, even ran a bunch of 5k's, but that didn't stop me from eating everything in sight. So now am I suppose to not count my 5 mile runs as exercise, because I was doing it before? Does it not count as exercise, or a workout when someone is bulking?0 -
include it in your NEAT, it's not exercise. All of my chasing around of the kids, cooking, cleaning, etc is included in my NEAT activity level. If I happen to have a killer day landscaping the yard or something I just treat myself to a couple extra brews and call it a day.
So you are saying that you drink 2 beers (added calories) when you have a killer day doing yard work? Sounds like replacing exercise calories to me.
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