Counting every little thing as exercise?

Run_Away_Turtle

I noticed the other day that someone was counting standing under calories burned. 193 calories burned for 120 minutes of standing specifically.
Does anyone else do this?

Angelfire365

Uh, no. I only count the activities I do specifically for exercise, like lifting weights or running.

TeaBea

I don't. My activity level captures many everyday activities already. To log standing, or shopping would be double counting.

The person logging these activities is either starting at their resting metabolic rate or they are confused about how MFP works.

But in the end, it doesn't matter what other people do. Eventually they stop logging this way....or they stop losing weight. Either way, it's their problem.

JenMc14

Daily activity is included in my TDEE, so I don't count things like standing. I only count intentional exercise. Occasionally, I might get called out for work and end up standing around for two-three hours when I might otherwise be sitting or sleeping. I don't typically log that, either. I think I've added it in the past, just to see, but I wouldn't eat those calories back. It'd just be a bonus, if anything.

auddii

There is a reason there is an activity level. People logging every little thing may get satisfaction of looking like they burned lots of calories, but if they aren't actually eating in a deficit, they aren't going to lose. My guess is the people who log every little exercise either are able to lose but chose the wrong activity level or struggle to lose weight.

amusedmonkey

I used to log the oddest things just out of curiosity. I didn't consider them to be something I eat back since they are already included in my activity level. Other times I logged something as something else just to reduce the calories which I thought were too high, until I learned how to manipulate duration and manual calorie entries.

Run_Away_Turtle

Thank you all, I was just curious if this was something I should be doing even if it seemed ridiculous to me lol.

Chezzie84

I don't. I only count exercise that I actually mean to do.
Like going for a long walk, doing an exercise video or going on the cross trainer.

Things like cleaning, gardening, walking to the bathroom is all apart of my day to day life so I don't bother logging.

JustSomeEm

At one point, for grins and giggles I set my activity level to sedentary and logged ALL THE THINGS. I still lost weight, but I got tired of all that extra logging and eventually set my activity level correctly so I didn't have to bother. I think either way of doing things can be valid. Regardless of what people log for exercise, they're doing them, and I think that's awesome.

LivingtheLeanDream

No! They're only cheating themselves if they do....imo

JustMissTracy

LOL! Why cheat yourself that way? They are really only kidding themselves.....These same people will be crying in three months that the scale hasn't moved...I also see people posting burns for things like fishing...washing dishes....and I always think "Do you really think you're making any difference with those things? Who are you kidding?"

BrianSharpe

No, I only log exercise done for the purpose of gaining fitness such a running, rowing, cycling & weights.

I figure by not logging stuff like walking the dogs etc I'm probably just compensating for whatever margin of error there is in calculating exercise calories and / or logging food (I don't actually weigh & measure every little thing, I'm more concerned with fitness than losing those last few pounds)

lithezebra

Playing devil's advocate, if counting up every bit of activity you do reminds you to keep moving during the day, then that is a good way to log your activity, IF you set your activity level to sedentary when you were calculating your calorie goal. I don't want to spend that much time tracking every little thing I do. Half the time I forget to log my walks and time at the gym. I set my calorie goal to reflect my exercise and daily activity, and give myself "1" calorie for exercise, no matter how many calories it actually burned. The important thing is that you don't count your activity twice by setting too high an activity level AND counting your activities as exercise.

Did that make sense?

ericGold15

A 'sedentary' BMR is 20% higher than BMR by itself, so typically people are already logging their activities of daily living. If you log simple activities you are likely double counting.

Run_Away_Turtle

That's what I was thinking, see I log "grocery shopping" because pushing two full, heavy carts around the store seems like a lot of work, but that got me thinking. So I don't think I will from now on.

Machka9

I do not log every little thing ... I figure if I spend an evening doing active housework, or go grocery shopping, or walk back and forth and back and forth to the photocopier at work, or stand during a meeting ... and if I happen to burn a few extra calories that way, they're bonus calories in case I have underestimated the calories in a food choice.

peleroja

Machka9 wrote: »

I do not log every little thing ... I figure if I spend an evening doing active housework, or go grocery shopping, or walk back and forth and back and forth to the photocopier at work, or stand during a meeting ... and if I happen to burn a few extra calories that way, they're bonus calories in case I have underestimated the calories in a food choice.

This is how I look at it too. Yes, maybe walking around pushing a cart was more work than just walking, but I figure it balances out that cookie I had to guess at or the guy who made my salad's heavy hand with the cheese or dressing, you know what I mean?

successgal1

I guess logging it doesn't hurt. The question is, are they eating back those calories or just monitoring activity?

Larissa_NY

successgal1 wrote: »

I guess logging it doesn't hurt. The question is, are they eating back those calories or just monitoring activity?

Just about everyone I've ever seen do this has said straight out that they either want "credit" for the activity, as if they need external validation and reward for doing literally anything besides sitting on the couch staring slack-jawed at the TV like Al Bundy, or that they want the added calories. Most of the time they want the calories. It's a way of gaming the system so that they can pretend they're going to lose substantial amounts of weight without actually changing the way they eat.

Christine_72

Talk about clutching at straws.. :huh: I've seen stuff like- fidgeting,cooking and all sorts of insignificant stuff. This is precisely why I got a fitbit and synced it to mfp, no guess work or BS calories added to my day.

Run_Away_Turtle

When I grocery shop I push two full carts lol,but I'm still going to not log it anymore.

As for the woman logging calories burned while standing, I'll just take this into consideration when she whines about not losing weight.

rankinsect

Christine_72 wrote: »

Talk about clutching at straws.. :huh: I've seen stuff like- fidgeting,cooking and all sorts of insignificant stuff. This is precisely why I got a fitbit and synced it to mfp, no guess work or BS calories added to my day.

"Looking up calories burned by routine activities online: 1 calorie"

Working2BLean

Raised eyebrows at the concept of counting calories for standing

1 calorie each eyebrow raised

Let me log that!

Christine_72

rankinsect wrote: »

Christine_72 wrote: »

Talk about clutching at straws.. :huh: I've seen stuff like- fidgeting,cooking and all sorts of insignificant stuff. This is precisely why I got a fitbit and synced it to mfp, no guess work or BS calories added to my day.

"Looking up calories burned by routine activities online: 1 calorie"

:laugh:

Leg bouncing and foot tapping can burn 300-600 calories per day

Run_Away_Turtle

Don't forget to log the calories we burned laughing at this.

FitPhillygirl

I am using the Fitbit One to monitor my activity level through out the day. Therefore I only log my Weightlfting as actual activity and not anything that is step related. The Fitbit does a great job of logging calories burned, so there is no need to add to it.

kshama2001

JustSomeEm wrote: »

At one point, for grins and giggles I set my activity level to sedentary and logged ALL THE THINGS. I still lost weight, but I got tired of all that extra logging and eventually set my activity level correctly so I didn't have to bother. I think either way of doing things can be valid. Regardless of what people log for exercise, they're doing them, and I think that's awesome.

Yup, same here.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I just sync my Fitbit and Runkeeper. I log weights under strength training so I can track weights / sets / reps, but it doesn't show on my newsfeed or add calories to consume. To be fair, since my Fitbit has HRM, it would add calories for weight lifting anyway.

It's probably been months since any activity has shown on my newsfeed from manual entry. Runkeeper posts automatically, and the Fitbit adjustment is reduced by Runkeeper's adjustment. Otherwise, those are the only ways I get extra calories.

kshama2001

Chezzie84 wrote: »

I don't. I only count exercise that I actually mean to do.
Like going for a long walk, doing an exercise video or going on the cross trainer.

Things like cleaning, gardening, walking to the bathroom is all apart of my day to day life so I don't bother logging.

The amount of time I spend gardening fluctuates wildly, so I log it. For starters, it's seasonal. Also, on any given day I might spend 0 min to 4 hours gardening. With those fluctuations, it's not logical for me to include it in daily activity.

brb2008

I think people who don't wear a tracker tend to add in those things, such as cleaning for 15 mins or whatever. I don't because my tracker counts all that for me.

scolaris

No; I count steps but I don't carry my phone around the home so they are only outdoors, errands, work steps. And I log workouts that last 30+ minutes. So I also don't log body weight exercises. Works for me.