How would I calculate this activity?

ebayaddict0127
ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a pet sitter. I am currently caring for 14 cats once a day for 30 minutes. That's 9 litter boxes I'm squatting down to scoop. I know I'm getting a workout because I'm a mess when I'm done. It's strenuous work (14 cats... Eek). Any ideas? Maybe as cleaning?

Replies

  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
    I personally would not count it unless you are working out.

    For instance, when I was my former Fatty McFatty self, I wanted to count mowing the grass as an exercise, but I mowed right up to the time I decided lose 75 pounds - so how could it all of a sudden count as exercise when I did it all that time before when I was seriously overweight?

    I only count the things that I do that are truly workouts - weight lifting, cardio, cycling - something that you now do in addition to your normal activities.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    Unless you are actually squatting up and down continuously for the entire 30 minutes, you're not burning that many extra calories in that 30 minutes, sorry.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    Assuming each litter box takes 2 minutes (if it takes longer than that you're doing it wrong), and you count it as light cleaning, it would only burn about 25 calories. Not worth logging, and certainly not worth eating back those calories.
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    Sounds like a "lifestyle" type of activity. Make sure you pick the right activity level for MFP & don't log it as exercise.
  • SarahJean425
    SarahJean425 Posts: 2 Member
    Maybe count each 'squat' at the litter box as a strength exercise? Not cardio? Just so you are accountable. For example, if you squat at each of the 14 litter boxes twice you have done 28 squats. Make it a habit to do another 28 squats at some other point in the day and then do that every day and that's a lot of squats and strength building. Good luck in your fitness journey!
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Umm, no. Don't do it. If that's your job, just make sure you set your base activity level appropriately and go from there. I wash dishes almost every day but that's just part of life. My personal opinion is to log only exercises or strenous activities that don't usually occur.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
    Ok thanks.

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