What do you count as exercise?

salleymo

So, when I set up MFP, I set my activity level as sedentary mainly because I have a desk job. Right now I am doing a special project which includes me consolidated and shifting files to another shelf. I'm going from one aisle to the next, back and forth for about 30 minutes at a time. I could actually make this easier on myself , but I intentionally walk back and forth to the next aisle just to get some walking steps in, but is this wrong? Should I not count me shifting files from shelves on one aisle to the next aisle? Should I not count the steps that I take when I walk around the office (takes about 2-3 minutes) every hour? Can I even count the steps that I am walking to the bathroom (sometimes I take the stairs to the bathroom on the next floor because the one's on our floor are disgusting). Now, I do attempt to do at least 30 minutes of cardio when I get home each day that I log, but should I count these other steps that I take at work throughout the day?

81Katz

I count exercise as exercise.

icimani

I only what I call "intentional" exercise - like putting on the clothes and the shoes, etc.

But if one of your goals is to reach a certain amount of steps every day then certainly count it.

daniellemm1

Great job making a choice to move more even when there is an easier way. It sounds like you have already started making better choices for yourself.

Its really a personal choice. I choose to only count continuous intentional exercise that gets my heart rate up (walking, jogging) or out of the norm exercise like painting the fence or walking at an amusement park for six hours. If you really are sedentary in work and at home you probably could start by counting this extra movement but once your body gets used to it I would probably stop counting it. Just my thought on it

nena49659

I started out counting everything that wasn't "normal" for me to do. 6 years ago, I suddenly was covered with Psoriasis all over my body. The doctors did not know what it was and it quickly became infected. So, I sat all day at my desk job. Then, came home, laid on the couch wih my legs up on pillows enough to raise my legs above my heart while my now husband cooked dinner and waited on me. (My ankles were swollen to nearly 3 times their normal size. I had to wear my stepfather's sandels because my feet were too swollen to wear my own shoes.)

After several months of this, my muscle had wasted away. It took me until this spring to finally decide to do something about my very poor condition. Which meant, getting my bottom up off of the couch. So, most anything I did was over and above what I used to do. I counted garden work, mowing the lawn and housework that was over and above what I "normally" did.

Now that these things are becoming more of the norm for me, I am cutting back on what I use as "exercise".

dj0jazzy

I count everything. I even go as far as counting brushing my teeth but that's just because I'm honestly curious about how many calories I'm burning in a day. When I don't post everything I often get discouraged and then make myself I'll trying to work out too much. But it's all up to the individual person.

CyberEd312

If it doesn't include me grabbing my gym bag and putting on my workout clothes and heart rate monitor then No I do not count it as exercise..... Best of Luck