Does it count?

Islandgirl74

Usually when I do my weekly grocery shopping, I am there for roughly 2 hours. I am leisurely walking up and down the aisles that whole time, with frequent stops to load the cart of course. I was just wondering if I should count any/some of this time toward exercise?

prettigirl01

I always count that time when I am in the market but instead of logging it as a leisurely pace I log it as slow because of the many stops I make along the way but yes you can and should log that as well

randomtai

Nope, I don't count it. You don't want to add exercise calories you didn't really earn, you won't lose.

rml_16

I personally don't count things like that. You can choose to and if your weight loss slows or stops, stop counting it.

leighpixie

I always wonder about this myself. I tend to only count it if i'm in sure a rush that i'm practically running round, Even them i only count half the time

shrinkingWITS

I don't....

Kitty7814

I bought an arm band and I know for me at least days I go shopping tend to add a few hundred calories. It's not high intensity but my weekly loss is consistently more than my goal so I'd say it counts. Just don't over estimate it.

mathjulz

I don't currently count it. I think I might have when I was hugely pregnant, as it was an exertion for me then (and I needed to make sure to eat enough calories). But if you're in good enough shape that it's not difficult for you to walk the the market (you aren't out of breath or exhausted when you're done), it probably won't help your weight loss efforts to count it.

Moving is always better that being still; however, remember what your goal is here and don't shortchange yourself by taking shortcuts.

sophayz

i usually don't count it except if i really spend ALL say shopping and feel like i really broke a sweat . i guess it really just depends on if you think it was demanding or not

ninjakitty419

I don't. Anything that I burned, which probably wasn't much, can just be "bonus points".

prettigirl01

so are you guys saying that shes not burning any calories doing this? I wonder if some people know that you burn calories while sleeping. its up to you what you want to do but I always add it. any movement I do counts for me coming from someone who barely never moved at all

wilsoje74

Um.... No!!

AmeliaAmy

But burning calories sleeping and doing basic walking is already factored into your activity level, right? So if you are counting walking in the grocery on top of normal walking, then you aren't helping yourself. You don't count standing while you are getting ready in the morning, right? Or walking to the bathroom?

Hornsby

I don't add chores like that. Some do I am sure, but I don't see the point really.

Unless I am actually exercising, I don't log it.

niniagrn

I don't count that but I count walking my dog and when I do house cleaning (mopping and vacuuming only). But like some mention, count it but if you are noticing no or little weight lose stop counting it.

xX_Samantha_Xx

I'm sure you did this activity before you started watching what you were doing weight/diet wise, and it was just a common activity. I wouldn't count it as exercise.

jennifer_417

If I'm desperate for more calories in my day (which I frequently was in the beginning), I will. But beware, MFP tends to overestimate calorie burn, so I only record about 2/3-3/4 of the time that I actually engage in.

gobonas99

No...never. I also don't count cleaning or yard work or shopping or sex as exercise. Basically - if it is something I would do anyway, whether I am trying to lose weight or not, I don't count it. Heck - I don't even count my mile walk at lunch or stretching/yoga, because I don't break a sweat. Exercise, *to me*, is a planned session that elevates my heart rate and leaves me DRENCHED in sweat at the end - running, biking, swimming, weight lifting, kickboxing, Insanity, Turbo Fire, Combat, etc.

randomtai

so are you guys saying that shes not burning any calories doing this? I wonder if some people know that you burn calories while sleeping. its up to you what you want to do but I always add it. any movement I do counts for me coming from someone who barely never moved at all

MFP already accounts for this when it determines your calories.

shrinkingWITS

I have to agree with what another poster said...this is not additional activity. This is something that most people do every week and did before they started trying to lose weight. The numbers are most likely minimal to begin with and are factored in to a person's TDEE...sleeping, standing, all that stuff is factored in...walking to your car, walking through a store....if you want to count it, go ahead. But chances are it won't do much for your overall goal.

Edited to add that if you are following MFP's plan, all this stuff is factored in.

rml_16

so are you guys saying that shes not burning any calories doing this? I wonder if some people know that you burn calories while sleeping. its up to you what you want to do but I always add it. any movement I do counts for me coming from someone who barely never moved at all

She's burning calories, sure. Probably not as many as she thinks, though. And like I said, she is free to count anything. If she counts it, eats back the calories and is still meeting her goals, then she should do that. If she counts it, eats those calories and isn't meeting her goals, then she should reevaluate.