Can I count my Job?

Thin4payton

I work for a retail store where I am on my feet for 4-7 hours at a time. Can I count that in my exercise journal and if so, how do I count it? I am walking most of the time so I would think I can count it, but not sure how. Thanks!!

jeepyj93

I work in a very big busy restaurant and I am going full blast fir 5 hours. I never count it I only count exercise that I do above my daily routine no housework or job.

GiveMeCoffee

I wouldn't count it as exercise, but set your activity level as lightly active instead.

trudijoy

If you were doing the job before MFP then no. You have a lightly active job, which is great, because it means that you can set a higher calorie intake as you'll have a higher TDEE.

cadaverousbones

It depends what you set your activity level to when you set up your goals. If you chose sedentary then yes count it but if you put lightly active that accounts for a job standing on your feet. If you do a lot of walking/running around you could count that.

midwestmixtape

What others said. Counting exercise calories should be tighly regulated. I have known people who struggle with weight loss because they log all their walking at work, their vacuuming, going in and out of the car, and doing laundry as exercise.

You will almost always be better off under-estimating exercise and over-estimating how many calories you eat, than to do it the other way.

And yes - google "TDEE calculator" and set yourself as lightly active, and calculate how many calories to eat that way.

Sabine_Stroehm

What others said. Counting exercise calories should be tighly regulated. I have known people who struggle with weight loss because they log all their walking at work, their vacuuming, going in and out of the car, and doing laundry as exercise.

You will almost always be better off under-estimating exercise and over-estimating how many calories you eat, than to do it the other way.

And yes - google "TDEE calculator" and set yourself as lightly active, and calculate how many calories to eat that way.

Well put.

trudijoy

What others said. Counting exercise calories should be tighly regulated. I have known people who struggle with weight loss because they log all their walking at work, their vacuuming, going in and out of the car, and doing laundry as exercise.

You will almost always be better off under-estimating exercise and over-estimating how many calories you eat, than to do it the other way.

And yes - google "TDEE calculator" and set yourself as lightly active, and calculate how many calories to eat that way.

Well put.

I think here people go wrong is that you can count whatever you bloody like as long as you'r enot eating it back. When you're using daily regular movements as an excuse to have the extra McDonalds/beer/cake it comes down to a decision between if you want the weight loss/ healthier you more, or the treat.....

Thin4payton

Thank you all so much for your replies! I did not set my activity as light active as I started after starting MFP and have not updated my settings since I started back up. I am very happy with the weight I am losing so far. I think I will leave things as they are so I make sure I don't over eat since I am losing now and I will change it if I hit a plateau. Thank you again for all your help!

rgugs13

I wouldn't count it as exercise, but you could bump up your activity level on MFP. Alternatively, you could get a tracker like a Fitbit and see just how much activity you are getting in. I set my activity level to sedentary, and hooked my Fitbit to my account to get credit for days I am more active. I'm on vacation now (my work is seasonal) and it is really really cold outside, so I limit my dog walks to about a mile. My goal is 10,000 steps a day to keep active. When I worked at a nature center and was on my feet moving around 8-9 hours a day, I could average 20,000 easily.