Do you log walking as your exercise?

ironclaw79

Everyday, I am sure I walk at around 10,000 steps. Do you log this as your exercise or you don't mind it?

editorgrrl

Things you do every day are part of your activity level, and should not be logged.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

bwogilvie

Everyday, I am sure I walk at around 10,000 steps. Do you log this as your exercise or you don't mind it?

Every time this question comes up in the forums, you get two answers: No, because it's part of your everyday activities, and yes, because it's exercise.

Either answer is OK. Personally, I don't log everyday walking around the house, at work, in the grocery store, etc. I log walks only when they are discrete activities when I'm not doing anything else -- that is, when I am walking in order to walk -- and I arbitrarily decided to log only walks of at least 30 minutes. Those walks are analogous to my bike rides or runs, in that they're deliberate exercise.

If you decide to log such walking, though, be sure that your baseline activity level is set at Sedentary, because you'll be adding in the walk calories. And beware of overestimating calorie burn; walking doesn't use that many calories, and you should only log the difference between the activity and your resting metabolic rate (the calories you would have burned just sitting instead of walking).

lizj0nes21

I had this same question but just didn't post it. Although it wasnt quite about everyday walking. I don't really do much, and I never go shopping other than grocery shopping (and I don't log walking for grocery shopping). However, yesterday my fiancé were out shopping for 3 hours, so I logged 1 1/2 hours of walking at the slowest pace that MFP has. It really depends on if you consider it exercise or not. I found myself exhausted and tired and since I don't usually do that much walking/shopping, I logged half of the time.

broox80

It depends for me. I have fitbit zip. I just use it to log most of my walking. When I do aerobic exercise like zumba, I log that and override the steps on my zip.

proudjmmom

I don't log everyday walking, like around the house, at work. But I do log intentional going for a walk for exercise. Walking has been my main source of exercise for over a year now.

Hoover8it

I have the Fitbit One and that logs everything I do.

Francl27

That's why I switched to TDEE-20%, that way I can account for it in my activity and not worry about having to eat calories back or whatever... I walk in average 45 minutes a day.

meshashesha2012

I don't log it if I'm not using it as outright exercise. For me exercise is only counted if my heart rate is above a certain rate for a certain amount of time. Also since I keep my exercise steps separate from my daily steps, I don't consider those as exercise

liloldDee

I have a fitbit one and have my settings on fitbit and mfp as sedentary. I usually walk between 15/20k steps per day. Fitbit gives me the calories for these steps but I only eat back around half the calories.

farway

I have Runkeeper, which logs my longer outdoor walking, a couple of miles or a bit more at times, which is my only exercise. I don't log just going round house, out into garden etc

If you do log be aware MFP tends to over estimate calories used

Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel

I only log walking when it is a walk for exersise purposes. I won't log walking my son to school, or waking to the shops (even though its a mile each way) because they are part of my daily life/routine.

andiechick

I don't log the walk to and from the school as I do that regularly but if I do anything else for example taking the dog out or shopping in town then I do as its added extra. I've just bought a fitbit so I'm still getting used to tracking my steps with this

Gwen_B

I only let exercise as exercise. I am too fit to count walking as exercise, so I never log walking as exercise!! If you set a side walking as your exercise and you are walking as fast as you possible can, than it may be actually exercise for you, but not everyday walking. You can walk everyday and gain weight so you cant exactly expect it to help you lose weight!!

Reagan89

I log walking if it's a walk I don't do normally i.e not my walk to work but I will walk to town centre now instead of taking the car and log that

Gwen_B

Things you do every day are part of your activity level, and should not be logged.

I wish everyone understood this!!

Shoechick5

I have the Fitbit One and that logs everything I do.

^^ this^^

Booksandbeaches

I don't log in walking I do in the course of the day as part of my job or daily life. If I go on a walk specifically to walk, I'll log it. So walking the dog gets logged as does a 3 mile walk done for exercise purposes.

erinbartholomew5

I log my walks that I take specifically for exercise. I tend to focus more on stretching my muscles and walking quickly. If you do something out of the ordinary from your routine, I say log it. For example, a day walking in the city, a long trip to the mall, etc.

docdevore

Everyday, I am sure I walk at around 10,000 steps. Do you log this as your exercise or you don't mind it?

Like editorgrrl, I only log walking if it is above and beyond my normal routine.

lexbubbles

I'm sedentary, so I log walking as my exercise. Eg I log walking to/from the supermarket (3/4 mile each way) although I don't log walking *around* the supermarket.

I also walk to/from the cinema whenever I go, which is 2 miles each way, so I log that.

But if you walk every day you can either keep your activity level at sedentary and log everything, or up your activity level and only log any *additional* walking you do on top of your standard.