Should one log standing calories?

ssbmacdaddy
ssbmacdaddy Posts: 124 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I listed myself sedentary in the MyFitnessPal profile. In reality four days a week I am at a office job but have a standing desk. I stand for about 4 to 5 hours a day those days. I checked out many calories standing burns per hour at my current weight of 234 pounds. It listed 120 cal per hour. Do you think I should list that as calories burned? Some days I come home and am very tired due to my workday. I still force myself to exercise when I come home. I did not want to list myself as active as three days a week I am relatively sedentary with exception to the exercise that I do for an hour to an hour and a half each day. MyFitnessPal has things like fishing listed in the cardiovascular and there is a significant calorie burn for those activities. So once again I pose the question should I login standing as a activity as it does burn calories apparently?

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    sitting burns calories as well but are you going to log your couch time?
  • LouSmorals
    LouSmorals Posts: 93 Member
    Do you feel like you need the extra calories? If not, let them go.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    To be on the conservative side, I would not count it.
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    OMG - no....
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    No
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    i once deleted a friend due to some issues like this. One of them was that he logged sleeping as an excercise. I realize that you stand a lot, perhaphs more then most people but no it is not excercise.
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
    The reason standing unsupported is not sedentary, like sofa lounging, is that your muscles are being used all the time in tiny movements to keep you upright and level. If you are leaning on your desk - i.e. using something to support your body, then its still sedentary.
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    You will only be setting yourself up for failure by logging "normal" daily activities. If this is something you normally do your body is accustomed to it meaning you are not burning any more calories than you would if you were not standing for that length of time. As someone else said you burn calories sitting as well so I would say the difference in calorie burn between sitting and standing for four or five hours a day might give you enough of a calorie burn to reward yourself with a rice cake at the end of the day.

    Good luck...:drinker:
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    Unless you are sweating forget it!
  • Christieson
    Christieson Posts: 36 Member
    That comment on sleeping being exercise is so funny. Now I've figured out why I don't sleep well....'cause it's exercise. That explains it all.
  • MsBluelipstick
    MsBluelipstick Posts: 23
    If it is something you normally do then no do not log it. Like Some folks log housework, I don't because it is something I do anyway. I look above my normal activity.. Like if I take walks, work out

    I work retail and walk around most of the day but I still have it set on sedentary because I figure my body is use to it and it is not a ton of walking, , pretty small space.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Sure, but only under two conditions:

    1. If you also plan to log sleeping calories
    2. If you would like to ensure failure at losing weight
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    Sure, but only under two conditions:

    1. If you also plan to log sleeping calories
    2. If you would like to ensure failure at losing weight

    This
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Yes. Totally. You earned it! Go you! Don't listen to the haters.
  • kinmad4it
    kinmad4it Posts: 185 Member
    Were you standing before you decided to lose weight?

    What next? Can I log calories burned from brushing my teeth or maybe I should log waving when trying to catch a bus.
  • kamyers1289
    kamyers1289 Posts: 129 Member
    The only exercise calories I log are my intentional exercises. I.E. my T25 workouts, or a run that I go on. It's accounted for in your MFP profile that you burn calories while living.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Yes. Totally. You earned it! Go you! Don't listen to the haters.

    I really hope you are joking...
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    The reason standing unsupported is not sedentary, like sofa lounging, is that your muscles are being used all the time in tiny movements to keep you upright and level.

    Not enough to count whatsoever.
  • mamasjourneytofit
    mamasjourneytofit Posts: 36
    No, sorry. You might be tired after a long day at work but everyone else that works (regardless of if they sit, stand, run laps, or chase after kids for their job) is tired after their days too. You have to work out, sweat, get your heart rate up, feel the muscles burn for it to count as exercise.
  • ssbmacdaddy
    ssbmacdaddy Posts: 124 Member
    Thank you everyone. Great comments. I will not log those calories. Very useful commentary. I love this forum! ????
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
    The reason standing unsupported is not sedentary, like sofa lounging, is that your muscles are being used all the time in tiny movements to keep you upright and level.

    Not enough to count whatsoever.

    if you carry on you will see I never said to count them - I just explained why standing may be considered as burning calories. If you are going to quote please use it all :drinker:
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
    I only log calories burned while time set aside for specific exercise. But what you do on your journey is what ever works for you.
  • akimber96
    akimber96 Posts: 1
    I also have a standing desk, but I wouldn't log them - treat it as a little bonus. Valid question, though - sorry so many people took it as an opportunity to rip on you and try to bring you down. I thought this was supposed to be a fairly supportive community. Keep up the good fight!
  • Dgydad
    Dgydad Posts: 104 Member
    Those of you who are endulging yourself in slinging barbs at this guy - you might want to dial it back a bit. There have been a number of reports in the mass-market media in the U.S. over the past year recommending exactly what this fellow is describing in his workspace. Some folks are going even farther, and actaull incorporating fitness equipment (like ellipticals and bikes) into the office equation.....
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    If i were you, I would change your MFP settings to 'lightly active'. After all, people who work 5 days/week in a job that doesn't have them sitting down (i.e. nurse) are considered lightly active. What difference does a day make to those numbers?

    Standing for 8 hours/day instead of sitting all day does burn a noticable calorie difference. I wouldn't log it every time you stand around. Just increase your base numbers by a couple hundred calories.
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,566 Member
    If i were you, I would change your MFP settings to 'lightly active'. After all, people who work 5 days/week in a job that doesn't have them sitting down (i.e. nurse) are considered lightly active. What difference does a day make to those numbers?

    Standing for 8 hours/day instead of sitting all day does burn a noticable calorie difference. I wouldn't log it every time you stand around. Just increase your base numbers by a couple hundred calories.

    Try that - I do a lot of stairs at work but I wouldn't log it as exercise because it is part of my normal day.

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