Do you enter everything you do

LilynEdensmom

On the exercise? Or do you leave out some stuff? I'm asking b/c I noticed that I could add cleaning on there but then my moderate cleaning might be really light. So I left it off, I know anything I do burns calories but I figured atleast for me the less I enter in to see the more I'm able to eat, the better my weight loss will go b/c I'm guilty of seeing those numbers and then eating just b/c I have a few extra calories to go...Today not so much but thats my fault for trying a new recipe and to much junk food in the house from a 11 year olds sleep over

inskydiamonds

I only enter exercise that I intend to do as exercise, not just things I do to keep the house up.

red01angel

I only enter exercise that I intend to do as exercise, not just things I do to keep the house up.

Exactly. Anything else, I feel falls under regular daily activity.

Amarillo_NDN

Every one does what they think best. Every thing you do burns calories, it up to you on how much you want to track it.

bjshooter

I just enter my main exercise, sometimes a walk if its a good one and gardening if its heavy.

themyriadthings

I enter my intentional exercise, like inskydiamonds said, and anything else that is over and above what I normally do. Like if I'm going to do a whole lot of cleaning or if I'm walking a lot more than usual because I'm sightseeing with family or something. Ordinary day-to-day stuff I don't enter.

kelsully

I think this is a really good question. I have seen another post in which the poster mentioned a 100-200 calorie catchall she uses in her log to catch all those calories you get from your vitamins, or tasting while you cook or the nibble or your kid's fries etc. I don't do that....I log every bite of food...but what I have done instead is list myself as sedentary when having 4 kids makes me anything but sedentary. The extra walk to the park etc or the 3 loads of laundry EVERY DAY thus walks up and down stairs etc...give me few make up for those tastes or whatever I may forget.

I am wondering however if I should start logging mine right now...school just started so walking the kids to school and walking to pick them up is definitely burning calories. I am desperately trying to maintain my weigtht while training for a marathon and it helps me to know how much more I have to eat to stop losing. I wonder if I will lose a bit in the next two weeks while my body gets used to the extra daily walks. I hope not

edorice

I usually just enter true exercise. I wore my heart rate monitor one day while I washed my car and I saw that I burned 100 calories. That was cool to see, but I just enter real exercise calories.

Jena_72

I agree with the others I did the same housework now as I did 2 months ago and it didn't help me out then so unless it is actually working out I don't count. I only count housework if it is extra strenuous and last for more than 15 mins continuously like mopping a floor on all fours, lol when your over weight THAT IS a workout!!

CombatVet_Armywife

I think the way you are going about it is perfect. I know some like to log in absolutely anything that has burned calories, but the way I see it, normal activities (even those that burn a good amount of calories) are just a bonus. The only exercise I log is the exercise I put effort into and for the purpose of working out. Other than "exercise", the only other logging I have done is mowing the lawn. And even then, the only reason was because I live in Mississippi where the heat & humidity is UNreal and I use a push mower. Now THAT'S a heck of a work out. So I tracked that. In fact, I use that AS my exercise on my "day off" just so that I get some sort of good burn for that day. Cleaning, laundry, etc...I don't log. Scrubbing my bathrooms makes me sweat as much as my work out DVD's, but I don't log that either.

Personal preference is a factor here, I suppose you could log everything if you wanted to, but like you, for me it would probably make me see all those "extra calories" and I would indulge more than I should. I think a lot of it is just tweeking things along the way. You figure out what works for you and what will allow for the best progress. Trial and error I suppose.

One rule of thumb I use is anything that goes into my mouth gets logged. Even if it's just a handful of something, or a condiment on a sandwich, anything and everything. I need to know exactly what I have eaten to make sure I remain under my calorie goal. I know a lot of people do not go to that extent, but for me, it has worked out great! Good luck, I hope you're getting some good feedback that will help you figure it out for yourself! And welcome to MFP! :flowerforyou:

4lafz

We have to remember that MFP gives us a daily allowance of calories burned through normal activity - lightly active or whatever you choose. It is in the upper right section of your Goals page. Those include things like normal cleaning and gardening, walking in a store, etc. I know some people enter these as exercise and if it is an extraordinary deep cleaning or huge gardening (trees, etc) then I agree. I only enter the actual exercise that I do.

mrkristin

I only enter intended exercise unless there are exceptional circumstances, like Friday I was on my feet for 5 hours walking around a zoo so I claimed 3 hours of light walking But do what works for you.

❤B☩❤

I agree with 4lafz ( 'cuz she is such a sweetie!). No, really, I only enter exercise that I purposely intend for exercise. I kind feel bad sometimes putting in walking my dog. HOWEVER, you don't know the struggle he gives me and I consider it to be a MAJOR workout! :bigsmile: (ruff-ruff!)

At the end of the day, do what feels right for you, and as another poster said, tweak it if necessary! Good luck!