Do you account for daily tasks that burn calories?

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Replies

  • mitchiejo
    mitchiejo Posts: 179 Member
    The only one I log is snow shoveling. Otherwise it's only intentional exercise.
  • basschick
    basschick Posts: 3,502 Member
    I count washing the car, because I really get my arms moving and it's like a workout. I've actually worn a heart rate monitor to see how many calories I burn. It's usually around 40-70 -- enough for a little extra snack.

    Also, I'm a professional musician and I've learned (the heard way) that I have to count playing my instrument as exercise on days when I play for more than 2 1/2 hours. If I don't eat 200-300 calories more on those days, I feel hungry and a little weak at the end of the day. I haven't gained weight from eating a little more on days when I have several rehearsals or a rehearsal and concert in the same day, so it's in no way "cheating" to count this as exercise.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    While browsing the exercise database I noticed things like house cleaning, gardening, fishing, etc. The only thing I log is the actual work I do at the gym and I eat back most of those calories and feel great. Just curious if anyone else logs other activities other than your intentional exercise.
    Nope. I log sweaty exercise only.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    While browsing the exercise database I noticed things like house cleaning, gardening, fishing, etc. The only thing I log is the actual work I do at the gym and I eat back most of those calories and feel great. Just curious if anyone else logs other activities other than your intentional exercise.
    Nope. I log sweaty exercise only.

    I normally get hot and sweaty when I am cleaning. Nothing like de-furring 12'x20' carpet with a 3" slicker brush to work up a burn in the arms. But even if I am just doing a light dusting I normally wind up dancing.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    I count washing the car, because I really get my arms moving and it's like a workout. I've actually worn a heart rate monitor to see how many calories I burn. It's usually around 40-70 -- enough for a little extra snack.

    Also, I'm a professional musician and I've learned (the heard way) that I have to count playing my instrument as exercise on days when I play for more than 2 1/2 hours. If I don't eat 200-300 calories more on those days, I feel hungry and a little weak at the end of the day. I haven't gained weight from eating a little more on days when I have several rehearsals or a rehearsal and concert in the same day, so it's in no way "cheating" to count this as exercise.

    Exactly. It doesn't matter what the activity is, or if you are being really intense about it, just take into account that it is more of your energy expenditure. I don't get the whole TDEE as a same number every day thing, because some days I just sit (2100cals) and others I am more active (3200cals). I adjust my food intake to match my activity level for that day. If I just aim for my average (2650), then on days I work out I am running a big deficit, but on days I sit I am over eating. Isn't this the opposite of what they tell you to do?

    I set myself to sedentary because I am always that...unless I get up and move, and if I move, well now I can record it, figure out how much I did, was it big or small, and eat to cover it, or not if I don't think it was worth it.
  • ebony874
    ebony874 Posts: 1 Member
    I keep track of my calories burned using my Sportsline watch. If you burn 1000 cal in 13hrs from walking at work or school, Wouldn't it be beneficial to log it in? I figured I do so that I can compare my calorie intake vs. my calories burned during the day.
  • PurpleCupcakes01
    PurpleCupcakes01 Posts: 141
    I don't
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
    Sometimes. For example I count "gardening" if I'm preparing garden beds, because it's a frick of a lot of hard manual labor and it's outside what I would normally do. But I don't count "gardening" if I'm weeding or planting or watering.

    edit to add: And I will count cleaning if I'm doing a deep, heavy clean and moving appliances and furniture, but not if i'm squirting Fantistik on the stove and wiping it up.

    Same. I only log my gardening when I've spent hours in the hot sun turning the beds and planting. I also log push mowing, we have a pretty big yard. I don't bother with house cleaning as my heart rate doesn't really elevate that much from it.

    Same here, except I do log house cleaning when mop the floor!
  • strutdivastrut
    strutdivastrut Posts: 105 Member
    Yes I log if my activities are more than 15 min.I use my hrm for any physical activities mainly exercise.

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