Do you count cleaning as exercise?

QAPmom

Just wondering if anyone adds cleaning or push mowing to exercise? I normally don't for the daily pick ups and sweeping, but I am wondering when you clean for 3 or so hours to you count it? Also push mowing, is this something that you would add or would you do that and exercise besides that in a night?

omma_to_3

I never clean long enough to care lol. But, if I do something like that that I feel deserves some extra calories, I'll add about half the amount of time using the entry for walking 2 mph.

skinnysushicat

I was struggling with this, as mostly I'm at home with my young kids, and sometimes cleaning up after them is all I seem to do all day! I mentioned on another thread that as a result of this sustained, low-level activity I was struggling to keep track of how much ex exercise I actually did, and someone (rather snootily!) they would not count ANY of it as excercise. Now I have a Fitbit and it has really helped me to see that actually I DO spend quite a bit of time on my feet, and helped me know how much extra I should eat as a result.

l_clc

Personally, I don't log cleaning or mowing etc....the only thing I log as exercise is when I set out to do a workout. A lot of people do though especially if you selected a 'sedentary' or 'lightly active' lifestyle in MFP settings. It's personal preference! You're definitely keeping busy and getting lots of exercise with the lifestyle you have on a day to day basis. If you need extra fuel to keep up with that lifestyle then I say....log it!

jkal1979

I was struggling with this, as mostly I'm at home with my young kids, and sometimes cleaning up after them is all I seem to do all day! I mentioned on another thread that as a result of this sustained, low-level activity I was struggling to keep track of how much ex exercise I actually did, and someone (rather snootily!) they would not count ANY of it as excercise. Now I have a Fitbit and it has really helped me to see that actually I DO spend quite a bit of time on my feet, and helped me know how much extra I should eat as a result.

That's why I love my FitBit. I average about 9,000 steps mowing the lawn and my FitBit does the calorie burn calculations for me.

tinkbaby101

I don't, just because I'm more likely to eat ALLLLL those calories back. Oh, look, I burned 200 calories pulling weeds? Guess who's getting piiiiieeee?!

That's just me, though. I can understand logging out-of-the-norm activities. I've just operated under the idea that regular chores contribute to activity level rather than logged exercise.

mom2my4boys

I clean for a living. I dont count it in exercise cals burnt but I do have myself set as lightly active. I usually loose more than the pound and half im set to loose.

marycatherine000

I do but only because it is such a rare activity for me.

MelodyandBarbells

I dunno. What's the calorie burn from spraying the most evilest chemicals I can find that do all the cleaning for me?

krubio58

Since mowing the lawn makes me break a sweat and then some, I count it!

caitology

I don't log any cleaning. I log only what I intend to be a workout. You can't track cleaning calories well enough anyway.. I'd rather eat to my goal and have those calories be a bonus knowing you were under for sure instead of trying to estimate and potentially estimating too high, putting me over goal.

SLLRunner

Just wondering if anyone adds cleaning or push mowing to exercise? I normally don't for the daily pick ups and sweeping, but I am wondering when you clean for 3 or so hours to you count it? Also push mowing, is this something that you would add or would you do that and exercise besides that in a night?

I don't count any cleaning because even with a heart rate monitor I would not know how much I was burning. Heck, I don't even count my walking or weight lifting,and nothing except my cardiio workouts and that reading comes off my heart rate monitor.

krawhitham

No, not as cals burned. Even when I deep clean my whole house and work up a sweat, for me, it doesn't count as exercise. I might put it in my exercise log and count it as "1" calorie burned, just to note that I did something other than sit on my butt all day.

fitfabforties

nope

PinkyFett

Cleaning, no. Not cooking either. But if I were to mow the lawn, I would.

paulawatkins1974

I don't every day cleaning, but Yesterday I did major spring cleaning for 4 hours so I logged an hour. Mowing, I would use walking if they don't have mowing in the database but I would only log half. Only because I'd rather err on the side of burning more than I think rather then vice versa

Jclifford253

I don't count cleaning but i certainly count mowing the lawn. Almost 2 hours of at least moderate activity.

Salasel

I just spent all day pulling weeds and using the pressure washer to clean the outside of my house and deck. You better believe I put that down! With that said I don't plan to eat back my calories from it.

spirit095

The only time I counted it was when I was painting the house and moving around furniture.

Lleldiranne

If it's a sustained and heavy effort (like helping a hoarder clean out part of a room, lol, or maybe cleaning out the storage closet of mine) I've counted it ... but I'll only log it as light effort and for half the time, usually. And I have been known to log things like vacuuming, when I'm 7+ months pregnant, because it's more difficult then and I need to make sure to get enough calories (but again, logging only as light and for half the time). All of the light cleaning, like picking up after my kids, dusting, general vacuuming, etc falls into my activity level instead.

I'd probably say the same for mowing. (Out of curiosity, by "push mower," do you mean gas powered but not self-propelled, or that it actually works/blades spinning from you pushing it? Though both can take considerable effort). I log the time I spend "gardening" - which right now is literally digging up the grass around my rose bush area. Light effort stuff like sitting and pulling weeds, I probably wouldn't log.

The bottom line is find what works for YOU. Try logging 1/2 time for your heavier effort chores if you want to, and see how it works. If you slow in your weight loss, though, that'd be the first thing I'd change.

lightemupdc

Nope. To me, it'd be considered part of your normal, everyday lifestyle.

Alatariel75

If it is a sustained daily thing (like the mother who posted above) it should be counted in your daily activity level rather than added on as exercise.

Personally, I don't count anything I'm not primarily and specifically doing for exercise. If I burn extra calories doing these things, cool, but I wouldn't eat them back and don't track them.

Keepcalmanddontblink

Just wondering if anyone adds cleaning or push mowing to exercise? I normally don't for the daily pick ups and sweeping, but I am wondering when you clean for 3 or so hours to you count it? Also push mowing, is this something that you would add or would you do that and exercise besides that in a night?

Now to me, I would say it depends on your calorie intake. If you are only eating the minimum intake of 1200, than I'd count it and eat them back. If I do just a quick vacuum or wash some dishes, I don't count it, but if I am hardcore cleaning for an hour to three, I'll count it, but maybe not eat back all the calories just to be safe. I rely on my heart rate monitor for the calorie burns in those cases.

Editing to add that since I upped my calories to 1500, I don't really count it anymore since my housecleaning happens on days off so I think it averages out.

Jelaan

Cleaning your own home and cleaning homes for a living are two different things. I do both. I don't log cleaning at home because it involves answering the phone, stopping to talk to hubby and kids, getting bored and taking a break, etc. Work cleaning is non stop moving, carrying buckets, vacuums, up and down stairs, etc, all with the pressure of cleaning every room of a multi storey house to a time limit, often 4 to 5 hours. Don't tell me it's not a work out.

caracrawford1

Nope. Doesn't count in my book. Besides, I'm training for another marathon. I almost didn't include dog walking in my daily exercise totals because the two mile dog walk is just one of those routine things I do, not focused training.

williams969

I do but only because it is such a rare activity for me.

:laugh: That's why I have kids! I do dishes, cooking, and laundry, and the boys and hubby have assigned "zones" for the rest of the chores.

ETA: Oh, to answer the OP--No, I do not count cleaning as exercise. It's about the same amount of "effort" as my normal daily activity.

booksgiver

I think it depends on what your normal activity level is. If you've listed yourself as sedentary then yes, cleaning is exercise. If you're an active person then probably not unless you're doing a lot of heavy lifting, moving furniture, climbing up and down, and exerting more strenuous effort. Mowing the lawn is hard work even is you're active but again that might depend on the type of lawn you have. Obviously a steeper lawn is going to burn more calories that a nice level lot. I wish I could mow my yard as it's costing me a small fortune to have it done.

UnicornAmanda

No. I don't really think it counts. I only really log exercises that I am doing for intended exercise... whether it be going to the gym, swimming, or going for a walk. If I burn calories while cleaning then that is an awesome added bonus, but I personally don't see the point in logging cleaning or some other activity that I do everyday, but that's just my opinion, to each their own.

kgeyser

I do not count cleaning, mowing, or dog walking as exercise; it's just life. I only log exercise that I do as a workout.

_Josee_

If I do it vigorously, yes.
If I do it at easy or moderate effort, no.

JensRiot

I don't typically count cleaning, but I accounted for it in my activity level. Being with little kids all day, I stay pretty active. I have counted more intense stuff, like cleaning out the garage including moving huge bags of mulch and such (well huge to me ).