Beware the cleanng "exercise"

BobbyDaniel

I know this has been addressed before, often...but just wanted to mention it one more time! If you count your house cleaning as exercise, beware the actual calories you might be burning. Today I shampooed the carpets in our house, 3 rooms, took a little less than 90 minutes and my HRM said I burned 101 calories, which I probably won't count in my daily total. When I punched it into the "cleaning, light, moderate effort" exercise data base it told me 267 calories. So, a pretty good discrepancy, IMHO.
Let me just add this quick disclaimer too, I do run and my resting heart rate usually stays between 45-65 bpm most of the time, so getting my heart rate up does take a little effort, but I would also think pushing and pulling a Rug Doctor is a bit more than "light, moderate effort".
Just my 2 cents, if it is worth that much to you!

***Sorry about the typo on "cleaning", using a small keyboard on a netbook.

RMD2173

I think everyone has to beware any of the user added "exercises" - I think the amount of calories you burn depends on the individual and that can't be grouped into one section/amount of calories burned/time spent doing that particular exercise. thanks for the head's up though!!!!!

Missevanston

Point taken. I never included regular house cleaning. Just doesn't seem fair. Now, if I were helping a friend move, or carrying boxes up and down stair for an hour...maybe I would consider it.

ajbeans

I've always assumed the estimate on MFP was high, so while I do count cleaning in my exercise, I generally only count about half the time I actually worked, and I don't eat all of those cals back. I mostly only count it for added motivation to get up and moving.

EbonyGemstoneHealth

I never log cleaning/walking lightly because of this reason. lol

DJJW

I never count cleaning. I do it off and on all day. It's just a bonus if I'm burning any calories.

gracefullyjenn

all of the exercise calories burned are on the high level. Not just cleaning!! I only count my cleaning when I do heavy cleaning because I lowered my activity level down to sedetary even though I have 5 kids and am always running around

LovelySnugs

absolutely! the only time i list cleaning as "exercise" is when my husband and i are doing stuff like moving furniture and cleaning out closets. and then i only count about half the time i actually worked, because i assume i'm not burning anything while i'm sorting through the contents of various boxes.

jrich1

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

anubis609

Yeah, I would consider those "sedentary activities" where even if they're not part of your daily routine, it's not outside the norm of hard cardio. Considering that we have about the same resting HR, I approximately burn 100 cal/hr just doing normal daily activities, regardless of intensity since it takes, what seems like, an exorbitant amount of effort just to get my HR high enough for me to even break a sweat. I barely start sweating after the warm-up routine for Insanity...but then it pours out during the stretch.

Sumo813

It's really a "beware to everything"... this is not an exact science. Everything that is calculated, be it on MFP, another site, the bodybugg/bodymedia, HRMs... it's all "best estimates" at best. Consider it all more of a guideline. But it's always better to err on the side of caution and take the lower number. I am surprised with what the bodybugg calculates when I clean. But then I realize I have a nice sweat worked up and know that I burned something.

The unfortunate thing is, that this holds true for the calories we consume as well. The science is a little more exact, but anyone who has used the barcode scanner and gotten "asparagus" when scanning a bottle of light balsamic dressing knows that there are mistakes. I have a co-worker who enjoys the heck out of Publix Grocers Popcorn Chicken. Well some genius entered in something crazy like 200 calories for 4 CUPS of fried, popcorn chicken. So when they would get their 4oz cup, it was coming up as 38 calories. I laughed because anyone with any common sense would know better. I wrote to the store and requested nutritional data (they will gladly give you anything you request, just takes a few days) and updated the nutritional data.

Point is, it's all guesswork. Calories in, or calories out.

I've always assumed the estimate on MFP was high, so while I do count cleaning in my exercise, I generally only count about half the time I actually worked, and I don't eat all of those cals back. I mostly only count it for added motivation to get up and moving.

I tend to do something similar when I'm sparring. I can't keep the bodybugg on while doing that because I'm constantly blocking kicks with my arms and shoulders (great bruises for proof too! lol). And the last time I compared MFP's calculation vs. the Bodybugg website (for manual entry), MFP calculated about 300 more calories burned. I also log cleaning (on Sundays) because I'm usually going between 30 and 90 minutes and the bugg calculates a pretty good burn (but I'm also weighing in over 300lbs as well)

rmhand

Point taken. I never included regular house cleaning. Just doesn't seem fair. Now, if I were helping a friend move, or carrying boxes up and down stair for an hour...maybe I would consider it.

I agree with this one. I logged cleaning the other day when I was helping a friend move furniture and vaccuum but I don't count it cleaning my own house.

Marianne1950

I never count any of my non-exercise related moves be it cleaning, gardening, sweeping as they can give me a false sense of surplus calories to use up. I stick to counting my daily walks and work-outs. That way anything else I do just is an added bonus.

FearAnLoathing

I cleaned my house just as much now as I did when I was at my biggest,lol it didnt do me much good then so I dont track it now.
It dosent get my heart rate up and I dont even sweat

rozamu

Good to know. I sometimes log cleaning when I do like 2 hrs. I'll be more careful now.

Cmccracken1

I dont log my cleaning but when i clean my house every Saturday morning it's two to three hours worth of work i do break a sweat and i never sit down.. i wouldnt feel guilty at all about logging it but i dont because it was something i was doing before i started to lose weight and i want to track my extra activities which include actual workout... but if your cleaning is like mine mopping 1000 sq ft of hardwoods dusting dishes laundry in there too i dont think i'd have a problem with someone telling me they log theirs... on the other hand when i run on the treadmill for 35-40 mins at 5.0 mph it ways i have burned over 200 cals and mfp doesnt allot that much to it. So i think it's all just a guessing game unless you actually use a hrm and figure what you are burning.

morty1966

Something to remember is that you were doing this activity (cleaning etc) when you got fat. I only include activity I have added on top of my normal life, such as running or circuits. The other stuff is just living.

anubis609

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

It's not really "cheating" if they consider it motivational for them to perform more activities. I don't care what people do, what they log, or what they eat. I don't live their lives. If it helps them, great. If it hurts them, great. The knowledge of what it is that they're doing to get those results are all that really matters, I believe.

ajbeans

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

It's not really "cheating" if they consider it motivational for them to perform more activities. I don't care what people do, what they log, or what they eat. I don't live their lives. If it helps them, great. If it hurts them, great. The knowledge of what it is that they're doing to get those results are all that really matters, I believe.

Exactly. I think it's "cheating" if you say you did 3 hours of cleaning when you were sitting there sorting a drawer, and then you eat back all of those calories. But even then, it's not my business. I've been counting my cleaning calories as exercise, and I'm losing faster than MFP said I would, so... clearly it's working for me, at least.

lupuslady

I count cleaning and cooking as excercise. I almost never eat my calories burned, it just does not make any sense to me to burn them off then eat them back. But I have severe Rheumotoid Arth., and as I await my first surg date. If my pain level is down to a 5 - 6 area and after doing laundery or cleaning the kitchen it is up to ten. Then believe me I have definitely burned some calories. I love to cook, bake and garden. But the pain is some intense on some days I am lucky if I make myself something to eat.

Sumo813

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

It's not really "cheating" if they consider it motivational for them to perform more activities. I don't care what people do, what they log, or what they eat. I don't live their lives. If it helps them, great. If it hurts them, great. The knowledge of what it is that they're doing to get those results are all that really matters, I believe.

Amen!

helloiloveukitty

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

Totally agree. Don't really care if people choose to do this but yeah...

mommacool

I agree you have to be careful. However, i have mine set to sedentary, and when I really do a lot of cleaning i give myself some credit. This past weekend I worked hard for about 6 hours both days, cleaning bathrooms, walls, floors, closets, cupboards, and cooking and preparing for a party 20 people. I did not log all the hours, but I gave myself (i think) 1 or 1.5 hour each day. I am sure I could have logged more, as I really worked hard both days, but logging 6 hours seemed ridiculous

helloiloveukitty

Something to remember is that you were doing this activity (cleaning etc) when you got fat. I only include activity I have added on top of my normal life, such as running or circuits. The other stuff is just living.

Yup! This.

elainegsd

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

That sounds quite judgmental. I think it depends on how you have your activity level set to calculate your BMR. Mine is set to sedentary because I work at a computer all day and am, well, sedentary.

When I clean, and my heart rate goes up, I do log it if it is more than 30 minutes. That said, I don't eat back my exercise calories on a regular basis, so am not sure just HOW I am cheating myself by logging the activities.

Bottom line, anybody can log whatever they want, and eat whatever they want. If they are losing weight and getting healthier at a rate that satisfies them, who are you to claim they are cheating themselves?

nikkiiheat

Point taken!

Katcatters

What's wrong with logging it, if it makes you feel good about doing something other than sit on your bum all day?... so long as you don't cash them in for what you eat, there is no harm in it ... is there?

AHealthierRhonda

I only log cleaning when i break a sweat. Basically when I mop my entire house I'll add it in. When it is just vacuuming, dusting, and regular bathrooma nd kitchen cleaning, since I do t on weekends, when I am more sedentary, I figure that is my daily activity. However, I did log in shoveling snow because I would be ouitside pushing, lifting, adn throwing the stuff for close to an hour. That was way beyond my usual activity level too.
Thanks for the info though! Always good to know!

strandedeyes

I think it depends on the kind of cleaning everyone is logging. If you scrub your house top to bottom, that isn't an everyday activity...but if you broom your kitchen floor so you don't get ants...that isn't extra to your day (in my opinion). If you want to log your cleaning, by all means if it helps and motivates you, but I personally believe that many people out there (sorry to judge) to log cleaning in order to eat that extra something they want to indulge on.

kristimartiny

I don't count cleaning at all...is kinda general calories that are somehow calculated already in our daily calorie burn I feel anyway... you can be real lazy with cleaning or zealous, but only count it if you are lifting heavy things and going up and down stairs more than 10 minutes at a time. I just consider that a bonus if I burn calories other than actually exercising...but not counted.

btrflyflutter

I see a lot of people who log cleaning and everything to cooking as exercise, they are just cheating themselves.

That sounds quite judgmental. I think it depends on how you have your activity level set to calculate your BMR. Mine is set to sedentary because I work at a computer all day and am, well, sedentary.

When I clean, and my heart rate goes up, I do log it if it is more than 30 minutes. That said, I don't eat back my exercise calories on a regular basis, so am not sure just HOW I am cheating myself by logging the activities.

Bottom line, anybody can log whatever they want, and eat whatever they want. If they are losing weight and getting healthier at a rate that satisfies them, who are you to claim they are cheating themselves?

That does sound judgmental especially since even though alot of us log our exercise and or cleaning we don't EAT those calories anyway.....