Exercise vs Activity?

bcweisen

So I've been noticing that because I have kids, live in a house with stairs, and have an active job (Physical Therapist) that there are A LOT of daily activities that burn calories that I could include on my exercise log. I generally don't. I mostly just put in my specific workout. What do you do?

I'm new and I'm pretty big right now, so I'm trying to make sure I eat up to within about 300 cal of my allotted 1800 cal and I do eat most of my exercise calories back. But I figure by not including daily activity and not eating back all of my workout calories that I'm actually closer to a 2# per week loss than a 1# per week loss.

I have been guilty in the recent past of pushing my body straight into a plateau by not eating enough and exercising too much. Do you think by not including my daily activities I am putting myself at risk of doing that again?

Painten

If i were you i'd set the activity level for your lifestyle as lightly active, then only log the exercise of the things that you do above and beyond your daily activity. So don't log walking up stairs but do log aerobics, etc

khrys1

Yes, make sure your activity level on MFP is set to what's appropriate for you, then only log your exercise that's beyond and above what you do at your job/daily activities. If you happen to burn more, then just look at that as a bonus!

seleck05

Yeah, I would definitely set your activity level up! At least lightly active maybe moderately active. It sounds like you are on your feet a huge part of the day. I have my activity level at lightly active because I live in NYC and walk as my main mode of transportation haha.

bcweisen

I did move it up to lightly active. I do put some of my walking in on the days I work simply because I do SO much. But I just log it at a leisurely pace. Honestly, on the days I work there is just no time left for fitting in a workout.

randi50

The only thing I count is my real exercise, everything else is just bonus

Losing2Live69

I wear my heart rate monitor. If I see what I am doing gets my heart rate is up into the target range, then I count the activity as exercise. If whatever I am doing doesn't get my heart rate up, I don't count it.

audjrey

My very active life is reflected in my MFP daily activities section. The system then automatically accounts for how many calories I burn, approximately. Thus all I need do is log in my 'actual' exercise, including regular 45 minute walks and eat according to the custom percentage information I've inputted into the system. This ensures I eat enough.

uubulldawg06

I to am on my feet all day because of my job and have a 15 month old at home. I have my lifestyle set to lightly active and log anything above what is normal. I am guilty of opting for the elevator somethimes and on days i take the stairs all day I log that because its not "normal." Also on days that i go shopping or to thepark with my son I log that as leisurley walking. I have not had any problems with over logging exercise and eating to many calories, as i have lost 15 pounds in the last month.

bcweisen

I to am on my feet all day because of my job and have a 15 month old at home. I have my lifestyle set to lightly active and log anything above what is normal. I am guilty of opting for the elevator somethimes and on days i take the stairs all day I log that because its not "normal." Also on days that i go shopping or to thepark with my son I log that as leisurley walking. I have not had any problems with over logging exercise and eating to many calories, as i have lost 15 pounds in the last month.

AWESOME!

I think I'm doing ok. I've lost 6# in 2 weeks. And before that I was stuck for about a month. So I'm happy with wat I'm doing. I just wanted some other opinions.