logging daily activities as exercise...

swest222

So I've noticed that people are logging things such as, walking upstairs, walking with an infant, gardening, taking kids to the park, Sex etc as "exercise".

Do people really log all these activities as part of their exercise routine?

I figure if it's a part of my daily life, I wouldnt log it. (I have logged gardening twice in the past month because I have never gardened before in my life!!)

But really? You track how many calories you burn taking your kids to the park? I do this daily and don't track it.
I only log things such as an actual workout focused on working out. (walking on a treadmill, workout dvd etc)

Isn't this kind of like cheating yourself? I would consider anything like this an added bonus and unless you use a HRM 24/7 how accurate is it? What are your thoughts?

kateanne27

it might actually be a good way to track daily life calories, if you list as sedentary, it would give you a better idea of how active/inactive you really are, as well as might be a motivation to do more active activites, say take kids to the park rather than just send them to the backyard with a ball or something.

ajkat081

Personally I think I don't count my stagnant calories burnt so... While raking leaves or cooking dinner and cleaning my house, those calories I do count. It's not like I make them mean soemething but some days at work I spend running around and I have my activity level set to nill so where I can calculate any calories I do.

H_82

So I've noticed that people are logging things such as, walking upstairs, walking with an infant, gardening, taking kids to the park etc as "exercise".

Do people really log all these activities as part of their exercise routine?

I figure if it's a part of my daily life, I wouldnt log it. (I have logged gardening twice in the past month because I have never gardened before in my life!!)

But really? You track how many calories you burn taking your kids to the park? I do this daily and don't track it.
I only log things such as an actual workout focused on working out. (walking on a treadmill, workout dvd etc)

Isn't this kind of like cheating yourself? What are your thoughts?

Totally agree with you. If I'm not in workout clothes & sweating, I don't log it.

Solat37_Neil

I've seen things logged as activity that include "sitting/resting" and "computer" and even "brushing teeth". Surely this is cheating yourself into thinking you have more cals to use??

mrstyler

Since I've input my life as sedentary, if I do something above what I normally do, it makes sense to log it. Although I don't tend to eat the extra calories, unless it was actually strenuous. But its nice to see the extra calories I've burned by taking a walk, going up the stairs a bunch of times instead of sending the hubby up, etc. I don't personally use casual low-calorie activity to add eating calories--I only do that with real exercise where I get my heart rate up.

Kirstie_C26

i think its up to the ppl themselves whether they log day to day activity or not. Who are we to judge others on wot way they decide to make their journey work for them? for a while i had my level set to sedentary, and logged all my exercise related to work everyday and i lost weight while doing it.


EACH TO THEIR OWN thats what i say

kateanne27

I've seen things logged as activity that include "sitting/resting" and "computer" and even "brushing teeth". Surely this is cheating yourself into thinking you have more cals to use??

brushing teeth? thats awesome, I hope they are brushing so vigorously they are sweating!

MindiKat

Okay, I'm going to chime in here and say I log cleaning my pool, mowing and grocery shopping. All of these include lots of work on my part and sweating. Cleaning the pool includes treading water while moving vacuum back and forth for over an hour - great workout. Mowing - well, that's a given - especially here in Texas.

Grocery shopping I think depends on the person and the grocery list. I shop once a week and feed and provide litter for several cats, several teenagers and their friends, a dachshund and then a 50 lb bag of food for our great dane every week. Hefting just the animal food and then waters, juice, milk and such items and pushing them around the store for over an hour is QUITE the workout and I go late at night so I never stop moving. Maybe its cheating but if your heart rate is up and you're sweating - isn't it a workout?

FearAnLoathing

This again?:sick:

swest222

I've seen things logged as activity that include "sitting/resting" and "computer" and even "brushing teeth". Surely this is cheating yourself into thinking you have more cals to use??

brushing teeth? thats awesome, I hope they are brushing so vigorously they are sweating!

Brushing teeth, haven't seen that yet but I brush 3 times a day, so I've got to be burning something right? haha jk

FearAnLoathing

So I've noticed that people are logging things such as, walking upstairs, walking with an infant, gardening, taking kids to the park, Sex etc as "exercise".

Do people really log all these activities as part of their exercise routine?

I figure if it's a part of my daily life, I wouldnt log it. (I have logged gardening twice in the past month because I have never gardened before in my life!!)

Thats good because no one is telling YOU to log it

Still_Sossy

I do not log it, that can get a bit crazy really. Do you log when you go from the counter to the sink? Wow... I burned 10 calories walking to the hall closet! Daily routines and activies are just that, part of your day. I only log actual workouts, either a walk/run or a program I am doing. IMHO.

swest222

This again?:sick:

You have 2100 posts to my 145, so I take it you've been around a while longer then a month like I have.
My apologies if this has been discussed before. I suppose you could just not respond and skip over the thread

RILEYRED

I THINK PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO THEIR OWN YARDWORK, 3 HOURS AT A TIME, SWEATING YOUR BUTT OFF,OR SCRUBBING YOUR FLOORS HEAVY DUTY CLEANING, AND YES, WALKING YOUR KIDS OR DOG, THAT IS EXERCISE. NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD WORKOUT EQUIPMENT OR GYM MEMBERSHIPS, SO YOU SWEAT ON A TREADMILL ALONE, OR ENJOY YOUR KIDS OR PETS, AND STILL BURN CALORIES,WHO CARES ANYWAYS, TO EACH THEIR OWN,IF YOU LOSE WEIGHT DOING IT, THAT'S WHAT COUNTS.

Kirstie_C26

I THINK PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO THEIR OWN YARDWORK, 3 HOURS AT A TIME, SWEATING YOUR BUTT OFF,OR SCRUBBING YOUR FLOORS HEAVY DUTY CLEANING, AND YES, WALKING YOUR KIDS OR DOG, THAT IS EXERCISE. NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD WORKOUT EQUIPMENT OR GYM MEMBERSHIPS, SO YOU SWEAT ON A TREADMILL ALONE, OR ENJOY YOUR KIDS OR PETS, AND STILL BURN CALORIES,WHO CARES ANYWAYS, TO EACH THEIR OWN,IF YOU LOSE WEIGHT DOING IT, THAT'S WHAT COUNTS.

my thoughts exactly babe xx

Heather75

Some people use "carrying infant or 15lbs" because they are actually walking with a backpack. Gardening can be serious backbreaking work if you are digging new flowerbeds.

You don't actually know what people are logging. Stop judging, please.

SuzieR

My activity level is set to Sedentary. I log my brisk walks to school/bus stop (about 15 minutes each, twice a day) and I did once log some housework but I felt a bit silly doing that so I didn't do it again (log it, I have done the housework! )

I think if I did something strenuous and outside my normal daily activity such as an afternoon digging over the beds in the garden, or clearing out the garage I would log it, but general day to day housework and stuff I'm not going to log.

aamb

if its not a normal daily activity that i HAVE to do..(. ie housework etc) i log it. and each to their own.. if it works for you.. let it be

lsd007

Some people use "carrying infant or 15lbs" because they are actually walking with a backpack. Gardening can be serious backbreaking work if you are digging new flowerbeds.

You don't actually know what people are logging. Stop judging, please.

The orangutan wins again.

swest222

My question was what were everyone's thoughts on it. Now I know. LOL
No judging, to each their own.

kenlad64

I've seen things logged as activity that include "sitting/resting" and "computer" and even "brushing teeth". Surely this is cheating yourself into thinking you have more cals to use??

Brushing teeth, ... LOL

Cristy_AZ

You have 2100 posts to my 145, so I take it you've been around a while longer then a month like I have.
My apologies if this has been discussed before. I suppose you could just not respond and skip over the thread

maybe next time you could try the search option on the forum... it took me a bit to realize it was even there, but it can save you from asking the stuff that 50 million poeple (or so it seems to the people who have to explain things over and over again) have asked before you!!

as far as MY opinion on this subject I log it if it's NOT part of my daily routine (so obviouly I don't log sex).

If I work out in the yard for extended time more than just my daily watering and pulling a few weeds I count it.

I've seen people use the "walking upstairs" as part of their workout, for example a friend on my list walks for I think 40 minutes and 10 minutes of it is walking upstairs, so she combines those two and you'll see it on her page as "including walking upstairs" so yeah, she counts that.

Another point is that some people on here may very obsese and not used to ANY activity so 10 minutes of ANYthing is going to be counted. Whereas someone who is fairly fit and active would need an intense workout to consider logging it. So, I guess you are right, to each their own, and there are definitely valid reasons for you to see those in other people’s logs.

hope that helps. Good luck to you!

thedestar

My activity level is set at lightly active so I don't add stuff like cleaning, or playing with my kid. If I had my activity level set at sedentary I might log those things