Venting a little read at your own risk!! lol

ladyhawk00

If you were in my area, I would challenge you to strap another 150 lbs on your body then come push mow my lawn and tell me it's not a workout. Or do my 35 minute neighborhood walk in 95 degree heat. Or do 20 minutes of step aerobics on the wii. I don't care what age you are... all the extra pounds make these things a challenge. Washing the car, to you, may mean just a rinse with a garden hose. Some of us are out there with rags, a bucket, and a scrub brush and it IS a work out for your arms.

Just because our actions have a practical purpose along with exercise doesn't make them less worthy of caloric replacement.

35min walk is great!!! And i bet things are harder to do when you got extra 150lbs on you... but as you stated... you still push yourself for a 35min walk and a 20min aerobics, instead of some that are logging a 10min walk for the day and thats it...

Seems some don't have common sense; YEAH of cores if you are in a wheel chair then yes its an accomplishment to even walk for 10min. But some of you are more than capable of doing more than just cleaning a house... <----Those are the people that this is pointed towards.

Just seems that its regular everyday thing for every person, work, walk, clean, and burn calories through out the day naturally.. damn our bodies burn 30% of calories that we intake just to digest them, if we put in every couple calories we burn and keep our daily routine the same then whats the point... we need to add things that we don't usually do to burn those extra calories...

If all of us wore the HRM n counted every calorie we burned... damn some of us would be packing on weight like theres no tomorrow because of the calories we are burning and eating back...

as for the spelling teachers here... its a forum don't have time to spell check every word for you that i write and i think my English is pretty damn good considering its my 4th language...

I want to mention here that, while I of course encourage exercise (of any kind) for all manner of health and wellness benefits, MFP is designed to help people lose weight WITH or WITHOUT exercise.

Exercise is NOT required for weight loss. You can easily lose weight without exercise, if you control intake.

MFP was designed with the idea that many people can't exercise regularly, or at all, due to physical limitations or time or any number of reasons. They also recognized that most people set up an exercise plan with great intentions; but, as we all know, that's not necessarily what actually happens every day. So they built the site to allow for weight loss with or without exercise.

MFP is different than many calorie counters/weight loss programs, or the way that many trainers set up a plan. These other plans take your “intended exercise” and use that to create a deficit, keeping your daily cal goal static. Therefore, with other plans, you would not replace calories you burn through exercise. MFP is different and you CANNOT compare them, unless you’re prepared to do some calculations to get apples vs. apples and not apples vs. oranges. MFP creates a BUILT IN CALORIE DEFICIT, based on your loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. So when you log exercise, cals are added back in to keep that deficit stable. And what activity/exercise should be logged is entirely dependent on the person's activity level setting and overall fitness level. For some people, that means logging a 10 minute walk. For others, that's not appropriate. Calories burned need to be accounted for as accurately as possible in some manner, just as intake is. For many people who lead a largely sedentary lifestyle (whether by necessity for a job or by preference), that means logging simple activities as "exercise".

Obviously, exercise is good for you. But if someone is making ANY effort to improve their health through getting to/maintaining a healthy weight, whether they exercise or not, then they are on the right path and should be commended and encouraged. Many people have no desire to "exercise" regularly, or to ever visit a gym, or ever go for a run. And that's ok. Because that's their choice. Your goals and lifestyle may not be the same as other people. But that doesn't make yours better or theirs any less valid. :flowerforyou:

lkirchner82

I don't worry about the fact that you can't spell, so please don't worry about how I log my activity.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

ladyhawk00

Also, I want to add in a reminder here for everyone: Please follow forum rules at all times.

4) Do not attack/slam/insult other users. The forums are here so that members can help support one another. Attacks or insults against each other takes away from the supportive atmosphere and will not be tolerated. You can discuss the message or topic, but not the messenger - NO EXCEPTIONS. If you are attacked by another user, and you reciprocate, YOU will also be subject to the same consequences. Defending yourself, defending a friend, etc. are NOT excuses. Violations of this rule are taken very seriously and may result in being banned without warning! If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. If you feel a post is inappropriate, please use the Report Post link under the post and a moderator will look into it.

Debate, discussion and voicing opinions is great and encouraged. But there's no need for insults or name-calling. Please keep it respectful and on topic.

Thank you for your cooperation. :flowerforyou:
Ladyhawk00
MyFitnessPal Forum Moderator

GaveUp

I agree with you on some points but you are only 21 and as you age it gets harder and you have less mobility... you will see I promise you. Now on the other hand adding cleaning, driving stuff like I see sometimes, I don't agree with that because we were cleaning and all that stuff before we started losing weight. Cleaning my house never helped me lose weight lol.....

For the people that have limited mobility or don't have the time (women) that have kids and a job and cook & clean for the man.. If they can even squeeze 30 minutes of walking in is a blessing.

Most importantly losing weight is 80% food not exercise. For us who want to become fit... go for it. For others that just want to keep there BP or cholesterol down half hour a day is ok.

Talk is kinda cheap when you are a kid.... be real

JNick77

Wow, touchy subject... The OP makes a small point but at the same time there are people here of various fitness levels. People that make excuses about exercising and consider a walk to the kitchen and back exercise... well that's no good. But for some people getting up and taking a 10 minute walk outside is a good start and at least better than nothing. It's like taking the stairs at work versus the elevator, it's not much but better than nothing. Different stroke for different folks.

GaveUp

If you were in my area, I would challenge you to strap another 150 lbs on your body then come push mow my lawn and tell me it's not a workout. Or do my 35 minute neighborhood walk in 95 degree heat. Or do 20 minutes of step aerobics on the wii. I don't care what age you are... all the extra pounds make these things a challenge. Washing the car, to you, may mean just a rinse with a garden hose. Some of us are out there with rags, a bucket, and a scrub brush and it IS a work out for your arms.

Just because our actions have a practical purpose along with exercise doesn't make them less worthy of caloric replacement.

35min walk is great!!! And i bet things are harder to do when you got extra 150lbs on you... but as you stated... you still push yourself for a 35min walk and a 20min aerobics, instead of some that are logging a 10min walk for the day and thats it...

Seems some don't have common sense; YEAH of cores if you are in a wheel chair then yes its an accomplishment to even walk for 10min. But some of you are more than capable of doing more than just cleaning a house... <----Those are the people that this is pointed towards.

Just seems that its regular everyday thing for every person, work, walk, clean, and burn calories through out the day naturally.. damn our bodies burn 30% of calories that we intake just to digest them, if we put in every couple calories we burn and keep our daily routine the same then whats the point... we need to add things that we don't usually do to burn those extra calories...

If all of us wore the HRM n counted every calorie we burned... damn some of us would be packing on weight like theres no tomorrow because of the calories we are burning and eating back...

as for the spelling teachers here... its a forum don't have time to spell check every word for you that i write and i think my English is pretty damn good considering its my 4th language...
[/quote]

HRM are not meant to be worn all day, just during exercise. MFP calculates what you would burn normally if you are less active or sedentary. I really hope people don't wear them all day.
Oh and you are a cocky kid aren't you! You will change that with age or a few slams LOL

GaveUp

Sorry i guess just saw couple people that were logging 10min walks that could walk 10miles instead...

but for those that have had surgical problems, have medical issues etc yeah a 10min walk is excellent!!!! You would be exception but those of you also have to understand that there is people that will abuse those phrases...

I have EXTREMLY strong lower back pain from a car accident when i was 16(2 years of therapy massage and chyropractor).. still have the pain.. doesnt stop me, i just make sure im careful with my back, stretch good, do hyper extensions and light lower back exercises and my backs getting better. Had strong left shoulder pain before too now its gone after lifting and training..

It's okay that for some its a "BIIIG" job to clean a house.. or rinse off a car... but its not something you have to logg in as exercise.. as it is not.

oh as previous poster said... theres alot of old people, i see a 70's lady who walks in the gym and lifts weights! and it looks likes shes struggling to get from one machine to another yet shes still there to keep her health up! Theres one old man i talk to hes 68 and the guy is about 5'10 and he can outlift me on almost everyting! he is a monster at his age.

Wait until you hit 50 and you will see the difference. I also have back problems and I never let it stop me when I was even 30.... I go as hard as I can when I work out... and do all the stretching blah blah.... Things hurt more at 50 then 20 come on.

And these older people that are fit I know a few..... deal with pain in there joints all the time just to do what they can do. Your whole life will change by the time you are 68 or 70..... geez even by 35

IrishEyesRSmiling

Until you have walked a mile in someone elses shoes you shouldn't judge! Are you overweight?? Or are you trying to gain muscle mass?? Because until you weigh 300lbs and try jogging or running you wouldn't necessarily understand the set backs that some of us face. And for all of those people out there trying their level best, keep up the good work. Rome wasn't built in a day, we didn't get to where we are overnight and we can't expect it to be gone that quickly. If you feel that you have accomplished something, log it! Getting on the treadmill everyday isn't easy, but I try and think of it as something I am doing for myself, some me time. No matter how long I am on there. I have been at this for just over a month and have lost 13lbs so far, alot of that just in water drinking and changing my eating habits. My goal is to get on that treadmill everyday and I am working up to that, but it is difficult. And other than household chores and working on my feet everyday, I try and count unusual activity, stuff that I wouldn't normaly have had energy for in the past. And I can only hope that someday I will be able to go for a 2hr walk and feel great about it on every level.

Keep up the good work everyone.

StevLL

Really??

It felt more like a rant than a venting. Maybe you could've just said "It drives you nuts when folks complain about losing and they don't really watch what they eat or log enough excercise" Kind of your rant in a nutshell, but with much less unecessary opinion.

I'm one of those 340+ folks who works out and at first logged things like raking and digging in the garden and such, but as I lost weight and my stamina returned I changed my activity level and now only log my workouts. I have to say though that if you do a solid arm, shoulder or leg workout and then do the "trainer" Wii boxing for 20 mins you are going to be sweating and have a serious burn going on in your shoulders. It's a great workout and great way to slowly bring down your heart rate and cool down without just stopping. As for things like raking and such. My wife has MS and we are cleaning up our five acres which have gone unattended for the last three years and ya it's a workout. I don't log my yardwork, but could easily. This past weekend I carried 18 railroad ties about 150' to line our arena which butts up to our garden and at 200+lbs that was a workout. But then I'm pushing 50 these days and when I was 21 I was invincible and intolerant of others too. I am happy you are in such exceptional health and I hope it stays that way for you.

Honestly I am an atrocious speller, but I have to say, please don't tell me you speak four languages and can't spell "lose" or "course", or "says", or well, you get the point.

Gary1977

this post is judgmental and in very bad taste ..just my opinion...your telling people they shouldnt try? even if they are doing less than what you deem fit and appropriate?..good luck in your journey I sure hope you dont have anyone tell you that you need to be doing 3miles more than you currently are.....perhaps your rant is just that a rant that stems from within...I personally dont eat back my calories so I dont have a need to log smaller workout sessions on a daily basis....but really is telling people the little bit they are doing is useless going to help?

Well said **Like**:drinker:

Gary1977

Until you have walked a mile in someone elses shoes you shouldn't judge! Are you overweight?? Or are you trying to gain muscle mass?? Because until you weigh 300lbs and try jogging or running you wouldn't necessarily understand the set backs that some of us face. And for all of those people out there trying their level best, keep up the good work. Rome wasn't built in a day, we didn't get to where we are overnight and we can't expect it to be gone that quickly. If you feel that you have accomplished something, log it! Getting on the treadmill everyday isn't easy, but I try and think of it as something I am doing for myself, some me time. No matter how long I am on there. I have been at this for just over a month and have lost 13lbs so far, alot of that just in water drinking and changing my eating habits. My goal is to get on that treadmill everyday and I am working up to that, but it is difficult. And other than household chores and working on my feet everyday, I try and count unusual activity, stuff that I wouldn't normaly have had energy for in the past. And I can only hope that someday I will be able to go for a 2hr walk and feel great about it on every level.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Love this post as well! :drinker:

Gary1977

I'm glad to see a lot of people disagreed with this rant.

MilisaMote

well you did say read at your own risk ... I thought maybe it was someone needing encouragement ... I so wish I hadnt looked at your post. It is very discouraging to someone like myself.

You know those things you say arent good exercises ... like the 10 min walk or mowing the yard or cleaning the house, Wii Games ... Yes these are all things I have posted ... and until this post I was proud of myslef. Due to a back injury and a pinched nerve in back and knees that rub bone against bone because of a car accident ... I have been immobilized for a while. So those things you put down as not exercise are things that work for me. Those are things that get my heart rate up ... those are things that leave me sore for days sometimes weeks. yes it is because I am out od shape but I am trying... You walk a mile in my shoes and I am sure you will rethink you vent.

Lyadeia

well you did say read at your own risk ... I thought maybe it was someone needing encouragement ... I so wish I hadnt looked at your post. It is very discouraging to someone like myself.

You know those things you say arent good exercises ... like the 10 min walk or mowing the yard or cleaning the house, Wii Games ... Yes these are all things I have posted ... and until this post I was proud of myslef. Due to a back injury and a pinched nerve in back and knees that rub bone against bone because of a car accident ... I have been immobilized for a while. So those things you put down as not exercise are things that work for me. Those are things that get my heart rate up ... those are things that leave me sore for days sometimes weeks. yes it is because I am out od shape but I am trying... You walk a mile in my shoes and I am sure you will rethink you vent.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, and there were many more before you who posted things like this...

I just wanted to add that I honestly don't think the O/P was talking about people such as yourself. There are people who are otherwise normal and healthy and quite capable of doing much more than they do...yet only log the easiest things. It would be like someone like me who has done P90X multiple times going and logging house cleaning simply so I can get a few more calories in my snack. That would certainly be cheating myself out of good exercise in exchange for a junk food snack. And I honestly do think that is what the O/P was talking about. If you CAN do a mile jog, then why use that time simply for a leisurely walk when you know that the jog would burn more calories? But if your legs/hips/ankles/whatever won't allow you to jog, then of course the walk is excellent as we need to challenge ourselves with those things we are able to do!

At least I would hope that he wouldn't put down people like yourself who have had injuries that limit the amount of strenuous exercise that can safely be done.

HeidiMightyRawr

While I agree with you to some extent (I'm sure a few people class just about anything as exercise to bump up cals) those people are only cheating themselves. The majority, maybe thats all they can do?
If before they joined MFP all they were doing was sitting on the couch all day every day it's better than before.. They probably have their lifestyle set to "sedentary" so all the little things are big changes to them. They walk ten minutes? it's definately more than before. Wii boxing can also bring up quite a sweat apparantly.

Also, some people may be counting it as certain things as the actual "exercise" is not in the database and they don't have a HRM.
I work 3x times a week, on my feet for 5-6 hours continuously carrying sometimes really heavy stuff about, it's fast paced and I'd definatinately say its physical work.
I used to have my settings as sedentary, and log my work as cleaning (light cleaning, so was never an overestimate) I also logged when I walked into town (20 minutes) as that sure isn't sedentary. I'm sure a few people probably thought I was just cleaning the house, but nobody really knows unless they ask.
Now I have a HRM though, so to make it simpler and more accurate I have my settings as "active" and only count specific workouts. I was walking to town and back every day (uphill back) sometimes twice over when I had work so it gets a bit hard to estimate all that as workouts.

Mairgheal

Ive been reading a bit on how people are "trying" to loose weight and i guess what they call "exercise". And i think it is just pointless and ridiculous that people are adding things like
-Washing car
-Cleaning
-a 10min walk
-Mowing the grass
-Wii boxing :S (have you seen anyone get ripped off playing video games for 30min? and do you really think that you burn what the game sais?)

Like seriously you guys is it going to get to the extent that you will be punching in your calorie burn for every time you stand up and sit down to walk to the toilet and back??? move your hand to flip a channel? All those things are just everyday things that people do!!!

I haven't read ANY replies yet (will do in a moment, need to go toilet first - how many cals can I log for that? :laugh: ), but I can imagine what some of them will be.

I agree with you anyway. I was laughing out loud recently when a MFP-friend logged 20 mins ironing as a workout. COME ON!!

lisa_lotte

wow..... soooo... errmm...... So the weather (here at least) is a bit misreable today :ohwell:

dad106

i read all the replies and I have to agree.. what you sated was rude and un-called for. We're all here to support each other.. not tear each other down and act like we're better because we think that we know the right way to do things and everyone must listen too us.

With that being said, not a lot people have the luxury of walking to a shopping area and buying clothes. Not a lot people have time for a 45 min walk( I know that if I was walking on the treadmill for 45 min I'd be bored as hell!). It's about what gets you moving and what gets you motivated. If for some its playing Wii Boxing, then so be it. If for some its mowing the lawn, then let them count that. For all you know, they are counting it and not eating all them back

Also, I hate running. Absolutely despise it.. and if you ask me to do it, I will stand there and flat out refuse. If your trying to tell me that my 30 min daily walks(which has led me lose 20 pounds) aren't doing anything, then your wrong. Walking is a very good form of exercise and for some, the only thing that they can do. You should be congratulating those people.. not bashing them.

For the record, I'm 23.. only 2 years older then the op. It makes me very embarrassed for my age group that someone would have the audacity to post that and to spell like that. You're an adult.. please start acting like one.

44isthenew29

bump

Danthewatcher

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Ladyhawk...I like you! :bigsmile:
:flowerforyou: