Do you log ALL your exercise?

AlwaysWanderer

Even walking? I've got my lifestyle set as sedenary, and I log every exercise, walking included, but it seems like a lot. I walk my dog twice daily for an hour at a time (about 3.5 miles) and have a walk at my lunch break, and thats over 600 cals! and I cycle back from work (19 miles), and have a jog in the morning, and my total comes up to nearly 1500 cal a day... Should I log it all, or ignore the walking?

unique2myself

I would log everything for accuracy purposes.

anulle2009

I log if i am in Walmart walking around. As far as work though. i walk a good distance for the bathroom, to clock in, clock out to get to my car, things like that i do not log. but honestly i spend no less than 30 mins in a walmart when i go grocery shopping!

MissAnjy

I would set yourself as lightly active and that way the majority of that walking is covered in your daily calorie allowance already.

billsica

That is a lot of walking! I don't log things like walking to take out the trash. I think the rule of thumb is anything that raises your heart rate should be logged. . That also doesn't mean you have to force yourself to eat all those calories your getting too.

maemiller

log it!!

erickirb

Even walking? I've got my lifestyle set as sedenary, and I log every exercise, walking included, but it seems like a lot. I walk my dog twice daily for an hour at a time (about 3.5 miles) and have a walk at my lunch break, and thats over 600 cals! and I cycle back from work (19 miles), and have a jog in the morning, and my total comes up to nearly 1500 cal a day... Should I log it all, or ignore the walking?

I would suggest changing your activity level. The reason for this is if you do something ofter your body does it more effectively and burns less calories doing it. So if you add up all your exercise and get 1500, that is assuming you are working, not that it is normal, most likely, if you do this everyday, you will burn half that amount. The human body is great at adapting and unfortunately it adapts to activity and burns less doing it once it becomes "normal". So either eat 1/2 back or change your activity level up to active. Regardless how you calculate you will need more fuel than you would for a sedentary lifestyle. or as another poster said, change to light active, and only log intended exercise where you push yourself. the activity level should take care of the walking.

jbucci1186

i have mine set to very active and just don't log in what i do at work (lots of walking and heavy lifting). also, my doctor said that if you exercise every day, you would be considered very active. i don't like the descriptions MFP uses (ie. very active=bike messenger or something? i think it's misleading)

Pril2000

If you have your activity level set to sedentary, then you can log all of your exercise and it won't hinder you. I don't always log my walks. I walk to get lunch at work and I walk to the grocery store or the bakery or whatever. I don't really drive at all. I don't log all of my walking unless I'm going over on my calories. Then I'll log it just to see if I really am over or if I'm just over because I didn't log the walking. :happy:

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I log everything over a mile.

AlwaysWanderer

i have mine set to very active and just don't log in what i do at work (lots of walking and heavy lifting). also, my doctor said that if you exercise every day, you would be considered very active. i don't like the descriptions MFP uses (ie. very active=bike messenger or something? i think it's misleading)

I'm an accountant, so most of my day is spent by my desk...

redheadmommy

I don't, but I only set my weight loss goal for 1 lb per week, so my calorie intake is 1650 / per day.
I do log anything where I break a sweat, but I don't usually log slow peace walking. I think I only logged my dog walking once, because it was really a brisk walk.
However I usually walk with my 2.5 yr old, and it is incredible slow. Sometimes he gets tired and i end up finishing the walk with the 35 lb toddler on my shoulder, then I log it.

jbucci1186

yeah i just changed mine to active bc now i'm paranoid

Heatherbledsoe

i log everything, even walking and group exercise or personal training, so i know how much TIME i exercised, even if i dont know calorie burn, it still helps reinforce that im doing what im supposed to be doing. and also it shows everyone else im working hard

erickirb

i have mine set to very active and just don't log in what i do at work (lots of walking and heavy lifting). also, my doctor said that if you exercise every day, you would be considered very active. i don't like the descriptions MFP uses (ie. very active=bike messenger or something? i think it's misleading)

MFP does not want you to take into account exercise in your activity level in the case you don't go to the gym or do your exercise that day, if that is the case you would eat well over maintenance on a day that you don't workout if you rely on activity level.

poptastic

If you regularly walk every day, I wouldn't say your lifestyle is sedentary. I'd change it to active, and just log the exercise that gets your heart rate up. I assume that walking probably doesn't do that if you're a regular walker.

ClareB1974

I log anything over about a mile that I deliberately do as exercise rather than part of my normal routine. I would log the long walks I do, but I wouldn't log trudging round the shops for 3 hours. I log all my 'proper' walking as I do a 2 mile walk after dropping the children at school and anywhere between 5 and 9 miles at lunchtime. I do this 5 days a week. I log it as my heart rate is increased as it's mostly up hill and I push hard to go as quick as I can. As my time gets quicker, I add in some extra distance.

I see what people are saying about changing the lifestyle setting, but my weight is coming off at a really good rate and nice and steadily with the way I am doing it. If that changes, I will of course re-evaluate things!

I do change my 'extras' exercise (ie not walking) every four weeks or so as my body does seem to stop responding to that, but the walking stays. I am currently starting the 30DS, I'm thinking I may give weights a try after that or maybe something a bit easier like yoga or pilates as the children will be off school and I think the de-stressing aspect would be invaluable!

ClareB1974

i have mine set to very active and just don't log in what i do at work (lots of walking and heavy lifting). also, my doctor said that if you exercise every day, you would be considered very active. i don't like the descriptions MFP uses (ie. very active=bike messenger or something? i think it's misleading)

MFP does not want you to take into account exercise in your activity level in the case you don't go to the gym or do your exercise that day, if that is the case you would eat well over maintenance on a day that you don't workout if you rely on activity level.

That's another reason I don't change my lifestyle setting - if it's torrential rain, I'm not dragging the dog round muddy fields for 3 hours!

VickiMitkins

I don't log all of my exercize. I walk the dog 30-40 minutes every morning and yoga many days. I consider those activities of daily living and don't log them, just like I would not log doing the dishes at night or light house work. I set my activily level at lightly active to take those calories into account. I do log all of my gym exercize and any extra dog walks, heavy cleaning, yard work or even a marathon shopping session, since those would be in addition to my normal daily activity.

ShaeDetermined

i only log what causes me to break a sweat.
i dont log running after my kids, running up and down with laundry, raking, mopping, sweeping, taking out the garbage, grocery shopping, walking to the bank, post office, etc

i keep my activity level on sedentary, but maybe you should up yours to active or lightly active.

sass30

If i don't strap on the HRM for it then i don't log it. I walk a lot at work as well as walking a lot on my breaks at work and I usually sweat while I am doing it but I don't log it. I walk the dog, don't log it.