Calories burned while grocery shopping

klfazio

Ok, I have a funny question. Do you think calories burned during grocery shopping should be counted? Let me explain......I'm beginning to discover if I don't eat back all or most of my exercise calories my weight loss stalls, but it sure is hard to estimate calories burned for certain activities. I just came home from shopping. I was in the store 1 hour and 15 minutes, pushing around a very heavy cart, loaded all the groceries in the cart, took them all out of the cart ( to be checked out), then loaded them into the car, then upstairs once at my house, then put them all away. Probably at least 20 bags, some very heavy. Just seems that calorie burn should be included....what do you think? And any idea how to even figure out how many cals I burned......there is nothing similar on MFP.

Thanks much!
Kim : )

TheDWAJ

75 minutes light walking
15 minutes weight training

I think that would be a good estimate

Anywhere between 75-150 calories burned wouldn't seem that high.

britishstar41

I agree. I do MAJOR grocery shopping once a month (instead of shopping weekly like most people) and I always end up feeling like I had a workout.

KBrenOH

I start my pedometer when I go to the store so I can get a gauge as to what I burn because it's never a "quick" trip. As for the weight lifting aspect of it though, I never count that really.

natskedat

Instead of counting everyday activites individually, try increasing your MFP activity level. Your calorie alottment will increase accordingly.

Good luck!

kellyscomeback

I don't log it, it's part of my monthly routine and I'd rather log things that are out of my norm.

ladybg81

My thought process is that I only count things as exercise if it was something I did not do when I was fat. So, I still went grocery shopping when I was fat, so doing that "exercise" did not help me lose then so I am not counting it now.

I only count the things I do extra (i.e real exercise) to help me maintain me goal weight.

HTH.

atomdraco

I do that too, but I never count that. Main reason for me is regardless how long the shopping is, it doesn't raise my heart rate enough to be consider counting. Just eat your other exercise calories (including gardening, cause I found out, with HRM, it does raise my heart rate when I'm digging around, etc)

stanvoodoo

No, not exercise! Only time dedicated to exercise should be counted. Not daily activities, even if only once a month, the body is used to this and expects you to burn those calories.

Better safe than overeating!

Good Luck!

vold94

I don't log it, it's part of my monthly routine and I'd rather log things that are out of my norm.

I agree. On the other hand. I did log a shopping trip I did twice this weekend, but only as the walking. That was just because I spent 4 hours one day and over 7 hours the other day shopping, walking. I don't normally do that, so it was out of the norm for me. But as for grocery shopping and stuff like that, I don't log!

Rae6503

Instead of counting everyday activites individually, try increasing your MFP activity level. Your calorie alottment will increase accordingly.

Good luck!

This. If you don't think you are allotted enough calories without logging things like grocery store trips try upping your activity level. Mine is at lightly active even though I have a desk job due to all the extra activity I do at home on the weekends, and the walks I take at lunch, walking to my car, etc.

garreltsnk

My thought process is that I only count things as exercise if it was something I did not do when I was fat. So, I still went grocery shopping when I was fat, so doing that "exercise" did not help me lose then so I am not counting it now.

I only count the things I do extra (i.e real exercise) to help me maintain me goal weight.

HTH.
[I have to agree to that]

Corinnamo

I logged it as walking at a slow pace, 2.0 mph, because it's not something I do daily. I know I burn calories doing everyday activities but I don't log everything I doall day because I see it as normal daily activity. Grocery shopping is not normal daily activity.

terijoestoes

I log big things in every day life like cleaning to the walls and 20 to 25 bag grocery shopping because i don't eat back my calories. I am eating a lot less than when I did these same things in the past.

Sherbog

Is grocery shopping something you just started when you joined MFP? If not then it seems like it would be included in your normal routine. Like cleaning the house, washing the car, cleaning the rain gutters, etc. But hey if recording it works for you then record it.

I only record specific time set aside for exercise that is additon to my monthly routine.

Shirley in Oregon

DavPul

NO

mishmash73

absolutely not. you burn a certain amount of calories hourly anyway. yes you are probably burning more than sitting on the couch but where do you draw the line?? start counting going up stairs, vacuuming, etc. I would only count it when your heart rate is elevate for 20 min or so like in a workout.

super_monty

I wear 2 HRMs they both confirmed that when picking up and returning a tin of non-dolphin friendly tuna to the self I burned 0.2 calories.

vtmoon

My thought process is that I only count things as exercise if it was something I did not do when I was fat. So, I still went grocery shopping when I was fat, so doing that "exercise" did not help me lose then so I am not counting it now.

I only count the things I do extra (i.e real exercise) to help me maintain me goal weight.

HTH.

This here captured it well. You did this when you weighed more and it didn't do much so why count it now.

Cait_Sidhe

No. Only log them if you are planning on plateauing because you've overestimated how many calories to eat back. Grocery shopping is not an exercise.

Gail3260

Each to their own.......my activity level is set at sedentary because I sit at a desk to work.....doing the weekly shop for four people including loading and unloading the car is activity so I log it. Lifting those 4x2litre packs of diet coke several times feels like activity to me!!