shopping as exercise? your thoughts appreciated!

leecee18

Hello! I was just out shopping and running errand for a good two hours today, but for some reason I hesitate to log this as exercise...does anyone log shopping (for clothing, groceries, x-mas gifts, etc.)? And if you do, what do you log it as? All thoughts on the matter appreciated

p.s. feel free to add me as a friend on here...I don't have any yet, though I am on almost every single day since May logging my calories!

smpreston

It's not exercise and just part of a daily routine. No reason to log it. Log only the stuff that is above and beyond your normal activities.

LovingMe19

It's not exercise and just part of a daily routine. No reason to log it. Log only the stuff that is above and beyond your normal activities.

^^^This.

CeeJourney

WELL I PUT ON SNEAKERS ANY TIME I GO SHOPPING/RUN ALOT OF ERRANDS/ WALKING UP THESE HILLS TO GO TO CLASS... I USE THE STAIRS INSTEAD OF ELEVATORS AND I PUT AN EXTRA PEP IN MY STEP... IN OTHERWORDS YES I DO TRACK IT AS EXERCISE

trilikeagirl

If your normal routine is sedentry and you just spent two hours walking I would add it.

rockerbabyy

when i had my activity level as sedentary i would log when i shopped at costco... usually walked over a mile while there. but i recently upped my activity level to lightly active and only count actual exercise, and vigorous yard work

udallmom101

the theory I have is, if I am not grunting, huffing and puffing it is not exercise. That is just the rule I live by. Shopping is fun, but I definitely don't get my heart rate up walking store to store.

YukonJoy

the theory I have is, if I am not grunting, huffing and puffing it is not exercise. That is just the rule I live by. Shopping is fun, but I definitely don't get my heart rate up walking store to store.

My heart rate definitely goes up when I am shopping.

But only when I go into the shoe stores..

MissingMyOldSelf

If your normal routine is sedentry and you just spent two hours walking I would add it.

I agree. Especially, if you're in a multi-level store and you're taking the stairs instead of the escalators. I'd wear an HRM, or a pedometer, and at least log the steps you're taking.

Plus..... ::looks around:: if I see a REALLY HOT, SMOKIN DEAL, my heart rate gets a little fluttery LOL

thirtyandthriving

It's not exercise and just part of a daily routine. No reason to log it. Log only the stuff that is above and beyond your normal activities.

^^^This.

^^^^^This: you will be setting yourself up for failure if you do and eat back your "exercise" calories.

ShrinkingChelle

I think it depends on what you set your normal daily activities, I think for most people shopping would be included in that but if you choose stationary maybe it is considered extra.

MissMollieK

I totally think it can be especially if you are trying on clothes or lifting a lot! If you are doing a hardcore x-mas shopping day where you walk in the malls/stores for lots of hours straight- wear a hrm and just see how much you burn- it may surprise you...I always get sweating when trying stuff on- just a sidenote:)

rockerbabyy

^^^^^This: you will be setting yourself up for failure if you do and eat back your "exercise" calories.

not exactly true for everyone. i ate back my exercise calories when i logged my shopping, and i lost weight just fine.

jonzo21

in all honesty, I wouldn't log it no matter what activity level you put down. I only log whatever breaks a sweat, if its significant to my daily routine. That extra walking around is good for you, consider it a freebie

wolfchild59

Once when I ran really fast paced errands at multiple places for about four hours I burned about as much as if I'd jogged a mile (which takes me about ten minutes). So no, I don't log errand running since I'm rarely speed walking while out and about for that long. A normal evening of errand running, a few stops for about 90 minutes, doesn't net me that many "extra" calories burned over what I burn at home or work.

This is all based off of my actual caloric burn readouts from my BodyMedia Fit data.

leecee18

That is all very helpful, though I am possibly more confused about what to do now than I was before ...thanks though! Once again feel free to add me as a friend if anyone is jonesin' for more MFP's

morganadk2_deleted

If your normal routine is sedentry and you just spent two hours walking I would add it.

This

mcb816

Same here I'm a styling specialist at Guess Jeans and I'm literally running around the store for about 5 hours in heels! It has to count as something!!!

SarabellPlus3

I log and eat back my exercise calories, but no way do I count 'the little stuff." I take a short walk, walking the kids to and from school daily, walking around the grocery store, etc, but that's considered in part of your lifestyle. The base metabolic rate (I may be using the wrong term?), or the number MFP gives you as your daily caloric needs, doesn't assume you're comatose in a bed, surely you're moving around some.
And if you happen to burn an extra 100 calories and not eat them back, it's just a bonus. It's not going to be enough to mess with your system.

mcb816

I just googled it! if you are 150lbs then you are burning approx 156 cals/hr !!

TheBraveryLover

When I go to the mall and shop (usually at least 3-4 hours; I love shopping!) I'll log half the time as walking 2.0 miles an hour (the leisurely walking option). It's usually only once a month or so. I don't log grocery shopping or something like that; only mall shopping. I'm weird like that. LOL

leecee18

That's pretty sweet and I weight a bit more than that so it would be even more cals...
Anywho, I ended up adding half of what I actually did, just because I set my profile to sedentary (which I am not...but some days I am an extreme lounger so I don't ever want to over estimate my BMR...it's a personal mind game I guess.)

I do like the idea of considering it a "bonus" though...next time. haha