We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

recording exercise...

caribeals
caribeals Posts: 105 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
hi! when you guys record your exercises for the day, do you only record the actual exercise or include other physical activites you did for the day? i.e. grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. these items are listed in the exercise section, but i'm not sure if i should include it while logging everything in for the day. thanks!

Replies

  • caribeals
    caribeals Posts: 105 Member
    hi! when you guys record your exercises for the day, do you only record the actual exercise or include other physical activites you did for the day? i.e. grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. these items are listed in the exercise section, but i'm not sure if i should include it while logging everything in for the day. thanks!
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    I only record actual exercise -a DVD, treadmill- and only if I get my heart rate up.
  • nibor
    nibor Posts: 57 Member
    I only record the actual exercises I do. If I do heavy housework, I'll add that in, but normal everyday activity I don't.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I'm sure there are lots of opinions on this, but here's mine.

    Anything I do every day is "activity".

    Anything I don't do every day is exercise. . .but (and this is huge) it must be vigorous. For example, I count housecleaning. That's because I don't (definitely don't) do it everyday. . .and I wear my HRM while I do it, and I'm moving fast enough (like sprinting from room to room or dancing while vacuuming) to elevate my heart rate. I don't count a leisurely walk, but if I walk for twenty minutes as fast as I can, I log it.

    I think a big trap here is counting every little thing. . .and then eating it all back. Window shopping doesn't buy you calories, sadly.:flowerforyou:
  • NikkiDerrig386
    NikkiDerrig386 Posts: 1,096 Member
    I am sorry but I dont find things like that as additional pyshical activity. I think that is a little bit of cheating. Those are daily things that have to be done. I say if you want better results do not include them.
  • dothompson
    dothompson Posts: 1,184 Member
    Generally only the exercise. MFP figures in averages for normal daily activity based upon the activity level in your profile.

    That being said, if I do something active and out of the ordinary. ie: extremely heavy housework or yardwork, then I might count some calories.
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
    Exercise only. Everything else is part of my "lighty active" lifestyle:bigsmile:
  • sassyredgirl
    sassyredgirl Posts: 162 Member
    Exercise only. Everything else is part of my "lighty active" lifestyle:bigsmile:
    Ditto! :tongue:
  • exercise onlyyy :smile:
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I'm sure there are lots of opinions on this, but here's mine.

    Anything I do every day is "activity".

    Anything I don't do every day is exercise. . .but (and this is huge) it must be vigorous. For example, I count housecleaning. That's because I don't (definitely don't) do it everyday. . .and I wear my HRM while I do it, and I'm moving fast enough (like sprinting from room to room or dancing while vacuuming) to elevate my heart rate. I don't count a leisurely walk, but if I walk for twenty minutes as fast as I can, I log it.

    I think a big trap here is counting every little thing. . .and then eating it all back. Window shopping doesn't buy you calories, sadly.:flowerforyou:

    I should add that I have my activity level as "sedentary." Where you set your activity level is important in figuring this out.
This discussion has been closed.