Logging exercise for absurd things

spookystitches

I say whatever works for them. lol Usually I don't log cleaning, but if I had to scrub the floor by hand, I'd sure as heck log that.

I did use "cleaning - light, general" the other day just as a sort of marker to estimate some calories burned. WTF are you supposed to list "taking down christmas lights" as? It was definately a work out climbing all over the place and I was doing it for hours. LOL

lisaelainee

Once again I was only questioning, and like I have said over and over it is basically cheating because mfc already takes the day to day daily things into consideration.

I log anything that makes me sweat. That includes gardening and vigorous cleaning (unfortunately neither is done very often!)

I don't get why it would bother you, to be honest. Everyone's different. Doesn't mean there's a right way and a wrong way.

psiren28

Usually no, I only log what I consider to be exercise 'extra' to what I normally do in a day such as walking for exercise, not walking to the shops, work etc. However I did log my work once. I'd been out for a meal and had way over my calorie allowance and figured, hey, I did the work, why not? 4 hours of cleaning: making beds, scrubbing baths, cleaning windows etc. Just out of interest, lets see what I burn in my normal day's work. It was quite surprising!

Personally, I think when people log small things, they're just curious as to how much everyday activities burn.

I don't do this all the time because I don't see the point for myself, I did it once out of interest, but if someone logs everything, so what? If it works for them then so be it. I have no idea what their reasons are so it's not my place to make a judgement.

I do agree that logging everything just to be able to eat more is counter-productive. And if this is the reason then they'll soon find out that it doesn't work. However, I really don't think most people do it for this reason because, well, that'd be daft!

tycholien

Slightly related but reading this and another similar post I am somewhat confused and maybe someone can explain.

I spend my day sat on my backside at a desk using a computer. So, from looking at the options on the site I have chosen my activity level as "Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)".

Exercise wise I run 6 days a week and I got the gym 3 times a week.

I am getting the impression that I shouldn't be classing myself as sedentary, but that is what the guide implies.

What is the situation?

Thanks

lisaelainee

You are Sedentary, just log the time you exercise

Slightly related but reading this and another similar post I am somewhat confused and maybe someone can explain.

I spend my day sat on my backside at a desk using a computer. So, from looking at the options on the site I have chosen my activity level as "Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)".

Exercise wise I run 6 days a week and I got the gym 3 times a week.

I am getting the impression that I shouldn't be classing myself as sedentary, but that is what the guide implies.

What is the situation?

Thanks

castadiva

Once again I was only questioning, and like I have said over and over it is basically cheating because mfc already takes the day to day daily things into consideration.

Where do you get the impression that day-to-day activity is taken into consideration from? MFP considers what the body needs to keep functioning on a biological level, in setting calorie goals, but I'm not so sure it factors in much activity if your activity level is set at Sedentary...

monkeymouse74

I only log planned exercise. I dont log incidental exercise. I do understand that if you are unwell or in some way crippled etc that some of the things logged would apply, but I work really hard on my exercise and eating, so if someone who is NOT unwell etc loggs their weekly grocery shop etc I just dont comment.

I'm also tired of hearing all the excuses! I am a severe brittle asthmatic, I spent a month in intesive care on life support after an asthma attack, where I was given a drug to paralise my muscles so I wouldn'tt fight the pipes. When I came around,I had to learn everything from scratch from walking again to even feeding myself. I also had a motorbike accident where I broke my left femur, fib, tib multiple fractures every 5 cm down my leg, broke my pelvis and my hip. I still exercise hard! I dont make excuses if I dont do the work for the day, I dont log anything! Find something you can do, I swim at the moment and I'm adding other things as I go.When I was learning to use my body again all I did to start with was lift each arm 10 times every hour. I could have just lay there and felt sorry for myself, but I did'nt and now I have full function of my body in less than 6 months!

So if you always used to do certain things, set your activity level higher, and strive to do more. You only cheat yourself by putting in exercise that doesn't help you get to your goal. And for all those of you who will freak out at me after this post, remember I am NOT talking about people who are in some way crippled/injured or ill, I'm talking about people who are more than capable of doing other exercise.

aiwich

I once saw someone asking how to log an anxiety attack. I'm not sure if she wanted an excuse to eat back the many, many calories she thought she burned while freaking out.

:noway:

lisaelainee

If the persons daily activity isn't sedentary then it isn't sedentary.
That would be their fault for logging it wrong

Once again I was only questioning, and like I have said over and over it is basically cheating because mfc already takes the day to day daily things into consideration.

Where do you get the impression that day-to-day activity is taken into consideration from? MFP considers what the body needs to keep functioning on a biological level, in setting calorie goals, but I'm not so sure it factors in much activity if your activity level is set at Sedentary...

gtfcnat

I don't wash my car every week, and when I do wash my car I spend around an hour doing it - washing it, cleaning the wheels, drying it off. So why I shouldn't I log that as exercise?
When the weather gets better I will probably be spending 2 or 3 hours doing it, as it will need polishing and waxing as well.

lisaelainee

Never said you couldn't. Things that require quite a lot of effort is okay, but putting out the trash and logging one or two minutes isn't IMO.

I don't wash my car every week, and when I do wash my car I spend around an hour doing it - washing it, cleaning the wheels, drying it off. So why I shouldn't I log that as exercise?
When the weather gets better I will probably be spending 2 or 3 hours doing it, as it will need polishing and waxing as well.

efwolfcub

I delete people that overlog, may sound harsh but I just come from the gym for a hour where I only burned 300 calories working my *kitten* off I dont want to come log it and see "so and so had burned 678 calories cleaning- light-moderate for 30 mins" ect... Bums me out lol

Think about this for a minute - the person who burned 600 calories from cleaning the house has a HELL of a lot farther to go than you do for weight loss. I started over 300 lbs - at that weight, walking 3mph for 90 minutes was over 750 calories. now its down quite a bit. Tiny little people who are stressing over 2 pounds or 2 inches annoy me and bum me out a lot more than the guy who's struggling to make a life changing (and life-SAVING) move to responsible & healthy living.

castadiva

If the persons daily activity isn't sedentary then it isn't sedentary.
That would be their fault for logging it wrong

Once again I was only questioning, and like I have said over and over it is basically cheating because mfc already takes the day to day daily things into consideration.

Where do you get the impression that day-to-day activity is taken into consideration from? MFP considers what the body needs to keep functioning on a biological level, in setting calorie goals, but I'm not so sure it factors in much activity if your activity level is set at Sedentary...

I don't think you understood my question. What I was asking is where you got the idea from that MFP factors in most day-to-day activity when setting goals? As far as I can tell, the major thing that MFP considers is what level of intake your body needs to remain functional, biologically. It then takes into account the level of activity you tell it you have. If you set it at sedentary, the assumption must be that you have very little activity in your day-to-day life, not least because MFP often sets a net goal of 1200 for 'sedentary' lifestyles, which is the number below which most people would agree you shouldn't go on a regular basis. If MFP was assuming that even sedentary lifestyles involved a lot of vigorous or semi-vigorous day-to-day activity, this goal would need to be higher to be safe, long term.

fteale

I very much doubt people always log exactly what they do. For instance, I occasionally log housework, but when I do that I don't mean I spent a couple of hours pooling around folding washing. I mean I have spent 5 hours moving furniture, on hands and knees scrubbing the floor, bailing out water, digging out drains etc. Physical work.

For that reason I wouldn't ever dream of judging anyone else for what they do and don't log. Diaries aren't literal, they are a rough estimate. I would be surprised if most people don't under-log rather than over.

Miss_dannii

Hmm I don't know I see both sides, if someone who is maybe unable to do 'normal' exercises can do something else to burn calories then fair enough! I do wonder about the cleaning one though as I see people add 4 hours of cleaning in one go and I wonder how those calories can be accurate because I know when I am cleaning my house it is not all active, some is like sweeping/washing floor and some is not like washing dishes etc you know? So I wonder how many of those calories burned are real, and only for the persons sake I'd worry that they are allowing themselves too many calories then

But it's none of my business anyway x

charlybu

Someone mentioned singing standing up didn't seem like it should count as exercise, but singing correctly with lots of support is an exercise. I'm just as pooped after a 2 hour rehearsal as I am after a long, brisk, walk. Anyway, just setting the record straight on that one, and yes, I plan on adding my rehearsals as exercise, because they totally are!

gazzajam

I think that we need to support each other and if logging opinions differ then so be it.
People need different challenges and targets to keep them going. I think as long as people are losing the pounds then their regime is OK.
If they are moaning about not losing weight then people could help by commenting about the amount of superfluous exercises that they're logging.
I think that he amount of exercise we log should be relative to what we did before we started trying to lose the pounds, if people didn't take the bins out before, the feel free to log it. It's not hurting anybody and if it helps their weight loss, then even better.

castadiva

Someone mentioned singing standing up didn't seem like it should count as exercise, but singing correctly with lots of support is an exercise. I'm just as pooped after a 2 hour rehearsal as I am after a long, brisk, walk. Anyway, just setting the record straight on that one, and yes, I plan on adding my rehearsals as exercise, because they totally are!

Hear hear! BTW, I've just searched the exercise data base, and nothing comes up for 'singing' - I wonder where this person found it?!

Di3012

i saw someone log driving as exercise lol

How many colories did it burn?

missy_1975

knitting.. yep saw it.

My opinion is if it is working for them then they should keep doing it .
We do whatever it takes for us to be motivated, good on them.

:laugh:

There was a thread a while back where a girl wanted to know how to log having sex. I couldn't decide if she was trolling or being serious. A whole discussion ensued that kept me mildly amused for several minutes.