Do you consider this exercise?

prairiemama

I didn't count it either at first but my co-worker said that scrubbing floors and vacuuming is exercise, so I googled it and sure enough.:)

kadoodle76

I don't log household stuff, but I do log grocery shopping cuz I am close to 300 pounds and have no car so that means a LOT of walking to and from the store and carrying very heavy bags around town. It makes me breath heavy and sweat and makes my muscles ache the next day. That sounds like exercise to me. I figure IF I burn any calories doing housework and cooking, it is a plus. My body burned it regardless of whether I log it or not. I certainly would not be doing myself any favors to eat back calories I burned standing at the sink washing dishes. And for the woman who logs driving??? C'mon now, unless you drive with your legs like Fred Flintstone it ain't exercise. I hope ur not eating back those calories or you may be disappointed when it come time to weigh yourself.

kadoodle76

I track just about anything I do. I also eat all those calories if I can. All of them. Good lord I love food.

Cooking dinner (I usually make dinner at least once a night but more often twice), cleaning (some days I might clean for hours doing all sorts of activities), walking (usually in 10 min intervals around campus between classes), and sometimes driving (ok that was a road trip), I have been known to track.

And I don't feel cheated. And my weightloss is still happening. *knocks on wood* I also track bow chicka wow wow. Even if I'm on bottom. Nope, 78 lbs down, I don't feel cheated. BOO YEAH!!

Ok, y'all have fun with figuring out what you need to do for yourself and not worrying about anyone else. I'mma go eat something.

Okay...while I dont agree with everything you said. I gotta love logging the "bow chicka wowow" :laugh: That definatly burns calories...if ur doin it right lol

lvorlandi

All of that stuff is better than sitting on your butt! I did count shoveling last Saturday, because I got up super early (8:00) to go to the gym and thought if I gave my self an extra 30 minutes to shovel I'd have my car out it time, but I didn't so instead I shoveled for an hour and my heart rate got up to around the 130s. Any time you are not sitting on your butt it's great!

opal24

I've spent the last 2 1/2 years unable to do any exercise at all, pretty much, but after two lots of surgery, I'm finally able to do more than just go to work, sit at the computer all day and then sit at the computer all evening. So yes, I am logging some stuff that others wouldn't think of as exercise (even my walk to and from the carpark at 5 minutes a pop, because I can now do a brisk walk, not a 90 year-old's crawl) - purely and simply so I can see how I'm progressing. BUT - I don't eat back those exercise calories. I also log what some might call 'real' exercise, such as the Pilates I do for my back. As I get stronger and fitter I'll move onto being able to log more structured exercise and at that point I'll consider whether or not to eat back those calories. In the meantime, I'm losing weight and feeling good about the exercise I CAN do and about logging it!

Leviram

I usually don't post my cleaning. But I would LOVE for you to come clean my house (4200 sq ft) and after your done tell me you didn't break a sweat or that you didn't feel tired after going up and down the stairs. It all depends on how you clean. There is light, medium and heavy duty cleaning.

Well let me chime in here. I just deep cleaned my house today. Mopped, vacuumed (including under beds) cleaned all the bathrooms and kitchen. This wasn't the normal, daily picking up that I do but a whole house clean. I wore my HRM while I did this for 4 hours and burned 799 calories. My activity level on here is set to sedentary and I sure as heck was NOT sedentary for those 4 hours. So I back out my existence calories for that time period and it's an extra 605 calories I burned today. You better believe I'm counting THAT.

Now, I do not count cooking dinner, picking up the house, taking out the trash, doing laundry, but over and above like today? You bet it's exercise.

You would still burn calories if you were sitting still too. So you didn't in fact burn 800 calories just b/c you cleaned.

You exercise to get fit & healthy. That doesn't include cleaning, come on.

angijunbug

I believe that it's up to you what you log & what you do not log. I have logged cleaning because I would clean for almost 8 hours but I would only log an hour worth of it.

As for the people that think that running after toddlers & picking up after them all day long & really scrubbing the house & making meals all day isn't real exercise then they obviously have never done it before. They should NOT call others lazy!!!! My trainer at the gym was very impressed with my assessment & all I could do & that is from days of taking care of everyone & cleaning my house so there

Now I am at the gym 5 days a week just because I love it & they have classes for my kids too :happy:

Do what you feel is right for you! That's why it is called MY FITNESS PAL :happy:

tanyaMax

breaking a sweat doesnt necessarily mean your heart rate is up...but if you are shoveling snow i am most defitnately sure it IS UP :0)

I'm sure I'm going to make a big fuss over this but I feel it's something I must share........do you consider cooking, cleaning, walking to and from kitchen, bathroom etc in your house and other daily activities exercise????

I don't understand that completely.......Anything I have to do/regularly do in a day I don't count as exercise........Cooking myself dinner isn't exercise, I have to eat to live and I'd be doing it anyway.......cleaning my house is something I have to do unless I want mice and ants everywhere and walking to the kitchen and bathroom and back........it just doesn't make sense to me?

I am here to lose weight, and if I was to count every step I took or every movement I made as exercise I'd be cheating myself......the only time I consider any of those things exercise is when I'm like scrubbing the floor with a brush or shoveling snow because I break a sweat with those...........

I guess I just needed to put my 2 cents in on the subject.......

No, I don't. I also laugh at people who log taking out the trash, or cleaning.

I feel like they're just being lazy, hoping that that'll count towards exercise so they don't actually have to get their *kitten* in gear.


Breaking a sweat doesn't relate to losing weight all the time. Sweating is just your body's cooling system. If you're wrapped up in a jacket shoveling snow, is your heart rate really over 100? You're just warm b/c you're not sitting still outside in the cold, so your body is cooling itself.

I hardly sweat at the gym, but I can knock out 600 calories rather quickly

hollymeeker

I logged cleaning yesterday as my husband and I took down the Christmas tree and decorations. I deep cleaned, did laundry, swept, mopped and vacuumed. I haven't ever logged it before, however if MFP added cleaning then it's beneficial in some way.

I will say this...some of the people on here are freaking rude! Maybe instead of tearing other people down, you should focus on yourself! MFP is about encouraging others during this journey....do you seriously think you should be putting others down...seriously, does that make you feel better? Grow up!!!!

queenstatus

WELL, TO EACH ITS OWN. ME, MYSELF; I LOG IT SOMETIMES IT DEPENDS ON MY INTENSITY ON DOING IT. IF MY SCIATICA IS ACTING UP, I LOG WHAT I DO FOR THAT DAY BECAUSE IT IS STRENUOUS FOR ME TO DO ANYTHING WHEN THAT STARTS ACTING UP. TO EACH ITS OWN. I HAVE A MOTTO, IF I DO IT, I LOG IT. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW SMALL. I FEEL THAT I AM DOING SOMETHING RIGHT BECAUSE I LOST OVER 50 LBS. I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

flinchyny

I would say it depends on how your activity level is set up. If you have yourself as sedentary and vacuum for two hours I would say that counts as exercise!

vacuuming is exercise? come on people. this is why america is fat.

You've obviously never spent much time vacuuming. I think its really funny that some people think exercise has to include going to a gym. I the old days people never went to gyms but they spent all day doing manual labor and they
were in much better shape than those of us who sit at desks for most of the day and spend one hour at the gym.

I am not gonna read this whole thread, sorry, but I just wanted to say I agree 1000% with the above post.

hungriesmama13

I do consider housework exercise! I do it with vigor & most times break a sweat. I also do elliptical training (moderate speed & resistance) for 30 minutes, cardio exercise 30 minutes, and ride a stationary bike 15 - 30 minutes, 5 to 6 days a week. I am 50 years old and when I walk the dog around the block & check my mail, I consider it exercise. I don't think I am cheating myself at all. If that was all I did and called it exercise, I guess it would be cheating. I think it also depends on the person. I have a 65 year old neighbor who never walked at all until she was forced to have to walk her dog 3 times a day. She considers that exercise even though it is only about 1/10th of a mile per day. Just sayin'.

Helloitsdan

Anything your body is accustomed to is not counted.
I walk 10 miles a day at work but dont count it.
I did the same thing when I was 30lbs overweight.

nwhitley

this!!

I guess it really depends upon what your definition of "exercise" is and what your personal goal is. I don't consider house work, cooking, etc exercising - personally I think vacuuming SUCKS!

Not judging - I think it's a very slippery slope into fooling yourself that you "exercised" today when you are not holding yourself accountable for doing more strenuous disciplined workout like weight lifting, running, swimming, biking, martial arts, etc if you are able. Typical exercise would involve prolonged increase in heart rate - not usually just moving around the house. I could easily justified myself that I did some walking throughout the day so I shouldn't need to go hit the gym this afternoon. I only log if I go to the gym, dojang, ski or surf in decent waves for at least an hour. As a master instructor in Tae Kwon Do, I have to teach new students occasionally. Many have a variety of different excuses about why they haven't trained, can't train, shouldn't train, can't try this technique, etc. They are only cheating themselves and holding themselves back from attaining their goals. If they can change their attitude towards training and their individual goals, the difference is dramatic. Some do, some don't...so like I started off with - depends what your definition of "exercise" is and what your personal goal is.

jennifershoo

if your settings are sedentary, it looks at your alloted calories like you never got out of bed. so, in theory, you should track all your movements.

Wrong!
OMG! So many people are confusing BMR with TDEE.

Dawners98

Honestly, I think it's totally acceptable to log cleaning if it's one of those times that you overhaul your house. I know I can work up quite a sweat! However, let's be honest - like everyone is saying - taking out the trash or going to the washroom are normal activities of daily living. If anything, count them as an unlogged bonus and move on! Don't sell yourself short, but certainly don't overlog or you'll never see results!!!

The trash part all depends, The dumpsters where I live are pretty far. I might consider this only because when I do my walking, it is just as far. it's about a quarter of a mile away, so there and back is half a mile. If I were taking out a lot of trash...back and forth could add up to over a mile. For me, that is out of my normal activity. especially have to bring a kid and pull a wagon or stoller with a kid in it. but if your trash can is out side the door, or in the back yard, then I could see not adding it.

ABSOLUTELY!!! That's actually a nice little bonus exercise! I was definitely referring to the quick drop - as my dumpster is right outside my door - which, btw, is also good for weight loss since on certain days in the summer months it reeks to high heaven outside my apartment!

Seanb_us

14???? Vigorous??? Wow. Okay, so who has worn an HRM ....? LOL. That's rhetorical.

BE PREPARED FOR A PG-13 RESPONSE:

So here's my question...what about SEX?! Just wondering because I know that it can certainly be a workout yet I haven't found it in the exercise database (or any other foreplay, frisky business). It's also not something I do in my daily routine...probably TMI but, yes, a few times a week, just like exercising. If my heartrate is elevated, I'm sweating and working muscles I don't usually work...is that exercise?! Does that count as calorie burning? I read a whole article about approximate calories burned just making out, "petting" and yes, even sex.

I found it in the Lose It database. For me 30 mins =

Passive, light, kissing: 0

General, moderate: 9

Active, vigorous: 14

I'm 5'1 and 120lbs so it could be different for a person larger than me and male of course. Also depending how you do is a factor too.

cakeums

14???? Vigorous??? Wow. Okay, so who has worn an HRM ....? LOL. That's rhetorical.

BE PREPARED FOR A PG-13 RESPONSE:

So here's my question...what about SEX?! Just wondering because I know that it can certainly be a workout yet I haven't found it in the exercise database (or any other foreplay, frisky business). It's also not something I do in my daily routine...probably TMI but, yes, a few times a week, just like exercising. If my heartrate is elevated, I'm sweating and working muscles I don't usually work...is that exercise?! Does that count as calorie burning? I read a whole article about approximate calories burned just making out, "petting" and yes, even sex.

I found it in the Lose It database. For me 30 mins =

Passive, light, kissing: 0

General, moderate: 9

Active, vigorous: 14

I'm 5'1 and 120lbs so it could be different for a person larger than me and male of course. Also depending how you do is a factor too.

When I get a HRM that's the first thing I'm going to test out, LOL!

jazzalea

The important thing to remember is that your body is the ultimate log book here. EVERY single calorie I consume it records whether I have a really really good excuse for eating it or not..... every single extra lick at the spoon is recorded..... and that's something we really do have to face,

But so is EVERY SINGLE EFFORT that we put out....

start being aware that you control how many calories you burn.... get up and sit down five times.... you just burned calories! not a gym in sight! .... people who are lighter are going to find that ridiculous.... those of us that would have to WORK to stand up and sit down five times will understand how much

I'm not saying that you have to log everything..... but anything that is a regular part of your routine SHOULD be logged.... so that you can get a better idea of what your activity level is like if for no other reason.... start logging it all... and you might be surprised by the results......

It also makes you WORK harder while you're doing things.... when you're aware that you're burning calories.... you push yourself to burn an extra one or two

vballscriscuolo

I make bread and used to use a machine now I do it by hand and I do log the exercise - you try kneading bread for 20mins plus its a very good upper body work out (I batch make the bread so knead half the recipe at a time)

I actually do it on a weekly basis.....so I don't consider it exercise since I do it anyway

vballscriscuolo

I would say it depends on how your activity level is set up. If you have yourself as sedentary and vacuum for two hours I would say that counts as exercise!

vacuuming is exercise? come on people. this is why america is fat.

Hahahahaahah....................plus......2 hours of vaccuming? that must be a mansion!

april522

Well let me chime in here. I just deep cleaned my house today. Mopped, vacuumed (including under beds) cleaned all the bathrooms and kitchen. This wasn't the normal, daily picking up that I do but a whole house clean. I wore my HRM while I did this for 4 hours and burned 799 calories. My activity level on here is set to sedentary and I sure as heck was NOT sedentary for those 4 hours. So I back out my existence calories for that time period and it's an extra 605 calories I burned today. You better believe I'm counting THAT.

Now, I do not count cooking dinner, picking up the house, taking out the trash, doing laundry, but over and above like today? You bet it's exercise.

Exactly! I normally only deep clean my house like that once every week or two, and I wear my heart rate monitor as well! I don't count cooking, basic cleaning up, walking from one end of my house to the other, doing laundry, etc. In the spring and summer, I count gardening activities as well, using my heart rate monitor. I also count walking in places outside of my home (weekly grocery shopping since I am usually doing it once a week, not every day, and it's usually an hour and a half's time).

Someone earlier in the thread suggested people do this to cheat and find an excuse not to do real exercise. I go to the gym 4 times a week, 2 of those days training with a personal trainer. And I've been going to the gym for 2 years, so I'm not new to the whole exercising thing.

Kimsied

Wow hot topic! I think there is generally a difference between activity and fitness building exercise. But it is kind of a personal choice what someone chooses to log. I think the important thing for the individual to consider is whether they getting the results they would expect. If someone isn't losing, is carefully tracking food intake and a lot of activity. Then, I guess they might do better to either lower their activity level setting or stop logging some of the non-exercise activity. If someone is logging their weekly deep clean as well as exercise and is making the progress they expect, they are doing it right for them. As long as we get the healthy results, but if we cheat it is only ourselves we cheat.

april522

MFP is a guideline. Not an absolute MUST.

I still don't buy it.

But it doesn't matter, you're cheating yourself, not me.

You know, it IS possible to burn calories while doing something productive. Sometimes it's even possible to burn calories while doing something fun!

My thoughts exactly. My general thought is: if I am burning more calories than what is necessary to sit all day (existence calories), then why is it not exercise if you are burning beyond your existence calories? I know everyone has their own philosphy (some don't log certain things, others log everything, etc), but I'm going out on a limb and saying not everyone here has the same fitness goals. Some may want to build a lot of muscle; some want defined abs; others might just want to start increasing their overall activiity level until they are comfortable enough to go to the next level. I personally workout cardio-wise 4 times a week, but someone else might be content with staying busy around the house or in the garden or doing yard work all day.

Everyone has their own method. When something's not working for me, I start tweaking food and/or exercise until I see results again.

ironanimal

Nope. Even redecorating isn't counted.

minadee

Well let me chime in here. I just deep cleaned my house today. Mopped, vacuumed (including under beds) cleaned all the bathrooms and kitchen. This wasn't the normal, daily picking up that I do but a whole house clean. I wore my HRM while I did this for 4 hours and burned 799 calories. My activity level on here is set to sedentary and I sure as heck was NOT sedentary for those 4 hours. So I back out my existence calories for that time period and it's an extra 605 calories I burned today. You better believe I'm counting THAT.

Now, I do not count cooking dinner, picking up the house, taking out the trash, doing laundry, but over and above like today? You bet it's exercise.

^^Totally agree! I did a deep cleaning today and I counted it since it was way more than anything I'd normally do.

shreyaj

I never count those things I just look them as an added bonus & that I got off my butt and did something productive!