Does it count as exercise??

Happyhealthybabe

Hi All,
Sometimes I struggle to workout but I do log up all the little trips I do around the office and when I run errands as I have a sit down job. I also log housework too, just wondering if anyone else does this, I sort of feel like I am cheating :blushing:


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BrianSharpe

If you're basing your caloric intake on BMR + activity - deficit then it makes sense to keep track of routine things, if you're basing your intake on TDEE then no, they're already accounted for.

Happyhealthybabe

basing on my BMR yes, I get told by other people who are losing or trying to lose weight that it does not count........and yet I'm the one who can average a 1 to 1.5kg loss in a week.

RandomMiranda

I don't log that kind of thing because I would probably over estimate how many calories it burns. I have a mostly sedentary job, so during the day I walk to and from my car a few blocks and sometimes a few blocks for an errand or to class (I'm a graduate student). I also know that I don't get my heart rate up to anywhere near a calorie burning zone during these short trips. I don't want to trick myself into over eating. But if you are able to log the extra walking really accurately like with a pedometer or heart rate monitor then go for it.

Kerri_is_so_very

I only log things out of my normal routine that get my heart rate up for at least 20+ minutes

Skeebee

I've always been told if it isn't at least 20 minutes of CONTINUOUS activity, it doesn't count (aka, if you get your heart rate high for 1 minutes and it goes back down, doesn't count). This is what I've always read and always lived by. Again, just my opinion so I know someone else may not agree.

tmorgan1312

I have a Fitbit and it tracks all of the little trips around the office, housework and any other activity that you do throughout the day. You don't have to be actively engaged in some kind of "excerise" to be burning calories - so I think it counts.

Coyla

If it's working, why stop?

shantelleclarke

I don't log them only because I consider them freebies... they also probably make up for the less than accurate food calories. I only log if I break a sweat (yardwork) or purposly excercised (treadmill).

badgerbadger1

basing on my BMR yes, I get told by other people who are losing or trying to lose weight that it does not count........and yet I'm the one who can average a 1 to 1.5kg loss in a week.

Why are you asking if you think you already know better?

honestlysweet

I only log real exercise. Not walks in the park. They have to get me breathing hard, get my heart pumping. A good rule of thumb is if you hold a conversation without running out of breath, than don't log it.

janalayn

I usually only log actual exercise activities unless is it something really strenuous that I don't do on a regular basis. We are all different so figure out what works for you and just do it!!! Good luck

chachadiva150

I have a Fitbit and it tracks all of the little trips around the office, housework and any other activity that you do throughout the day. You don't have to be actively engaged in some kind of "excerise" to be burning calories - so I think it counts.

Laying in bed all day will also burn calories. Would you count those? **shrug**

girlnumber57

If it's working, why stop?

This... and this....

I don't log them only because I consider them freebies... they also probably make up for the less than accurate food calories. I only log if I break a sweat (yardwork) or purposly excercised (treadmill).

NikkieLite

I think it's fine to count it but it's easy to overestimate the calories burned doing little things like that. And if you're eating back your exercise calories it's probably a bad idea. I don't count any of those things because really, it's not exercise. Those are just the little things we need to do everyday. Unless I'm pushing myself and working out or moving much more than I usually do in a day, I don't count it.

mfpcopine

Hi All,
Sometimes I struggle to workout but I do log up all the little trips I do around the office and when I run errands as I have a sit down job. I also log housework too, just wondering if anyone else does this, I sort of feel like I am cheating :blushing:


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It's activity, and is better than being completely sedentary, but I wouldn't call it exercise. Exercise is vigorous, uninterrupted activity for an extended period of time -- at least 20 minutes -- that elevates your heart rate.

NikkieLite

I only log real exercise. Not walks in the park. They have to get me breathing hard, get my heart pumping. A good rule of thumb is if you hold a conversation without running out of breath, than don't log it.

I wouldn't really agree with that. I went on a two hour walk with a friend wearing my HRM and burned over 800 calories, but I was holding a conversation almost the entire time and kept my heart rate in the target zone.

Coyla

I only log real exercise. Not walks in the park. They have to get me breathing hard, get my heart pumping. A good rule of thumb is if you hold a conversation without running out of breath, than don't log it.

Even low intensity exercise burns calories, not as quickly as the higher intensity stuff, but it still works. I would hate for someone to read this and assume if they're not pushing themselves hard (some people with medical conditions cannot), then they aren't doing anything.

If only logging heavy exercise works for you, go for it. (I don't log any of my exercise, since I eat at my TDEE). But every person is different.

TracyRFogleson

i log any activity that I can, as I am a student i even make a point of adding my stair walking. But do you know doing dishe, laundry all help burn calories? I add all that in for every little bit helps burn the calories but it isn't enough I do not believe personally. Yes at first I thought it was cheap and cheesy to add that in but when I was looking at what the number of calories it burns to just stand and do 5min worth of moderate house work ofcourse I am giong to look at that as a plus, besides it helps with the mental side of the exercise mindset,(for me anyway)

rebekkamarie

I do what I can when I can. If that means counting my trek to the 3rd floor library of the school, then so be it!

michelleepotter

I only log real exercise. Not walks in the park. They have to get me breathing hard, get my heart pumping. A good rule of thumb is if you hold a conversation without running out of breath, than don't log it.

Isn't there a rule that says if you can't talk while exercising, then you are pushing yourself too hard?

I count anything that is above and beyond my usual. If I walk to the park, I definitely count that. I walked around the zoo for over two hours this weekend, and I counted that, too.

MyLifeMyDreamMyFuture

If your still losing weight, don't worry about it!

Pebble321

If you are using MFP to calculate your calories, and if you have your activity level set to sedentary, then it is quite valid to count (and add and eat) the extra movement you do each day.

I have my activity level set to lightly active so I don't enter cleaning, short walks etc but they are still accounted for in my higher activity level setting.
Just make sure you don't add them twice - ie, if you have accounted for them in your activity level setting don't add them in as extra exercise.

You just have to find what works for you. And that is probably going to be different to what works for someone else.
I don't like seeing people being dismissive of someone else's exercise - what seems like an insignificant amount of movement to one person might be a really big deal to another person.

Happyhealthybabe

basing on my BMR yes, I get told by other people who are losing or trying to lose weight that it does not count........and yet I'm the one who can average a 1 to 1.5kg loss in a week.

Why are you asking if you think you already know better?

Just wanting to know what others think, becase as I said some days I cannot get in that solid 30min workout

elishabeish

If you are using MFP to calculate your calories, and if you have your activity level set to sedentary, then it is quite valid to count (and add and eat) the extra movement you do each day.

I have my activity level set to lightly active so I don't enter cleaning, short walks etc but they are still accounted for in my higher activity level setting.
Just make sure you don't add them twice - ie, if you have accounted for them in your activity level setting don't add them in as extra exercise.

You just have to find what works for you. And that is probably going to be different to what works for someone else.
I don't like seeing people being dismissive of someone else's exercise - what seems like an insignificant amount of movement to one person might be a really big deal to another person.

I agree with this.
I'm a 2 weeker here, so definitely not a pro, I'm a homemaker so I set my activity to light since I'm on my feet a lot with cleaning, cooking and chasing kids and pets. I only log what is added on to that such as my walks.

What seems like an insignificant amount of movement to one person might be a really big deal to another person.

ooOOooGravy

My BMR is set to sedentary. Personally i dont count those things, i dont even count walking dogs on the field. I only log exercises that gets my HR going properly. But i guess its personal preference

Andrea_McQ

I find it a whole lot less time consuming to eat at my "lightly active" TDEE and not add in anything that is part of my normal activity in a day. I add on when I do any conscious exercise, using my HRM to estimate calorie burn. I don't always eat all of my exercise calories, but I do stay at a level where my net is at a point a bit higher than my BMR.

As has been said already, setting your level for sedentary and adding in any extra calories used is going to work out about the same thing as long as your measurement of that burn is halfway accurate (whoever calculated my level didn't use anything more than a generic equation, so measuring everything as you do it could be a more accurate method!)

If it works for you in terms of being a usable method, and works for you in terms of getting the results that you want then I wouldn't worry about what "people" say!

leilaphoenix

First of all the "only if its more than 20 minutes" comment is untrue. Today I'm cycling to work (15mins), cycling to a class (15minutes), cycling to town (15minutes) and then cycling home again (15minutes). Are you saying because none of these are over 20 minutes at a time I have done no exercise??

In response to the OP, I would not log these type of things. While they do burn calories, it is so insignificant that you are most likely to overestimate them.

REET420

I don't track housework or walking around . I track when I take my dog for a walk because I walk fast enough sweat abit.