Hi there! i am new-do you count your shift as exercise?

jennpiller

hey guys, i am nurse who walks pretty much the entire 8 hours of my shift, i wear a pedometer from the time i leave home and take it off when i return home, i usually hit well over the 10K step daily goal. should i count that as part of my daily exercise? i haven't started doing additional workouts beyond my shifts but i am certainly planning to. my husband and i are going to start exercising in the evenings together, i am sick of the treadmill/walking so i am looking currently to buy a recumbent bike.

anyhoo, a little bit about me. i am mid thirties, a psych nurse, live in the cleveland area, married for 10 years, became engaged 12 years ago today in fact. i have 2 children 4 and 5, i sell avon, i am an avid couponer and run an online prayer group and an online facebook group for moms who want to swap and/or sell items. And yes, in addition to this, i am going to attempt to lose weight. HA!!!! i need to be committed to my own floor.

anyway, would love to hear from some other local nurses.

take care!~

StephanieCost

I'm a nursing student who always follows the nurses around, and in addition I exercise on my own. However, I spend a TON of time studying and it's taking a toll on my body. Your question is a great question, and I'm looking forward to the answer!

75Juniper

I'm also interested in what others think of this. I wear a pedometer at work, too. I have a desk job, but I try to take mini walks when I can get away. I do know that 2,000 steps is approximately a mile, but am not sure how that equates to calorie burn.

SassyCalyGirl

its great that you have a "mobile" job-but if it is normal daily activity I would not include it as "exercise"

colleenmette

I dont count mine, I am a teacher, jsut because your body is use to it, or at least that is what I was thinking. Mybody is use to it and is acustomed to me moving all day, so its not burnign those calories, I am not working at it, ???? but lets see what others think? I too am on my feet all day, Im an art teacher:)

LovingLisa2012

that should be included in your life style (when you got you calories set)

and anywhoo
my thinking is, only intetional exercise counts

CynGoddess

I was told by my dr. I could NOT count it, I easily did 12,000 steps on a 12 hour shift and he said because it was my norm. my body didn't recognize it as exercise and didn't raise my heart rate enough. sorry to be the one with bad news. :ohwell:

mccarol1956

I am a night shift RN, work in the ICU. I wear a pedometer too while on my night shifts. I walk anywhere between 3.5 and 5 miles a shift and since I am on sedentary I do count it. Why not? I run my butt off!

k0nfyo0zed

i would set your activity level to moderately active and not count it as exercise. all of your regular daily routine stuff should fall into your activity level, and then extra exercise counted in.

LaurenAOK

It depends on your MFP settings. When you set your goal, you chose an activity level. Generally, this activity level should include what you do day-to-day - so in your case, your career. As a nurse, you probably should have chosen at least "moderately active" (I believe it actually lists nursing as an example). If that's what you did, don't log it as exercise - MFP is already adding in those extra calories.

However, if you set your activity level to "sedentary" or even "lightly active," then yes count it as extra exercise.

katiej122

I dont do this myself because I just have a desk job but if I was you I would go to your goal settings, and change your activity level to Active or very active, whichever suits, so it will allow you more calories in a day to compensate for all the movement without adding it in as extra exercise.

mblackburn23

I was under the impression that when you register with myfitnesspal you list your daily activity level. The site estimates your daily calorie burn according to your listing. For example, I am a firefighter and listed my daily level as "active". I think they then take that into account as they assign your calorie level. I only enter my scheduled workouts in the exercise.

One big lesson I learned is to eat back your calories burned. Always try to finish the day very close to your assigned calorie intake level. If I don't, I don't lose!!

brighteyedbelle

I'm a teacher and also on my feet all day. When you set your preferences, you can make allowances for your lifestyle. It's under "settings" and then "update diet/fitness profile." If you are on your feet most of the time, it automatically gives you more calories to eat when you update it. See if that helps!

Pebble321

i would set your activity level to moderately active and not count it as exercise. all of your regular daily routine stuff should fall into your activity level, and then extra exercise counted in.

Agreed - although you might be better at "active" than "moderately active". This way your daily calorie allowance is calculated to include the fact that you are on your feet every day. Then you only need to add extra exercise like going to the gym.

kayleen_longworth

Nevermind. Other answers were much better.

AngieJoy81

You can adjust your daily calorie goal to fit your activity level in your profile. "Nurse" is described as "lightly active." this calculates a higher calorie bank for the day. Another idea is to wear a heart rate monitor. You can see how many calories you are really burning and if it is more than you would regularly living your life. If you really want to lose weight, try not to count shifts as exercise.

saragato

its great that you have a "mobile" job-but if it is normal daily activity I would not include it as "exercise"

I agree with this. Mainly because your body gets used to certain activities if done every day or often enough to where it becomes part of the fat/calorie burning to just keep you going through your every day life, not burning to lose weight. Case in point a couple years ago I tried losing weight by just walking the inside perimeter of the mall twice at a fast pace. At first I lost some weight but after roughly 4 months I saw no change and when I walked I realized it wasn't even a challenge for me. My body had gotten used to it and thus it quit burning the extra fat stored.

knk1553

I would say just change your activity level and not count it. I'm a waitress on top of being in school full time and I know on a typical friday/saturday night I walk 5+ miles but I don't count it because I don't feel that my heart rate is ever getting high or that I've exerted a lot of physical energy after a shift. I don't count mine, but thats because I just figured if it does actually do anything it can just be bonus workout and calories burned. Although on the days I do work, I tend to not count my beers if I have one or two after work! But I would say set your activity level to moderate (I have mine on light since I do spend majority of my time in a classroom or studying) and then it should adjust your calories burned by daily activity appropriately.

JFCooper

I most definitely count the walking and lifting I do as exercise, since I spend a considerable amount of time on my feet. It is still exercise, you just want to be honest about how much time you spend walking around. I usually approximate by percentage (today was at least 4 hours of brisk walking).

ash190489

Personally, I do not count anything (work duties, carrying groceries out of the car, cleaning or washing, etc.) unless it is proper and intended exercise... because you would do it anyway... it's lifestyle physical activity. It's up to you, but I think adding it is a bit of a cop out... what do you have to lose if you don't count it and then you do more on top of the usual, you will be burning more and losing more.

I am a primary school teacher with 5 & 6 year olds & they keep me on my feet all day!!! Somedays I wonder if I ever sat down! But I don't count this as exercise --- it's not. It's my job. I go home then I go to the gym or go for a jog and only count that as it was intended exercise. You know what I mean? But it's up to you. All I know is that without my intended exercise and changing my eating habits, still 'working' and doing my usual lifestyle physical activity (that everyone does) I put on weight.

Count your steps still... because we should be reaching 10 000 steps per day minimum and then do other exercise when you get home... I started with minimum 3 days per week and now I do 5 or 6 days of minimum 40 minutes of activity, but I usually do 60-90mins.

Good luck xx

Newf77

I only count intentional exercise, everyone is different some count sex as an exercise, some will count house cleaning. You do what you want however as has been previously stated you were doing it before you came on here,