am i cheating by counting cooking and cleaning as cardio?

julysbaby

my life has been so hectic lately and I've been dealing with a recurrent sinus infection. I haven't worked out in weeks!!! I feel crappy, but I'm really trying to stay in my calorie range. So far, I've been pretty good about it (considering my history). That being said, I've been counting my cooking and cleaning as cardio. I'm trying any way that I can to keep my motivation up to continue counting. I keep thinking that this is cheating. Does anyone have any insight on this? Am I cheating or does this seem accruate?

12gaswint

I always feel the same way about if I put down calories for when I'm at work! I'm pretty sure that'd be fine, though, because afterall, moving around and cooking in the kitchen is moving around, and you are burning calories. Whenever I add that to my daily count (likewise, to feel like I'm not a terrible person hahaha ) I always try to put it a bit lower than what it might be, so then I still feel as though I need to hit the tredmil or take the dog on a walk.

I'd like to hear other people's opinions on this as well.

ladyfacehead

I know from experience that just counting ANYTHING helps keep up motivation. If I stopped counting - i would lose all track and then just give up.

I think its fine to count cooking/cleaning as cardio - just not too much! its not the same as running a mile - but you are definitely moving! Maybe make it fun (and more cardio) by dancing while cooking and cleaning!

Just don't lose motivation and if counting is what helps you do that the GO FOR IT!!

Good Luck!!

carolann_22

Only you can know that, really. On Saturday I cleaned the whole house (2 levels) switched out all the clothes for our family (5 people) from winter to summer, tons of laundry and climbing up to the attic - I logged it because it took 4 hours (I only counted half the calories it said) and I was WIPED out after, I had exercised.

Now last night, I did the kitchen, but it was 15 minutes and I didn't feel like I had done anything, so I didn't log it. If you honestly feel like you've worked out, log it. If you haven't, don't.

2fit4fat

I think it depends on the person. i count it as a little "extra" bump that i dont record. others include it when they chose how active they were on mfp and others do use cleaning.. i havent personally seen cooking but i dont have like a 2500 square foot kitchen so im not walking around all that much. :-) have you gone to the dr about your sinus infections? if they keep recurring maybe there is an underlying problem you could be working on

katgirl985

I think it also depends on how hard you work when you're cleaning AND what you set your activity level to when you signed up. If your calorie goal is based on being sedentary, then log everything!

kace406

If I'm just doing a quick kitchen clean-up or dishes or a load of laundry, I don't count it, but I moved about 6 weeks ago and definitely counted all of those hours....cleaning, packing, moving furniture, etc. It added up and I was wiped out after 4 hours of cleaning and packing and did not have the energy to keep up on my gym time for those 5 days or so.

I think it's up to your interpretation and judgement. Do what is right for you.

mcshoelovin22

I agree with @ladyfacehead! Everything counts and if your up and moving then I say ADD IT. Spice it up a little by turning on the radio and dancing. My sons hates it but when I have a little free time between cooking I make him come and dance with me. Sorry to hear about you sickness....keep your motivation.

Alice_Liddell

It's all about what you want! I don't usually log cooking because I don't do much moving around, but sometimes I log cleaning. If I'm deep cleaning a room, definitely. If I clean the rat cage, certainly, because that's a lot of ups and downs and moving around. I know a lot of people on the site consider this "cheating," but it's not their decision! It's not a competition, so why should they care what you put in your journal?

lasiac

IT GETS TIRING BUT I MANAGE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I KNOW IMMA BE SUCCESFUL

Thisprincesswearsrunningshoes

I think it can be cheating. I think it would also depend on what you listed your activity rate on MFP. If you listed it as sedentary then I think it would be okay to count it once in a while. Do you have a HR monitor? If you have one of those and you see that you are constantly keeping your HR up then I think it could count from time to time as well. I have six kids and let me tell you there are days where I wish I could trade off my 2-4 four miles and count my tons of loads of laundry per day as exercise!

missjewl

If I bust my butt at work cleaning or even doing housework for a continuous amount of time... I count it! Climbing stairs is great cardio especially if you have a 2 story house, and your laundry room is in the basement and vacuuming or hand scrubbing your floors too! Somedays it doesnt take as much effort so those days dont count, but the days you go crazy doing it all ... yes for sure!

pastryari

You cook and clean in your normal everyday life. In my opinion, cooking and cleaning doesn't count. Especially if you're eating back your exercise cals.

simplysassi

If doing so gives you motivation then it's probably OK to log some of it. Keep in mind that on your MFP settings, you should already have set your daily activity level (sedentary, moderate, etc.) so that level already takes into consideration a certain amount of these activities. Personally, I would only consider logging activities that are over and above the normal activity level for me - doing something like 4 hours of cleaning out a garage, or mowing a lawn, for example. Certainly anything that gets a sweat going and raises your heart level should be counted.

That's just my opinion, (for what it's worth)

lporter229

Only you can know that, really. On Saturday I cleaned the whole house (2 levels) switched out all the clothes for our family (5 people) from winter to summer, tons of laundry and climbing up to the attic - I logged it because it took 4 hours (I only counted half the calories it said) and I was WIPED out after, I had exercised.

Now last night, I did the kitchen, but it was 15 minutes and I didn't feel like I had done anything, so I didn't log it. If you honestly feel like you've worked out, log it. If you haven't, don't.

I agree with this. One Saturday I cleaned my house top to bottom, scrubbing the bathtub, moving furniture. I must have made at least 30 trips up and down the stairs. It took me 8 hours. At the end of the day I was wiped out so I logged it because I needed those calories. I did not want to feel like I failed in my fitness when I had such a productive day otherwise. Bottom line, it's totally up to you. You know if you earned it. i did not feel the least bit of guilt for it.

mrmanmeat

my life has been so hectic lately and I've been dealing with a recurrent sinus infection. I haven't worked out in weeks!!! I feel crappy, but I'm really trying to stay in my calorie range. So far, I've been pretty good about it (considering my history). That being said, I've been counting my cooking and cleaning as cardio. I'm trying any way that I can to keep my motivation up to continue counting. I keep thinking that this is cheating. Does anyone have any insight on this? Am I cheating or does this seem accruate?

Counting your cooking as cardio? Seriously?


I'm going to stop right there because I will get in trouble for what I'd really say.

meg7399

I log anything that is EXTRA and out side of daily routine. I cook dinner and do dishes everyday so I do not count those. Once a week or so I will sweep and mop the entire hardwood downstairs and those I will count.

kamazza

If I vacuum the whole house (three level townhome plus basement) then yes, that's exercise for me. I work up a good sweat doing it. However, I wouldn't count cooking personally. I think part of my problem before I started on MFP was using all my house chores as my exercise. I'd fall into a rut saying "well, I did laundry today and baked muffins, so that's exercise" and it wasn't enough. I wasn't losing weight and didn't feel good about myself. Now I don't use house chores (even vacuuming!) as exercise and I make my butt get up and move *lol* that's just me though

Tropical_Turtle

I only clean my house once a week (that is on weekends when I am not so exhausted from work) And seeing how it is only me, it does not really matter. When I do it though, I am cleaning for at least an hour. Then usually on to my yard work. But because I do not do it everyday - yes I do count it.

timmymon

If you have to ask it's probably cheating

thebigcb

I think your weight will tell you if you are cheating or not.

If your weight is not decreasing to the goals you set, then yes you must be cheating(be it over estimating the exercise or under estimating the calories)

tigersword

I think you know the answer. If it feels like cheating, it's because it is.

alisahaggard

If you're counting and it still losing the expected weight, then it's clearly fine. If not, well, then it isn't.

Dan112358

I would be pretty cautious about including this as cardio because there are way too many factors that could affect your caloric burn. In addition to this, mfp already allots you extra cals based on your indicated activity level. You can't call yourself "active" and then also log those calories as exercise on top. If you have a fitbit or some other cal tracking device, you may have better luck with this. I just assume my daily activities (housework, cooking, yardwork) are all part of my daily life. Now when I do 45 minutes of cardio, those are getting logged!

Eta: yesterday I did burn 6 calories doing 326 minutes of "clicking mouse, right index finger". What a great burn and yes, I ate those exercise calories back.

jovz10

no if your activity level is set to sedentary...

tistal

Check this site out. I do alot of these moves when I am cleaning. My kids laugh at me while I vacuum!

http://www.cleanmomma.com/

jsapninz

Knock yourself out if you aren't eating back your "cals burned"...but I suspect you are, so:

MFP takes your normal daily activity into account (and no, sedentary does NOT mean NO activity (that is what BMR is)). So since cooking and cleaning are daily acitivity you should NOT be counting it because you are not doing something above and beyond your normal routine. Besides, you should always err on the conservative side.
My rule of thumb: if I don't have to put on my work out clothes for it, IT DOESN'T COUNT.

If you want to be accurate, get a Hear Rate Monitor. Average estimators are crap anyway and tend to over estimate your burns.

The only person you are cheating is yourself.

wildcata77

I agree that it helps me to see it from a motivation level. However, I also have my lifestyle set as "sedentary". If you have your lifestyle set above that level, I would avoid counting normal daily tasks as exercise.

At first I counted EVERYTHING...now I try to only count cooking/cleaning when I know I've worked really hard, like done a deep clean on the kitchen, or when I fold laundry and I stand up to do and bend down each time to pick up something to fold. I try to only count times I really feel like I'm exerting myself to clean as calorie burns.

GL with your journey!

microburst20

I count my cleaning if I do 30 continuous minutes but not if I just pick up things for 5 minutes. That being said, I have an office job where I am required to sit and a commute so I chose sedentary for my activity rate. Also I log shopping as walking leisurely pace. Before I started MFP I didnt consider that to be a workout but after 2 hours of shopping and then lugging the sfuff in I was too tired to do a regular workout and a lot more hungry. This has been working for me so far. Part of the problem with being overweight is we kick ourselves everytime we think we didnt do something the way someone else does it.

SkettiGurl

I work full time at a desk job so my husband does most of the cooking and we have a cleaner so I definitely count the cleaning and cooking (and gardening) if I do it for more than an hour but I only count an hour as I think the calories are too high. But I only count it because it's not a regular thing.

leannems

I really think it depends. If you do this same cooking/cleaning on days you work out, and you never counted it before, then you might end up eating extra calories that you never tracked before and weren't eating before. If you were successful without tracking them, then tracking them now might hinder that (alternatively, if you weren't successful before, you may need to track them to make sure you're eating enough).

If you're doing above-normal cleaning (breaking a sweat), then I don't think tracking would be cheating. I typically do not track routine housework (I have a fitbit that gets my movement anyway) but will track heavy duty stuff, particularly when I break into a sweat.