am i cheating by counting cooking and cleaning as cardio?

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Replies

  • bgunn38
    bgunn38 Posts: 3
    It depends on how long and how vigorous the activity is. If you work up a sweat and your heart rate has increased for so many beats per second, by all means, count it as cardio.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    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!!

    Please, please, please, explain to me how cooking or cleaning is the same as running a mile?
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    I count it only if it is different than what I do on a daily basis...I have my settings as sedentary so it is not already calculated in that part but I don't count it if all I did that day was a sink of dishes & a load of laundry but if I scrub the house for more than 30 minutes of constant movement then I count it for sure....As long as you aren't counting it twice b/c your settings are set to active....I think that is just fine. HTH! :)
  • hottiebikerchick
    hottiebikerchick Posts: 187 Member
    If I break a sweat, I count it!:bigsmile:
  • sunshineshica
    sunshineshica Posts: 277
    The bigger question would be how has logging cooking and cleaning as cardio and it being your only form of exercise been helping your weight loss? if it's helping your weightloss than continue to do it. If not, than you should probably think of putting something else into your routine.
  • Chagama
    Chagama Posts: 543 Member
    Just my opinion, but I wouldn't count it. Even a sedentary lifestyle assumes you are doing some moving around during the day, so a lot of basic activities are counted. Unless you are really exerting and getting your heartrate raised, you are probably double counting.

    I also always want to err on the side of underestimating calories burned and overestimating calories eaten. I'm sure I make enough mistakes along the way that I want to build in a little buffer, and not assume I can eat more.

    Of course, the best way to tell is to try it. If you appear to be hitting your goals but not seeing the corresponding weight loss, it may be because you are double counting and not really burning as many calories as you think you are.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    If you have to ask it's probably cheating

    Ding.
  • downinaggieland98
    downinaggieland98 Posts: 224 Member
    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.

    This!
  • u2fergus
    u2fergus Posts: 422 Member
    I don't know if I'd call it "cheating," but this is what I do know. I used to count every little thing I did as exercise calories, and eventually my weight loss slowed to a crawl. When I stopped doing this, started counting ONLY intentional exercise calories and made sure my HRM wasn't overestimating my calorie burns, I immediately started losing weight again. I don't know if that's the answer for you, but it definitely was the answer for me. :ohwell:
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    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!!

    Please, please, please, explain to me how cooking or cleaning is the same as running a mile?


    This person put - It is NOT the same as running a mile....I just wanted to point that out.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    If you're losing weight and it's working for you = no. If you're not making any progress and don't know why = I'd start there.
  • JaySpice
    JaySpice Posts: 326 Member
    What type of cooking are you doing that's burning enough calories to log?
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
    On days I do regular pick up around my house, playing with the babies, and mild things, I log it under cleaning moderate effort. On days I sweep and mop 2 levels, 6 peoples laundry, scrubbing bathtubs, and running around with the kids... etc, I log as exercise with heavy vigorous effort. The way I look at it, If I am not just sitting on my butt on the couch than I am up doing "exercise" that my body is burning calories for... so log it :)
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    You say it's helping to keep you motivated, but if you feel like you're "cheating," then it's not really a positive thing in the end. I would count things like intensive spring cleaning, hand-scrubbing all of the floors or cleaning out the basement, but not day-to-day activities like cooking and doing dishes.
  • kstep88
    kstep88 Posts: 403 Member
    I only add it in if I am deep cleaning or cleaning for longer than 45 minutes. I also wear my hrm and if I don't keep my heart rate well above normal, I don't add it in. If it helped me lose a little, I will consider that a bonus. I guess if I feel like I am doing a dance class while am cleaning then it's worth it... I usually don't eat back calories from cleaning unless I truly worked hard.
  • SithZombie
    SithZombie Posts: 165 Member
    I've seen this topic a LOT on here, and posted a thread on it several months back...Because cleaning is something that's done on ar regular basis, I don't think it really counts. However, if you do everything double-time, go up and down the stairs TWICE whenever you have to use them, do squats while folding laundry. Bunny hops and jumping squats while moving around the house tidying up...when I put this theory to use with my HRM, I burnt 338 calories in 40(ish) minutes.
  • Jenner22
    Jenner22 Posts: 94 Member
    I count it depending on my activity level. I have two kids and a sloppy husband (weekends for him) and I clean up a lot after them. Normal day to day stuff I don't count. I however did a lot of extra cleaning today and Sunday's I always have a lot of cleaning time due to the fact that I didn't clean over Saturday. On the days I clean for 4 hours.. I only count an hour of it.
  • EvEboEvie
    EvEboEvie Posts: 115 Member
    Any activity I do outside of an actual structured workout I consider a part of a slightly more active lifestyle. Even still, I consider my activity level to be sedentary.

    I find that people tend to overestimate those exercise calories and underestimate how many food calories they're taking in. It's very easy to do. So no, I don't count those kinds of activities at all.
  • claire7090
    claire7090 Posts: 67
    I log cleaning if I am giving the house a good clean (washing the dishes/loading the washing machine in my book does not count), and I log cooking if I have done alot for example I often make jams/chutneys that sort of thing and can be on my feet in the kitchen for 3-4 hours, I am tired at the end of it so I must have used calories.

    However I log cautiously - if I do 2 hours cleaning I would only log 1 hour of light cleaning as I do not want to risk over logging calories.
  • BoxingAli
    BoxingAli Posts: 117 Member
    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. 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.

    This
    no work out clothes = no count. I don't even log if I do a 'big clean'. I don't consider this a form of exercise.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    It all depends on the lifestyle level you set when you set up your MFP profile. I know what you mean though. I have a back injury and have been doing some light aerobic exercise, but have tweaked my back so right now I can't do any aerobics. I haven't been logging any house work, etc. The reason why is; I don't want to just log calories so I can have extra food each day when it's not really enough to make a difference. If it makes you feel better to log stuff, just remember, low level tasks like light housework doesn't burn many calories at all. I think some people over estimate when they look into the MFP database of exercise. Remember, most of those activities are entered in by members (I believe), so they are probably up for debate. Just hang in there; sometimes it goes a little slow, but hopefully you have chosen MFP because it represents a new lifestyle, not just a quick fix for symptoms of being overweight. It will happen. Good luck!

    Edit: One thing to remember when logging exercise calories. If you over estimate, the only person it will hurt is yourself. It doesn't matter what anyone says pro or con about logging house work, you are the only one it affects. That's why I don't log light housework. I don't want to be disappointed when I don't lose any weight after eating back a bunch of calories I was just kidding myself about.
  • beth_816
    beth_816 Posts: 19
    For me it would be a fine line between motivation...and rationalization. Like trying to finesse the numbers to make myself feel better. In the end I'm only cheating myself by creating scenarios that make it look better on paper (or the screen in this case)

    I agree with a couple of the folks here on a few of points.

    Firslty, when I joined I set up my profile to "Lightly Active" because I am a nurse and on my feet for 12 hours at a time--basically running around for 12 hours. I had to acknowledge it's only partially accurate. I don't work 7 days a week. So if I'm cleaning my house and running around doing errands and cleaning I figure it's filling the role of being "Lightly Active". The calories for the day are set for that level of activity.

    To try and account for the ADL's (Activities of Daily Living) to me feels like I'd be missing the big picture.

    Secondly. If you have to ask you already know the answer.

    Thirdly. Cardiovascular Exercise is defined as an increase in heart rate for a period of time (the % increase is up for interpretation based on the kind of goals you have)

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/416934-what-is-considered-cardio-exercise/

    The head games I play with myself are the most damaging to myself--and almost like self-sabotage. I have to be really honest with myself and really monitor my inner dialogue.

    Best of Luck!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    The only reason I can see to add cooking+cleaning as "cardio" would be if you're desperate for some "bonus points" because you're not putting in enough effort overall.
  • Susan923
    Susan923 Posts: 61
    My opinion is that it is cheating. I think of exercise is anything that makes you breath heavier than you do naturally. Everything else is just part of your day. I believe that you should stick to your calorie goal, period. Anything that you do exercise wise is a bonus and that will be how you lose weight.
    If you up your calories everytime you move your arm then you will never be in a calorie deficite, therefore you will not lose weight.

    When your heart rate in increased and you are breathing heavy...write that down. Otherwise leave it off and eat clean. :wink:
  • imatoughgirl
    imatoughgirl Posts: 16 Member
    I think if you are honest about the calories burned you should count it. Obviously you can't count that as intense exercise. Actually your question reminds me that I should counting my calories burned at work and here at home also, not just the gym.
  • Perfectlycrooked
    Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
    What do you have your daily activity set at?
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I wouldn't count it unless you're running back and forth between rooms.

    If you have a Fitbit, cleaning and cooking would probably register as some kind of activity. But when people talk about "cardio," they usually mean intense, uninterrupted exercise.
  • Annette8479
    Annette8479 Posts: 82 Member
    yes
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Is it working? Are you losing weight at the rate you're supposed to? Then it's not cheating.
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
    I dont count anything as exercise if its part of my normal routine. Now if you go on a 5 hour cleaning spree or 8 hour cooking spree then I think that is ok but ultimately its up to you.

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