am i cheating by counting cooking and cleaning as cardio?

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  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
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    I don't log mine but I have my activity level set as lightly active. I do put the school run on though as I am walking uphill pushing a buggy.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I only count anything that I wasn't doing before starting this plan, so to me cooking and cleaning is just part of my everyday activity rather than exercise. If I was catering for a wedding or doing DIY style cleaning and on my feet and doing heavy lifting all day I'd list it, but just making a meal for myself no, otherwise where does it stop?

    Also, isn't cardio something that raises your heart rate over a certain %?
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
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    I say log it. Do whatever you need to do to keep your spirit going and to remind you that at least you ARE moving and burning calories.
  • Benno2805
    Benno2805 Posts: 1 Member
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    My rule of thumb is, if I did the activity before I started calorie counting then I don't count it. That includes, cooking, cleaning, pushing a pushing a trolley around the supermarket, carrying a child up a flight of stairs etc.
  • eve7166
    eve7166 Posts: 223 Member
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    You can log it, But don't eat it.. I eat back my exercise calories But I would never eat those calories back, Unless you are cleaning on a 90 degree day w/out air conditioning and dripping in sweat, you are not burning fat, and that is the whole point of a workout right.. My Doctor said, its not about getting 30 minutes of exercise in everyday its about Sweating for 30 minutes everyday. Basically if you workout doesn't cause you to sweat ( unless medically you cannot) Its not Cardio!

    I agree with this!!! Just because you are cooking (chopping onions never made me sweat! cry maybe but not sweat) and I have done full thanksgiving meals at my house. Even if Im tired I have stopped inbetween and let things cook certain amount of time, etc. I also do groceries but I dont count that as excersize since I stop to look and pick foods out. I would think about what you log and if your heart rate has been up for a more then 10 or 15 minutes consicutively.
  • Micahroni84
    Micahroni84 Posts: 452 Member
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    When I actively clean I am sweating from the lifting, the squating, the stretching. Just the motion of picking dozens of things up gets my blood pumping so I definitely count excercise! I have never counted cooking before though.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Only if you eat those calories back.

    Otherwise, it's your daily activities that your deficit is really coming from. Why log them to eat them back?
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 694 Member
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    i think you should quit looking at it as pass/fail or cheating, this isn't a test.

    It is a lifestyle change. And if you normally sit on your behind all day and you started cleaning and mowing your yard and not sitting on your behind all day then you are burning more calories.

    It all depends as well on how your calorie level is set up, if you have it set for sitting on the couch or in an office chair all day then you should be fine.

    Exactly what I was thinking. If you are cheating, you are cheating you. You aren't cheating MFP. MFP doesn't care. If it keeps you motivated, fine, but it doesn't sound like it really has to me. Didn't you say it had been a few weeks? (Sorry, I lost track of the OP after reading all the posts.) Anyway, my opinion is that I did all the cooking, cleaning, laundry stuff before I started to get fit and lose weight. It wasn't helping my body that much then, and it probably won't now. I log only things where I put intentional effort into improving my body for a minimum of 15 minutes (I try to shoot for 30, though).

    Above all, stop thinking of the whole thing as cheating. You'll look for ways to get around the system instead of embracing a change in nutrition and activity.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I only count anything that I wasn't doing before starting this plan, so to me cooking and cleaning is just part of my everyday activity rather than exercise. If I was catering for a wedding or doing DIY style cleaning and on my feet and doing heavy lifting all day I'd list it, but just making a meal for myself no, otherwise where does it stop?

    Also, isn't cardio something that raises your heart rate over a certain %?

    This^^^

    "Sedentary" doesn't mean comatose. BMR (basal metabolic rate) means comatose. So even if you have set your thing to "sedentary" it doesn't mean you should log every little thing.
  • JoJo_fat2fab
    JoJo_fat2fab Posts: 297 Member
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    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.

    Exatly what I was going to say!
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    YEP!
  • Suz_w8loss
    Suz_w8loss Posts: 197 Member
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    I only count anything that I wasn't doing before starting this plan, so to me cooking and cleaning is just part of my everyday activity rather than exercise. If I was catering for a wedding or doing DIY style cleaning and on my feet and doing heavy lifting all day I'd list it, but just making a meal for myself no, otherwise where does it stop?

    Also, isn't cardio something that raises your heart rate over a certain %?

    This^^^

    "Sedentary" doesn't mean comatose. BMR (basal metabolic rate) means comatose. So even if you have set your thing to "sedentary" it doesn't mean you should log every little thing.

    ^^ Exactly !
  • nomena
    nomena Posts: 165
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    I count it because I set my activity level as sedentary and when I clean, I clean hardcore (yay OCD!). And since it's something that's not an everyday thing for me, I think it definitely counts.
  • merapp9
    merapp9 Posts: 153 Member
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    It's up to you on what makes you feel good. If it helps with motivation then it'll be fine but I would try and get in at least 15-30 minutes of exercise even if it's walking(morning, wake up early, night, around you house a bunch of time) along with that. I myself don't count cleaning and chores as cardio.(AND I'm a cleaning machine) I log my working out though. Good luck and stay strong...push through!
  • mfp_junkie
    mfp_junkie Posts: 359
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    Yes
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
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    YES. But, you are only cheating yourself. So, it's your choice. Cooking and cleaning is part of ordinary, everyday activity.
  • MJ7910
    MJ7910 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    i actually wouldn't count it if it is something you normally do as part of your day. i would only count extra cleaning efforts, personally. also i would find it more motivating to not count it because then you might do another workout. i don't know though, that is just my take on it.
  • Ant_M76
    Ant_M76 Posts: 534 Member
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    Cooking, as cardio? Are you kidding me...
  • katscoots
    katscoots Posts: 255 Member
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    Hell no, it's not cheating. cleaning is hard work - you're moving, so you're burning!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,667 Member
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    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?
    Everyday work isn't exercise. If you walk to the kitchen, do you count those calories too?


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