am i cheating by counting cooking and cleaning as cardio?

pxpwop

Yes. Can't count life as working out.

tracymnx

Personally I would never log cooking and cleaning as cardio, because I think yes its cheating.

TinaLTaylor79

Well...moving around is great and wonderful of course..but when your talking about dropping weight..i would not really count that as your daily workout...because cleaning and cooking does not put your heart rate up in that fat burning zone! Maybe if you were heavy lifting and moving furniture around and really working up a big sweat...but in general i would not count cooking and cleaning as my workout and give myself those extra calories. But, its up to you in the end...do what you find gives you the best results, this is just my opinion.

Hellbent_Heidi

It really depends on the person, the level of cleaning (not sure cooking burns a lot of calories unless you're on your feet in a professional kitchen all day), and comparison of how much you did before you started counting calories.

If your ticker is correct, and you really aren't seeing any progress in this journey, than yeah, you very well may be cheating yourself.

Everyone is busy and exercise is definitely something you have to MAKE the time for. If you can find time to work in some really good cardio (even if its just 15-20 minutes a day), try to make that happen! In the meantime, maybe just focus on getting over your illness and hit it hard again when your sure that its behind you!

mrssturrock

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.

Exactly. I wouldn't count anything that I wouldn't NORMALLY do just to survive. I count intentional exercise only.

JenaePavlak

It depends on what activity level you have MFP set at.. you tell it you sit all day and do nothing.. sure, track it.. but if you put your slightly active (which includes your job etc) then you need more excercise.. You're only cheating yourself... If it does keep you motivated.. its better than nothing but look for improvements. I never include normal activities. Like At my job where I am really busy walking fast back and forth for hours (prolly several miles a night), doesn't count for me.

leannbiggs

Glad you posted this. I was wondering if I could count playing with the kids and the many stairs that I have to climb while carrying them up to the babysitters house. I feel like Im cheating too by counting them. I think Im gonna count them but count them as less than what they really may be. :-)

mrmanmeat

Glad you posted this. I was wondering if I could count playing with the kids and the many stairs that I have to climb while carrying them up to the babysitters house. I feel like Im cheating too by counting them. I think Im gonna count them but count them as less than what they really may be. :-)

They're nothing, so how are you going to count less?

Glad to know you like to cheat yourself though.

heybales

So what exactly is the purpose for wanting to log all this daily activity type stuff as workouts?

To meet the manually entered fitness goals that you have entered regarding number of workouts/week and time spent each day?

Or is it in regards to wanting to get credit for calories to eat it back?

Bad news no the latter part - if you recorded all your effort through the day as workouts to log, for purpose of having extra food to eat - you just ruined the deficit by making it up.

If this is merely to log activity for personal encouragement because you see the number and go, yeah, look what I did, then fine.

abazooday727

In my opinion,(Just my Opinion) Unless you are dancing to the FLASHDANCE or Zumba while cooking...it shouldn't be counted...If cooking gets your heart rate up, you got more to worry about than cheating on your calories burned...or your are cooking for way too many! LOL JUST MY OPINION! They are like elbows...everyone has a pair! :drinker:

deksgrl

Once again..... SEDENTARY does NOT MEAN COMATOSE.

SEDENTARY still includes NORMAL EVERYDAY ACTIVITY LIKE COOKING AND LIGHT CLEANING and basic moving from point A to point B in a fashion that does not increase your heart rate.

CARDIO means something that gets your heart rate UP. Daily cooking and light cleaning are NOT going to cause me to increase fitness. Except you know, from the aspect of cooking healthy things.

By that logic, should I log how many times I remote control when I am sitting on the couch? How about how much I move my fingers typing? How about that texting marathon? How about when I drink 12 glasses of water and require 5 extra trips to the bathroom? Does extra steps help? Sure it does but it doesn't go on the log as CARDIO.

"Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs," says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise."

Unless you are repeatedly lifting that sack of potatoes until you can't lift it any more, or walking continuously until your heart is pumping hard, it ain't CARDIO.

Again: "Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs,"

osualex

I use the sports bra rule - if I don't need a sports bra for it (except for swimming, obvs) then it doesn't count. I don't count cleaning, cooking, my 5 minute walk to school, going up and down stairs...if it's just part of day-to-day living it doesn't count to me.

csalm

I normally clean and cook for about 2 hours a day everyday, so I subtract what I would normally do and just log what I go over.

tanyaleighcummings

Wow. I am disappointed to see how many here are so agro over this. Yes the op is asking for an opinion...why can't we leave our differing opinions and leave it at that? Why attack people's opinions that didn't ask for yours?

I will continue to do my program my way and support others to do it theirs. I am new at this, admittedly, but what I am doing is working for me. If it didn't I would try something else.

I keep my calorie goal low and my activity level as lightly active since I am an in-home nurse. If I get cranky I have learned to go eat something more. I don't attack others. Eat half of a banana or whatever and log it.

deksgrl

I am only aggravated with the people who keep saying it is fine as long as you are set to sedentary. To keep perpetuating that idea is doing the OP a disservice I believe. I hope the OP is not taking offense, but weighing the information to make the best choices.

SusanLovesToEat

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

I agree-if you normally sit at a desk all day then housecleaning is light to medium activity. After I wash our floor to ceiling windows and scrub the floors I'm sweating like a pig. That counts.

Cooking is more like everyday activity and probably doesn't.

More of a worry is why you feel the need to beat yourself up over this. Perhaps you need to take a break for a few weeks and get yourself well. Just set your limits a bit higher and breath.

ThinMint_Stac

if i know that i am going to cleaning both levels of my house i wear my HRM. going up and down stairs, mopping, vacuuming,laundry for 5, cleaning 3 bathrooms(with two boys that "never" miss) Heck ya i count it and don't feel bad about it!!!:-)

DarkFlutter

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?

It wouldn't be an option if it didn't count

beth_816

Love this answer!

katysmelly

Once again..... SEDENTARY does NOT MEAN COMATOSE.

SEDENTARY still includes NORMAL EVERYDAY ACTIVITY LIKE COOKING AND LIGHT CLEANING and basic moving from point A to point B in a fashion that does not increase your heart rate.

CARDIO means something that gets your heart rate UP. Daily cooking and light cleaning are NOT going to cause me to increase fitness. Except you know, from the aspect of cooking healthy things.

By that logic, should I log how many times I remote control when I am sitting on the couch? How about how much I move my fingers typing? How about that texting marathon? How about when I drink 12 glasses of water and require 5 extra trips to the bathroom? Does extra steps help? Sure it does but it doesn't go on the log as CARDIO.

"Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs," says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise."

Unless you are repeatedly lifting that sack of potatoes until you can't lift it any more, or walking continuously until your heart is pumping hard, it ain't CARDIO.

Again: "Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs,"

Walking at a moderate pace does do that.

If someone who is generally sedentary starts walking every evening for an hour, at 3 miles per hour, they are burning calories. 3 miles per hour for an average person will not make them all sweaty or out of breath. Their heart rate will go up, however, and they will burn calories.

I sometimes go on walks of several miles, over several hours. Unless I'm climbing a hill, my heart rate does not go up all that much. I do, however, burn a lot more calories than I am right now, posting on MFP.

deksgrl

Agreed.

My argument is about cooking and cleaning being things you always do. You did them before you were dieting. You do them now. I count my cooking and cleaning in my lifestyle, even though I am sedentary. I spend X amount of time sitting per day. I spend X amount walking around doing normal day to day things like cooking and cleaning. That hasn't changed and won't change. I still need x amount of calories to fuel that amount of activity that I always did and still do. It is included. That is all I am saying.

If a person truly never moved much off the couch except to go to the bathroom and cooking and cleaning is a NEW thing for them, yes, then I would say count it. But not for people who always were doing those activities as a normal part of their day.

katysmelly

Agreed.

My argument is about cooking and cleaning being things you always do. You did them before you were dieting. You do them now. I count my cooking and cleaning in my lifestyle, even though I am sedentary. I spend X amount of time sitting per day. I spend X amount walking around doing normal day to day things like cooking and cleaning. That hasn't changed and won't change. I still need x amount of calories to fuel that amount of activity that I always did and still do. It is included. That is all I am saying.

If a person truly never moved much off the couch except to go to the bathroom and cooking and cleaning is a NEW thing for them, yes, then I would say count it. But not for people who always were doing those activities as a normal part of their day.

I agree with that, as well.

I was only arguing with the idea that exercise is only cardio activity that perceptibly raises the heart rate.

As a stay-at-home mom, I wouldn't count most of my cleaning as exercise. But, I sometimes make a huge to-do list of stuff and hustle through it in order to get exercise. I figure it's as good as dancing around in front of a DVD and you get a really clean house out of it.

FitLink

Once again..... SEDENTARY does NOT MEAN COMATOSE.

SEDENTARY still includes NORMAL EVERYDAY ACTIVITY LIKE COOKING AND LIGHT CLEANING and basic moving from point A to point B in a fashion that does not increase your heart rate.

CARDIO means something that gets your heart rate UP. Daily cooking and light cleaning are NOT going to cause me to increase fitness. Except you know, from the aspect of cooking healthy things.

By that logic, should I log how many times I remote control when I am sitting on the couch? How about how much I move my fingers typing? How about that texting marathon? How about when I drink 12 glasses of water and require 5 extra trips to the bathroom? Does extra steps help? Sure it does but it doesn't go on the log as CARDIO.

"Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs," says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise."

Unless you are repeatedly lifting that sack of potatoes until you can't lift it any more, or walking continuously until your heart is pumping hard, it ain't CARDIO.

Again: "Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs,"

Walking at a moderate pace does do that.

If someone who is generally sedentary starts walking every evening for an hour, at 3 miles per hour, they are burning calories. 3 miles per hour for an average person will not make them all sweaty or out of breath. Their heart rate will go up, however, and they will burn calories.

I sometimes go on walks of several miles, over several hours. Unless I'm climbing a hill, my heart rate does not go up all that much. I do, however, burn a lot more calories than I am right now, posting on MFP.

LOL If "raising my heart rate" determines burning calories, the MFP forums are my best exercise!

dhencel

Cleaning, yes.... Cooking. no.... Unless you are dancing in the kitchen, then cooking is not cardio....

1shauna1

Cleaning, yes.... Cooking. no.... Unless you are dancing in the kitchen, then cooking is not cardio....

Yes! If you're doing leg lifts, lifting pots and aerobic veggie cutting, you could maybe count it. Cleaning, sure. It can be really hard work.

FitLink

Agreed.

My argument is about cooking and cleaning being things you always do. You did them before you were dieting. You do them now. I count my cooking and cleaning in my lifestyle, even though I am sedentary. I spend X amount of time sitting per day. I spend X amount walking around doing normal day to day things like cooking and cleaning. That hasn't changed and won't change. I still need x amount of calories to fuel that amount of activity that I always did and still do. It is included. That is all I am saying.

If a person truly never moved much off the couch except to go to the bathroom and cooking and cleaning is a NEW thing for them, yes, then I would say count it. But not for people who always were doing those activities as a normal part of their day.

But in determining what you set your base at, sedentary, lightly active, etc., you're asked to determine by activity LEVEL, not how "usual" activities are--even for you.

While sedentary does not mean comatose, unless you are actually comatose, "sitting on the couch and never getting up except to go to the bathroom" also is not comatose, as far as calorie burn goes. Only comatose is as low as comatose. MFP says they set sedentary at "mostly sitting." I don't clean my house sitting.

deksgrl

You are splitting hairs now.

The question was, should cooking and cleaning count as cardio.

I never counted them as cardio in the past. I'm not going to count it now.

I have a desk job, I am mostly sitting for 8 hours. Yes, I am moving somewhat, I fidget, shift around, move my arms. I am burning calories. Not a lot, but that amount of calories I need for that is built in to a sedentary lifestyle. I go home, I cook dinner, I clean up. Again, yes, I am moving and burning some calories but this isn't enough to create a calorie deficit and lose weight.

I figured out my BMR. I figured out my TDEE by multiplying by the factor for sedentary - which includes all the calories I need for cooking and cleaning and everything else I normally do. I am eating a deficit from TDEE. I do cardio to add to the deficit.

jpuderbaugh

Once again..... SEDENTARY does NOT MEAN COMATOSE.

SEDENTARY still includes NORMAL EVERYDAY ACTIVITY LIKE COOKING AND LIGHT CLEANING and basic moving from point A to point B in a fashion that does not increase your heart rate.

CARDIO means something that gets your heart rate UP. Daily cooking and light cleaning are NOT going to cause me to increase fitness. Except you know, from the aspect of cooking healthy things.

By that logic, should I log how many times I remote control when I am sitting on the couch? How about how much I move my fingers typing? How about that texting marathon? How about when I drink 12 glasses of water and require 5 extra trips to the bathroom? Does extra steps help? Sure it does but it doesn't go on the log as CARDIO.

"Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs," says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise."

Unless you are repeatedly lifting that sack of potatoes until you can't lift it any more, or walking continuously until your heart is pumping hard, it ain't CARDIO.

Again: "Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs,"

Walking at a moderate pace does do that.

If someone who is generally sedentary starts walking every evening for an hour, at 3 miles per hour, they are burning calories. 3 miles per hour for an average person will not make them all sweaty or out of breath. Their heart rate will go up, however, and they will burn calories.

I sometimes go on walks of several miles, over several hours. Unless I'm climbing a hill, my heart rate does not go up all that much. I do, however, burn a lot more calories than I am right now, posting on MFP.

LOL If "raising my heart rate" determines burning calories, the MFP forums are my best exercise!

Fitlink, you and I may have had an argument on another forum, but this made me laugh. :flowerforyou:

MissTattoo

I count it if I'm for real cleaning like scrubbing, moving stuff, ect. Everyday cleaning? Not so much.

mrmanmeat

Cleaning, no.... Cooking. no....

I cleaned up your post of lies for you.