Is it Really Exercise or Am I Cheating?

BrianSharpe

I have my activity level set to sedentary but I only record actual exercise as exercise. That's my "insurance" for potentially under reporting calories consumed (I don't weigh anything) or over reporting calories burned (I trust my HRM but not sure about some of MFP's estimates)

surromom2010

No I wouldn't bother, especially if you already have lightly active in your settings. You don't burn calories unless your heartrate is increased.. I think by adding them, you are allowing yourself eat more when you're not really burning the calories you think you are

You burn calories just by being alive – when you are lying down, or doing nothing...

You knew the poster meant ADDITIONAL calories, don't be THAT guy....

mandyfawn1

People have different opinions on this, but I once read in the forums somewhere that "you cleaned when you were fat"...or something to that degree, anyway...so you shouldn't count it when you're trying to lose weight.

No matter how long I clean or do any other normal chores I don't count it as exercise.

I don't count normal activities that probably are exercise - running and playing with my lab; vacuuming, sweeping and mopping floors at work - because I did then every day before and still do them every day now. They obviously weren't help me lose weight before, so I don't count them as exercise, even though I sometimes work at them harder than others and get a bit sweaty.

For me, personally, I only count the "exercise" I do that I wasn't in the habit of doing before. Taking the dog on a 90 minute walk instead of 30 counts for me, or doing 10 loads of laundry instead of 2 because I'm doing more than I normally do.

skybird455

i log only intentional exercise. Not regular duties of cleaning, washing car etc....the only other thing I would add is mowing, since it burns so many calories with a push mower. Other than that if its not intentional working out, ie your in work out clothes, your serious ;0) then its normal activity, plus if you dont log the cleaning house etc thats just extra calories you burn you dont track that will help you out, but to eat back whats burned for cleaning house....no I would not add it

JesterMFP

Basically - are you still losing weight at the rate you expect when logging these things as exercise? If so, then maybe you really are "lightly active" regardless of the cleaning etc. If not, then perhaps you're really sedentary, and inadvertently counting these activities twice. Working out exactly how many calories you burn and consume can be an inexact science anyway, so sometimes you just have to experiment and see what works.

KMSForLife

I don't add in anything that I was doing when I was fat.

Exercise activities are the things that you deliberately do in order to change your life and be thinner. You get "points" for positive change, not for things you were already doing before.

Great answer.

whitejessamine

I don't count that stuff even though I've said I'm sedentary. I figure if it's part of my normal activity it doesn't count. If MFP doesn't take it into account and it should, then I'll just be burning more calories then planned and losing weight faster than it says I should! I'd rather not count something I should, than count something I shouldn't and not see the scale go down as quickly as I expected...though that's probably not really noticeable, since I'm not losing quickly anyway...guess I'll stop rambling now. Sorry. lol

carreen

WoW!! You guys are awesome. Thanks for the quick response and the advice. I think I'll stop recording it unless it's a major project. Thanks again!

SparkleShine

Yeah, I agree. I wouldn't log it. For instance I DID log moving boxes yesterday as I was sweating my butt off moving boxes into our new classroom yesterday. MFP had it for over 1,000 calories burned! I logged it as half of that and I think even that was high!

chenrytc2

Depends on the intensity. I would get a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) to see the amout of calories you are using. It would give you the best number of the calories burned.

You could be double dipping, that is an unknown. Since you are here on MFP, I would NOT include them to be on the safe side and not put yourself in the situation of eating back too many calories.

For example, I do an hour on the elliptical machine (M-F). The machine says I burn 700, my HRM says I burn 900, and MFP says I burn 1100. I used the lowest number to be on the safe side. What's the worst that can happen? I lose a little more weight? No problem. I make sure I eat all of my calories and then some. I have averaged about 4 pounds a week with the exception of the last two. The last two I have been eating out due work. So, even the "healthy" stuff is packed with calories.

I wish you continued success!

kcoftx

Even sedentary has movement included in the formula.

BMR X 1.2 (Sedentary Activity Multiplier).

Thus it assumes you do get out of bed and do some daily stuff.

luthage

I don't understand the reasoning of "don't log something you did when you were fat." I thought the point was to eat slightly under the calories you needed based on the amount you burn every day. Just because you clean when you are fat, doesn't mean you don't burn calories now during it.

I'm set a no activity because I sit at a desk 9-5, during class and doing homework. I log heavy cleaning (scrubbing and floors), the amount I walk (an hour back and forth to work carrying a 15lb bag), as well as kickboxing/yoga/running.

I think if you have it set to light activity and you sit at a desk all day, then it's cheating. If you work on your feet all day and then add the extra in cleaning, it isn't.

tadpole242

No I wouldn't bother, especially if you already have lightly active in your settings. You don't burn calories unless your heartrate is increased.. I think by adding them, you are allowing yourself eat more when you're not really burning the calories you think you are

You burn calories just by being alive – when you are lying down, or doing nothing...

You knew the poster meant ADDITIONAL calories, don't be THAT guy....

When people post Absolutes, and what they say is easy to misunderstand, then Yes I am “that guy” WETFTMs.
But the poster was both unclear and wrong. You don’t “only” burn calories when your heart rate is raised were that true you’d burn nothing when you sleep. 350 to 400 per night avg
Driving a car 300 cal per hour
Chatting on your cell 110 per hour
Sitting at your desk and playing with you pencil 200 to 300 per day,
none of which will raise your heart rate much

Bobby_Clerici

haha - the great debate!
It's all up to you, and is it working for you?
Most who log in silly, every day activities defend it in one forum while crying the blues about their lack of progress in another...lol
Seriously, here is what I do.
And yes, it works.
I bought a weighted vest. Mine is 70 lbs - the number of pounds I had lost up to that point.
A lady might get one about 20 or 30 lbs - whatever.
When I wear my vest, I count daily activities as exercise. And it is!
Just my opinion - good luck to you:flowerforyou:

SPNLuver83

Yes, the way you are doing it now is "cheating".

If you want to log everything like that, you gotta put it as sedentary. If not, keep as is and stop logging the daily stuff.

UrbanRunner81

you'd be surprised how much you burn by cleaning. I don't know what your daily calories are set at, but I think generally people are more active then they think.

I wear bodymedia fit and I can burn 2600 in a day just cleaning the house on a rest day. If didn't add it I would only get to eat 1900 calories. This way I eat at least 2400.

Jscanland

oh ya!!!!!!!!! they all count, my nutritionist says that doing those small things 'with purpose" throughout the day actually help to raise your metabolism. so making those things happen "on purpose" and putting gusto (or a few dance steps) into vacumming can be critical to raising your met.....

karylee44

i dont add any of that stuff. only thing i might add is gardening.. and by that.. i usually mean heavy work.. moving cement blocks, building walls, etc. not weeding or watering.

SuperAmie

My opinion.. cleaning.. maayybbee not unless its crazy scubbing and stuff.. sweaty. But washing the car can be a workout.. if your panting I would.

kristen6022

I only log honest to goodness exercise. When I purposely put tennis shoes on and take time out to do physical activity. Cleaning doesn't count and I have mine set to sedintary.