Cleaning!?

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  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    if it is something that you do everyday then it really doesn't make a difference. if someone does a drastic cleaning once a week for a few hours where they are scrubbing and what not, then yes that would be added. in your case you clean every day after your kids so it is nothing extra.

    Doing something "every day" doesn't make it worthless. Lots of people run every day, or lift weights every day, or do yoga every day, and it's still worthwhile movement. Cleaning is by no means anywhere near as effective as those activities, but it still does burn some calories, whether you do it once in a while or every day.

    If you don't want to log it, that's fine. But think about it logically before you make blanket statements like that.
  • bpetlock
    bpetlock Posts: 109
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    it doesnt matter what ANYONE else logs as it doesnt appy to YOU. get past it. get over it. worry about yourself. what they do doesnt matter to waht you do.

    Maybe it does apply to me. Sometimes getting soemone else's perspective adds to your own perspective. :wink:
    ^^
    THIS
    I enjoy other people's take on various issues.
    At day's end, you're either moving toward your goals or away. If what you do is bringing you closer to success, I want to know your opinion - even when it goes against mine.
    Echo chambers are worthless.

    Word! I hear that. I always like to gain perspective. Someone might say something that you've never heard before! How else does one learn without the help of others?
  • shoobz
    shoobz Posts: 119
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    I wouldn't log doing a load of washing - but I did log cleaning about a week ago, when I was moving house. Spent about 8 hours lifting, running around, scrubbing, vacuuming - I only logged 3 hours though, cos I know I wasn't massively active the whole time.
  • Reesecup312
    Reesecup312 Posts: 277 Member
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    Why not? If you are doing extra cleaning or cleaning for exercise by all means count it. If it's everyday chores like washing dishes, wiping counters, I would say no.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    It doesn't contribute to losing a lot of weight, but it does burn calories. See my earlier comment about people who go to the gym and work out hard and still don't lose weight. Movement burns calories, but if you eat more than you burn, you don't lose weight, regardless of what you're doing for exercise.

    but do you think it burns THAT many that it would really make a difference? walking, talking and moving about all burn calories, but its already built into your daily deficit. I just entered 30 mins of housework into my calorie calculator and it only said 86 calories burned. to me thats not really worth logging. and yes i understand people of all different weights will burn different amounts and clean for a longer time, but i think you should just stick to what makes you break and hold a sweat for 30 mins or more.

    It's only built into your deficit if you built it in when you set up your account. If you have your profile set as sedentary, an hour of vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning the bathtub is not accounted for in your calorie allowance.

    If you prefer to not log it, that's great! But it works for a lot of people to log it. It continues to work for me. *shrug*
  • dancecentral
    dancecentral Posts: 50 Member
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    I counted it when my activity was set to 'sedentery' if it was at least an hour non stop.. but when I changed it to slightly active I stopped because I considered part of my normal activity.. exception being when I cleaned the garage a few weekends ago because I did some serious lifting, carrying, ect.. on a side note I don't count things like 20 min walks at a slow/ leisure pace as exercise anymore but I did in the begining when my fitness level was zilch
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    it doesnt matter what ANYONE else logs as it doesnt appy to YOU. get past it. get over it. worry about yourself. what they do doesnt matter to waht you do.

    ^^^ This. I got to much to do without worrying. Also that's why I have these guys.

    4-3.jpg
  • TRISTAR
    TRISTAR Posts: 105 Member
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    I'm glad you said this, as I agree, and I got slated by the lean and green police for adding it
    What is your activity level set to? If it's sedentary, you can add it, but otherwise it's already added to your daily calorie allotment.
  • 115perfection
    115perfection Posts: 109 Member
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    Once I saw showering...... come on.
  • Laner07
    Laner07 Posts: 100 Member
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    I only count cleaning as exercise if I'm doing something heavy duty that I don't normally do.
  • LindaCWy
    LindaCWy Posts: 463 Member
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    I count it. I sit all day at a computer at work. I do exercise when I get home, which I count as exercise. When i clean house (try to once a week), it's a big job - hauling a vacuum cleaner up and down three flights of stairs, same with laundry. It takes hours and I work up a sweat. It is definitely a workout for me. If I did it every day (who has time?), then I would have a more physically active profile and probably not count it.

    This... the end.
  • xandreahmx
    xandreahmx Posts: 3
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    When I really scrub and have heavy cleaning then Ill add it... but only if Im out of breath from it. regular cleaning I dont add..
  • bpetlock
    bpetlock Posts: 109
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    Once I saw showering...... come on.


    Maybe it was something that they didn't do often. :noway:
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I just want to say that if you think about it many years ago we didn't have the things that keep us distracted like television. People didn't really need to work out to be fit they just were because they were moving all of the time. I don't think many people in even the early 20th century jogged or did work outs often. I think people were just generally more active and spent less time doing things like sitting around the tv eating (which I do a lot or used to). So now that I think about it maybe cleaning should be considered exercise in a way. Just something to think about I guess.

    I started wearing activity monitors and using NEAT theories in 2009. I think looking at it all as 'activity', not 'exercise,' is a much better way. That's one thing I hate about the MFP plan... 'add back exercise'. It kind of ignores NEAT, which is a bigger contributor to TDEE than 'exercise'.

    Studies find that people who do a gym workout will often sit more throughout the rest of the day, either consciously or not. They often negate the workout (calorie-wise) by overcompensating in the sitting dept.

    So here you have people with no net calorie gain from the workout, then they 'add back' an overestimate of their burn and underestimate their intake (we all do) and they're aiming for this tiny window because they've been told they can't eat below their BMR or NOT add back... I think it's no wonder people get frustrated and confused.
  • jordanreddick
    jordanreddick Posts: 197 Member
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    I definately log when I clean, I have my activity level set at sedentary because my job is behind a desk, but I am VERY active on the weekends so I log everything. I don't clean every day due to working 10 hours and going to the gym after, so when I get the chance to clean I do it well, sweeping, vacuuming, etc. I don't log when I clean up my daughter's toys or anything small like that, but if I am cleaning for more than 10 or so minutes and can feel my heart rate rise and be sweating a little when I finish, hell yeah I'm gonna log it. More than likely I only burned under 100 cals, last night I cleaned for 20 minutes and burned like 54 cals, but I did it and it was exercise, so it went on my log. I also make my cleaning a workout, doing it quickly or with more elbow grease to make sure I don't cheat myself. Not to mention I don't eat back my workout cals so it's not hurting anything to count my cleaning anyway. Go ahead, if it isn't in the acitvity you already afford yourself, log away!
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    Depends on your activity level. I'm set at sedentary, so if I clean my house I can track it as calories burned. If you pick and active lifestyle, don't track it.
  • SkinnieFinnie
    SkinnieFinnie Posts: 145 Member
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    I log cleaning if it makes me sweat my *kitten* off!! I don't log normal picking up, straightening, dishes & things like that but if I'm on my hands & knees scrubbing baseboards & actually doing true vigorous cleaning.. I log it as light cleaning because I think the "vigorous cleaning" one on here is overestimating. Anyway, hell yes I log cleaning!
  • barbaracoffing
    barbaracoffing Posts: 117 Member
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    Anytime you work up a sweat, log it!
  • monyango
    monyango Posts: 166
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    I log cleaning but not dishes, dusting or general tidying. I count laundry (I have to go up 3 flights of stairs multiple times), sweeping, mopping and vacuuming and wall washing because I usually do it a pretty good clip and usually break a sweat. I rarely eat those calories back in full (maybe just a tiny portion).

    FYI: I also log it at as light cleaning because I don't want to over estimate the calories I'm burning.
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
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    I think it depends on what is normal for you? For me I sit at my desk 9-6 and I have an hour drive each way to work. Needless to say I don't get much cleaning in. On the weekends I straighten and do dishes and I don't count that - but if I do an hour or two of extra cleaning (not that I am much of a housekeeper:tongue:) and work up a sweat then I do log it - only for the fact that it is more moving and shaking than I normally do. I also keep in mind that it may be an overstimate so don't necessarily eat all those calories back but at least if I am really hungry it will allow me to eat an extra portion of lean meat, veggies, fruit, etc.

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