When is exercise not exercise?

fatgirlslim32

Bear with me, I'm not entirely sure I can explain what I mean properly!

I work in a shop but am mainly office based - it's rare that I have to go and serve but when I do, I could be carrying up to 25kg bags of animal feed. Because of that, I've set my activity levels to sedentary - or basically the one where it says I sit all day and do nothing else.

Four times a week I walk my dog (my boyfriend walks him the other days, he doesn't only get walked 4 times a week!) and we're out for an hour or so. I track that using an Endomondo app on my phone and then add the calories as exercise accordingly - it has GPS so takes in to account elevation/speed etc. I have a FitBit which I was wearing at work, but I'll be honest, I don't *really* trust it - I forget to pause it while I'm in the car and things like that.

The days I'm not walking the dog before work, I go to the gym & add the calories off the machines (or from healthstatus.com if there's no counter, such as on the spin bike) to my daily total.

And then, there's my horse. I ride her 3 or 4 times a week as well. I add the calories from that too (again, Endomondo app tracked). I don't add stuff like housework, doing anything with the horse other than riding, or general pottering about (other than the FitBit @ work). I don't eat all the calories back (I think I've gone over twice in the last 2 weeks). BUT I've hit a plateau. I started on May 13th and I'm about to hit my second weigh in (well, on Friday) in a row where the amount I've lost has been negligible. And I won't lie, I'm a bit despondant about it.

SO.... Has my body got used to my exercise and therefore it isn't exercise anymore? I am very heavy indeed (one of the heavier members : ) ) and my normal, no exercise added day allowed 1520calories. Should I drop them and aim to eat, say 200 less? (although I generally have 200+calories left at the end of the day anyway with the exercise added.)

Am I even making sense?!

keash

Hiya

I doubt your body has got use to the exercise already. There are several things you can check though. If you constantly eating 200 less calories a day you will be eating too little calories and your body will hold on to a little more each day just in case, a case of survival technique.

Reading the calories off the gym machines - are you inputting your details? - If you are, ok, if not these figures will only be average for an average person. May be worth keeping an eye on your heart rate when you are walking the dog and riding your horse. Up to a certain percentage you could be doing these activities without buring anymore calories than normal.

Don't drop that calorie amount, its there for a reason :-))

Hope this helps

Kaz (Personal Trainer)

amyg2000

I have just been pondering this (due to having a horse to muck out and ride again!). While horseless, I have only counted 'proper' exercise (running, cycling, swimming, going for a brisk walk for 30 minutes +). basically, if I dont get out of breath and warm, it doesnt count.

Now that I have a horse again, I don't want to 'kid myself' that I am doing a lot of exercise just looking after her and riding her ... but it does count for something obviously, and I need to make sure that I have enough nutrition to get me through the day - especially if I want to have the energy to do some 'proper' exercise on top. So I have basically counted 100 calories for mucking out a stable/doing a haynet/water etc this morning. I also counted similar calories for a walking hack last night. I want to acknowdlege that there has been a degree of exertion involved, but I dont want to start convincing myself that I am doing more exercise than I am.

I would count your dog walks, gym calories and riding (but distinguish between what you count for proper schooling where you work up a sweat and a moochy hack on a long rein) - but not walking around the shop or carrying the odd couple of bags (unless you do a particularly 'big' job - e.g. spending half an hour lifting and carrying and have noticeably raised your heartrate for a period of time)?

You could set your activity level a little higher to account for general jobs, and then compensate by deciding that you will ONLY count gym/running/walking ... hot and sweaty and out of breath type activities as additional exercise ... and aim to do at least 5 X 'proper execrcise' a week?

I have to say, I think that regular riding (even when 'properly' schooling regularly etc) has always made me fatter, not thinner (I think because I end up not having the time/energy to do much else or convincing myself I dont need to).

bubmaster

I guess if you move its burning calories,and thats what matters.

fitpilatesqueen

Bump
Get a heart rate monitor, they are more accurate. Either see if anyone can loan you one to see if you are burning correctly and your heartbeat going of for x long.

TheatreDamsel517

I wouldn't count riding as exercise. I'm not saying we don't work, but I don't feel it qualities as a significant calorie burn. I'm of the mindset that unless I'm breathing hard and feel my heart rate go up, then it's not true exercise. Plus I feel we become so conditioned to using our riding muscles that it is no longer a true workout for us.

Best of luck and kick on!

gkbanister

I do believe riding, depending on what form your doing to exercise, mine in 4 and still learning and trotting or teaching her the barrels makes me work and i do get out of breath. Many people may not feel it is the same but if u are posting u are using muscles, if your stalls get cleaned everyday i don't believe that is hard work takes me about 10 minutes fir 2 stalls....I just started Tabata(check out You tube) I love it and I have some sore muscles....do some interval training, it is tough. Good Luck!

somedaysoon84

I ride dressage, and i'm of the idea that unless you get out of breath and sweaty, it doesn't count. we get used to using our leg, abs, and arm muscles the same way over and over, that it becomes more like walking. unless you are seriously working on something you or your horse isn't familiar with ( trying to keep a TB down and round in an extended canter, is really breath taking! LOL!!) then i wouldn't count it. mucking a stall, unless you are doing it balls out fast, probably won't account for 100 calories, and def not for long, one you get used to doing it.

i'm on 1250 calories, seditary, and i try and eat back most of my workout calories, BUT i only count things that make me sweaty, and get my heart rate going for a signifigant period of time.

i don't think i believe the "your body holds on to calories and fat" in people with a lot to lose. though it seems reasonable if you only have a bit to lose to start with. i can tell you, i've lost about 35 pounds eating 1200 calories and eating back my excercise calories, which most days are about 300. I have leveled here and there for a week or so, and either i have cut back on excercise for a bit, or beefed it up a little, putting the elliptical on a higher setting, and really pushing through. basically just changing the pace since my body was getting used to what i was doing.

I also don't take the ex calories at face value. i almost always take a bit off, and round down. and i NEVER go over my daily calories. if i'm gonna go over for dinner.... i get BACK on the elliptical, or jog the dog. something.

Good luck!! being thinner can't help but make use better riders, and the horses witll appreciate hauling around a little less weight!!

CarlaDye

I don't count stall cleaning, feeding, watering and putting horses in and out since I do this everyday. I don't count XC schooling or jump lessons since there is alot of waiting around between turns. I have myself set as sedentary since I have a 40hr/wk office job. I DO count hacking & trail riding but only half the time since I'm not working up much of a sweat. I count the interval training I do to get my horse ready for prelim or a 1 star as well since that is continous and my heartrate is up too. I also count dressage lessons since I'm always gasping, tired, sore and have noodle knees afterwards.

I've lost 65 lbs since June 2011 and am down to a size 8 counting my riding as listed above. I do no other physcial activities but yard work, fence repair and putting hay up. My doctor wants me to lose another 30, not sure this is possible without losing muscle but am giving it a shot 10lbs at a time. My weight loss has slowed significantly to abt 1lb - 1.5lbs a month. I eat 1200-1300 calories a day and keep my carbs 75-100 execpt dressage lesson days and competition days, then I up the calories to 1500-1800 and carbs to 150. If I dont up them I get weak and dizzy and it takes 2 days to recover. I rarely eat back all my exercise calories. Hope this helps.