Does anyone else count house work as exercise?

talkytina9
talkytina9 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was just wondering how many people do this..or would it be considered cheating..because I just started to log an activity that makes me break a sweat in exercise log..at first I just logged the 2 to 4 miles a day I walk in..but then I noticed house cleaning was listed..so started to use that too..and I was thinking about adding the stair climbing I do several times a day as well..
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Replies

  • BirdieNYC
    BirdieNYC Posts: 26 Member
    I personally don't log much exercise outside of running or elliptical, etc. For instance, I walk at least a mile a day, to and from the subway, and yet I never log that because I set my activity level to account for that.

    I think it's better to underestimate and not log every little piece of activity, bc ultimately, iyou're just racking up a calorie deficit that may not necessarily be true. And then you might get tempted to eat back those calories which may work against your goals.

    Now that being said, if your goal is not weight loss, then maybe you want to log for different reasons, and that then is a different story.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    No, I count that as already part of my total daily activities.
  • lizzie1030
    lizzie1030 Posts: 60
    I think it's a little bit like cheating. I have counted it in the past though. I only counted it if I set the timer for an hour and did heavy cleaning non stop including up and down the stairs, vaccuuming etc. at a strong pace for the entire hour without stopping. (I really got a lot of housework done) - but if it's just general cleaning like you do on a normal basis, I wouldn't count it.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    No.
  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
    I personally don't log much exercise outside of running or elliptical, etc. For instance, I walk at least a mile a day, to and from the subway, and yet I never log that because I set my activity level to account for that.

    I think it's better to underestimate and not log every little piece of activity, bc ultimately, iyou're just racking up a calorie deficit that may not necessarily be true. And then you might get tempted to eat back those calories which may work against your goals.

    Now that being said, if your goal is not weight loss, then maybe you want to log for different reasons, and that then is a different story.

    ^ I go with this mentality as well. I don't log the time I spend mowing my lawn, but I know it's exercise. I'd rather cheat myself out of some calories burned and not eat them back since I'm not sure how accurate "Mowing lawn - general" is on MFP. I just log the things I do in the gym or when I'm purposefully exercising.
  • DevonW32
    DevonW32 Posts: 67 Member
    Yes I do, vaccuming, sweeeping walking up and down the steps doing laundry, is all burning cals
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Hey, if you're not sitting on your *kitten*, you're burning calories.
  • DevonW32
    DevonW32 Posts: 67 Member
    yea it's hard to log but it does count as excercise
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I don't log normal housework, but I do log "the in-laws are coming for a visit" cleaning. They're allergic to cats and we have seven, so it's far above and beyond normal cleaning. If I have to move furniture and climb ladders, I'm logging it.

    I'll also log heavier yard work and shoveling snow.
  • Wabbit05
    Wabbit05 Posts: 434 Member
    If it's more than 2 hours and i'm scrubbing, yes
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I don't (unless it's something like moving out of an apartment :)

    I just consider it bonus calories burned to my overall weightloss goals.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,412 Member
    Normal day to day stuff, including laundry, cooking, dishes, vaccuming - no Heavy duty - wall scrubbing etc yes.:smile:
  • rbn_held
    rbn_held Posts: 690 Member
    Depends on what kind of house work. If I am just doing dishes or something where I am just standing around then no I usually don't but If I am running up and down stairs and moving around alot then i will count it.
  • BreakingUpWithObesity2013
    BreakingUpWithObesity2013 Posts: 276 Member
    i do...but i vigorously clean like scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, wiping down my walls,...this is what I log as cleaning...a lot of people say you shouldnt do that..but i do =)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    exercise is exercise. i don't count cleaning, moving, yardwork, or anything like that.

    i was thinking about it today at the gym. during my cool down walk on the treadmill. i mean, would i log my walk to the gym as part of my work out?? no. i log anything extra strenuous.

    yes, i know cleaning, yard work, cooking, etc etc can be strenuous... but come on. seriously?? nine times out of ten, you're cheating yourself.
  • lripson28
    lripson28 Posts: 213 Member
    If I work up a sweat cleaning, it gets logged.
  • cindybowcut
    cindybowcut Posts: 250 Member
    No, unless I am moving around furniture or doing yard work. I plan on moving all the furniture and cleaning carpets this week end. I will count this but not count any of the usual housework.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I'm dripping sweat right now folding my laundry and chatting on MFP. It's hot out. It doesn't mean folding laundry is a calorie burn ;)
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    If you're breathing heavy and sweating you're burning calories. I count my house cleaning as exercise because of the pace at which I do it. If you're in doubt, use a HRM and see what it says you're doing. But I also am not of the "eat back your calories" mind set.

    Contrary to what many on here seem to think exercise really can happen out side of a gym.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    Only if it is out of the ordinary and only because I am set to sedentary. Grocery shopping, normal cooking and cleaning: no. Cooking a 3 hour meal, I log 2 hours. Scrub the house all day, I count half of the time. I also count mowing the lawn since I used to make my husband do it every time and most truly sedentary people wouldn't.

    Walk to my car or around my office: no. Walk 20 minutes to lunch: yes. Up to you!
  • mfoutch86
    mfoutch86 Posts: 87
    I wouldn't log it. For one, its just a part of life. There will be days you don't do much, and days where you go non stop. They tend to balance themselves out. It feels like cheating to me. I don't count all the steps I take pushing a shopping cart at Target, its just something I do on some days. I feel like the people who log every little thing they do are going to lose weight much slower and also, at times, want to have every single possible excuse to eat more. I'm not saying that includes you, but I do see the frequently. Recently someone even asked about logging calories burned while proctering an exam! I thought it was a joke!
  • TheArmadillo
    TheArmadillo Posts: 299 Member
    I log a spring clean i.e. heavy cleaning for several hours, dripping in sweat, moving furniture, scrubbing down walls etc. But general day to day stuff then no. Same with cooking, everyday stuff no, but if I have a big party where I spend 2.5 days in the kitchen preparing, on my feet all day then I'll probably log a maybe 2hours out of 8.

    I also don't log my walking to corner shop and back (maybe 30 mins round trip), but the further shops - 35 mins at a fast pace each way up and down several hills I would.

    Does it really push you out of your comfort level? For more than 15mins at a time? Would you consider it not part of basic everyday activities? Then log it. If in doubt, don't - most people overestimate their activity levels and better to underestimate.
  • kali31337
    kali31337 Posts: 1,048 Member
    I personally do because my activity level is set to sedentary (I'm a full-time grad student & not currently working). I may go to the gym 3-4 days a week but I keep it at sedentary so I can log the activity. I am at 1200 calories for the day and if I feel like I may need to eat more than that, then I have to get off my butt. Heck logging housework means my place gets cleaned much much more often. I do only log half the time I was cleaning though since MFP does tend to overestimate it.
  • lauralind5
    lauralind5 Posts: 133 Member
    so I get that house cleaning = moving = burning calories. But in terms of weight loss etc I have a question....

    Did you not clean your house before you started cutting calories?

    Im assuming so, so how can that make a difference?
  • poodlelaise
    poodlelaise Posts: 149 Member
    Whether you should count it depends on the activity level you based your calorie goal on. If you calculated based on being sedentary, you should count it. Any other activity level l would say no.
  • ncqueenbee
    ncqueenbee Posts: 147 Member
    No. Never. Everyday activity should be included in your daily activity level. I actually enjoy "working out." Anything extra is considered a bonus.
  • reegordon
    reegordon Posts: 97 Member
    If it's less than a hour and light housework, I don't log it. I normally do all my heavy cleaning on Saturdays but, if it takes two hours, I normally only log an hour.
  • kattera22
    kattera22 Posts: 14 Member
    I count mine, but i usually only count about half of the time, just because it gets me moving. :) (usually i only count it when i am doing a lot of cleaning though... like hours, and my goal is set on sedentary )
  • Josee76
    Josee76 Posts: 533 Member
    NO! It's part of your everyday life!
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    It's loggable. That's not a word, but I'll work with it. What is exercise? Exercise is a subcategory under physical activity. House work is also a sub category under physical activity. Therefore, if you want to log your housework, it's perfectly feasible, because you're burning more calories than working behind a desk. When calculating the amount of calories you burn in one day, we're looking at the physical activity, weight, height, and age of the individual in the calculations. People who are in the logging game long term learn how to balance life and food, and usually remain thin for life. Cleaning is a big part of life, and I'm glad you're learning how to find that balance.

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