Does anyone else count house work as exercise?

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  • mfoutch86
    mfoutch86 Posts: 87
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    NO! It's part of your everyday life!
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
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    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.
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 405 Member
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    Like most, I don't tend to log the daily stuff but if I"m mopping, vacuuming and generally working up a sweat doing it, then I do log it. I don't typically log doing the dishes or cooking unless maybe a holiday meal where I spend hours on my feet, etc. So, if it is beyond the every day stuff and feels like work, I do log it.
  • molly_grue
    molly_grue Posts: 215 Member
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    Maybe I just don't clean that hard but I never count it lol
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I log almost everything - if i do it for 5 minutes then I wouldn't but if I do more then I would log - I am trying to match my calories in with those going out (less some weight loss) for me to do this I need to log all those going out :-)
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
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    No. Not only is it everyday activity, but it's not cardio. It's physical movement, which is always a good thing...and you'll burn calories, but it's not part of cardiovascular conditioning, so therefore, I do not count it as exercise. I've seen people who put things like "food preparation" down for their daily "exercise." I kid you not.
  • LERadicalDreamer
    LERadicalDreamer Posts: 61 Member
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    For housework, I only count lawn mowing, because when I wear my HRM, I'm usually at 150 while I race around the yard. For stuff like vacuuming, I don't log, because I figure those are hidden bonus calories.
  • AmberBucsis
    AmberBucsis Posts: 30
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    If its vigerous cleaning than yes.. like moving furniture and vacuuming. If im moving lots and i know my heart rate is up than i count it.
  • flag91
    flag91 Posts: 14 Member
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    I think it depends on your goals. For instance, when I began this journey months ago, my goal was to be more active....especially since I have a desk job. So I would log everything that had me up and moving. If I climbed stairs, mopped, emptied boxes, I counted it. I wanted to get a clear picture of my starting point and then build on that. Now that I have that info, I don't count cleaning as exercise. However, I do have a fitbit that synchs up a couple of times of week and gives me more specific info regarding my activity and steps and stairs climbed. I like looking back at my week and seeing how well I've done or what I want to improve on.
  • roguestates
    roguestates Posts: 223
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    I don't log everyday cleaning tasks (eg, dishwashing, tidying, etc) because they are accounted for in my activity level.

    I guess if it's a task that you only do once in a while and that which makes you break a sweat -- like moving boxes around, weeding your yard, or whole house mopping (and putting your back into it :P) -- then maybe that event would be worth logging.
  • jacqy180
    jacqy180 Posts: 1
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    Absolutely I do - I'm set to Sedentary because of my desk job. I don't count walking to the car, but the trip around the block with the dogs, yes. Picking up the kids toys, no..... Cleaning up after dinner, vacuuming, yes but usually the "light effort" vs. Vigorous Effort (unless I was scrubbing the bathroom/washing the car, etc...). Whatever keeps you MOTIVATED and moving toward your goal - if I get a little "warm" or "dewy" doing it, by all means it counts - my body is doing more than what it was used to doing!
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    If I'm scrubbing the floor, I sure do count it. Sweeping the floor, not so much.

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