Cleaning. Do you or don't you log it and why?

Amanda21202
Amanda21202 Posts: 210 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, I just thought I'd ask the question, for no particular reason to be honest other that curiosity :)

I personally don't log it as I clean throughout the whole day picking up after me and the little one, washing the pots just after they've been used etc so I don't see the point in logging it :)
The only time I do clean for probably 30 minutes straight is when I have to clean up after the other half in the morning lol

How about you?
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Replies

  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
    I don't log it - I count it as a secret "bonus" for myself because I eat the appropriate calories WITHOUT the cleaning and therefore have some wiggle room in there and potential to lose weight faster - if that makes sense.

    The only time I logged something like this was when I did yardwork for an entire day and was soooo sore and tired afterwards that I figured I should eat back some of those calories lol.
  • MMKE4ever
    MMKE4ever Posts: 115 Member
    I only count my cleaning as exercise on Saturdays when I clean the bathrooms, dust, vacuum, and mop the kitchen floor. Other than that, no.
  • Aventuria
    Aventuria Posts: 151
    I only count "real" exercise. I don't really sweat during cleaning, especially because I clean a bit every day and don't have those huge once-a-week-five-hours cleaning days, where I assume you really get a bit of cardio. :ohwell:

    I also would never count walks with dogs etc. like others do, but I think that's everybody's own choice.
    I personally just don't feel comfortable logging such things, it makes me feel as if I cheat... :laugh:
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    I only count my cleaning as exercise on Saturdays when I clean the bathrooms, dust, vacuum, and mop the kitchen floor. Other than that, no.

    Me too! I only log it if I was vigorously scrubbing the house from top to bottom and actually sweating from it and getting a little out of breath. When I get to mopping the floors, I do them quite fast and vigorously, and it feels like a bit of a workout!! Otherwise, if I'm just doing dishes and laundry then no I don't log it. I look at exercise to be something that gets your heart rate up for at least 10-15 minutes... so if you're logging that you rode around on your lawn mower or walked up 1 flight of stairs for 25 seconds, then you're going to the extreme... lol And yes, I have seen someone log riding a lawn mower as exercise. You might as well log driving a car every time you get in it if that's the case!! Oye. Some of the things people log on here make me giggle. :)
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    I'm also a "secret bonus" kind of girl. Anything that I don't consider "formal" exercise doesn't get logged. Seems to be working too!
  • tallyann25
    tallyann25 Posts: 1
    I wish that i could log " work" , as im a care assistant I think i burn calories anyway but I only log my swim sessions.
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    I only count "real" exercise. I don't really sweat during cleaning, especially because I clean a bit every day and don't have those huge once-a-week-five-hours cleaning days, where I assume you really get a bit of cardio. :ohwell:

    I also would never count walks with dogs etc. like others do, but I think that's everybody's own choice.
    I personally just don't feel comfortable logging such things, it makes me feel as if I cheat... :laugh:

    MFP only has one option for the 3.0 speed, which is "dog walking" so a lot of people log that one because it's the only option for walking. I would definitely count walking as exercise.... you can kill a good bit of calories on a 60 minute walk! Many people use walking as their main exercise, and it's a very good workout when done at a good speed and for a bit of time.
  • MissKalhan
    MissKalhan Posts: 2,282 Member
    Only time I log cleaning is weekends, I live in a house with 4 other people who seem to not understand what cleaning is so i end up doing a massive clean either on the weekends or during the weekeday otherwise I don't. Walking to and from work I log, since its 30 minutes each way.
  • kddruckenmiller
    kddruckenmiller Posts: 114 Member
    Yeah, I think logging things like cleaning and walking dogs or whatever just sets you up for failure. MFP overestimates calories burned anyway so if you log every little physical activity you do, plus eat those 'exercise calories' back, you're not going to lose, and you may even gain.

    I personally only log what I set out to do as exercise. If I clean, I just count it as a little bonus like someone else said. :)
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
    No I don't. I only usually count if I have to get changed into my gym clothes as exercise.

    That being said, some people didn't move around much, so cleaning is moving around and should be counted. Everything is personal preference.
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    Nope. My workouts are either outside or at the gym.
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
    I don't. I cleaned my house before and I got fat, why would I log it in as my workout? It didn't do any good before! :wink:
  • dycheelizabeth
    dycheelizabeth Posts: 28
    I have only logged cleaning once because it involved vacuuming and shampooing the carpets in my entire house (took like an hour and a half and i was seriously sweaty!)...other than that i think those calories are included in the lifestyle you choose on your profile (sedentary, active, etc)...plus cleaning is something we probably all did before trying to lose weight so its not really extra calories burned
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
    No, I think that's silly.
    I only log if I do actual exercise, such as going to my gym, or running, etc.
  • dycheelizabeth
    dycheelizabeth Posts: 28
    I don't. I cleaned my house before and I got fat, why would I log it in as my workout? It didn't do any good before! :wink:
    i wish there was a "like" button on here :)
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    no. i log only real exercise.
    do you log going up the stairs to bed? going down again in the morning? sitting on the toilet as a squat? getting up again as a second rep?
  • Amo_Angelus
    Amo_Angelus Posts: 604 Member
    Yes and No.

    No I don't log cleaning when it's just picking up after myself as I go through the house. It's not really anything strenous.
    I log cleaning when I sweep the carpetted stairs (Anyone who says that's not a work out is mad!!!), wash the windows or anything that is a concerted effort and differs from the normal clean as I go routine.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    No!!!! It's just a bonus burn. And routine cleaning does not burn as much calories as people think it does.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I don't log anything I didn't put on my trainers and strap on my HRM for. Why? Because it's daily activity. Even in a sedentary person it's more than likely doing a few household chores are counted among your daily calories.

    Plus it just seems like a cop-out. Really? Is that what ot comes down to? That someone is so lazy when it comes to doing ACTUAL exercise that they need to believe they're doing a legit workout when doing their daily chores so they can feel like they got in a workout? It's pretty sad.
  • Marie31450
    Marie31450 Posts: 96 Member
    I don't regularly log it. Once in a while I might when I have a rest day don't go to the gym and I really do some heavy cleaning where I actually break a sweat! Lol
  • belladonna786
    belladonna786 Posts: 1,165 Member
    Never! I only log real exercise…
  • TrixieMarie
    TrixieMarie Posts: 20
    If your losing weight then count what ever you want to because what your doing is working so why mess with it. If your not, then take a better look at what your counting as exercise.
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
    no. i log only real exercise.
    do you log going up the stairs to bed? going down again in the morning? sitting on the toilet as a squat? getting up again as a second rep?
    This cracked me up! Thanks for the ideas LMAO
  • kpnive
    kpnive Posts: 64 Member
    i count if I clean more than 2 hours! I also contemplated whether or not to stop counting my "commute walk" this is a total of 50 minutes of walking at around a 3.5 pace....I get a little sweaty (In BOTh activities). But the latter one is now part of my normal routine, what do you think should I stop counting it?

    And agreed like most people - to each their own. I think another thing to factor in is the profile settings of if you are sedentary, etc. That has a lot to play in how things are calculated.
  • smtillman2
    smtillman2 Posts: 756 Member
    Usually no, if it didn't contribute to my weight loss before it isn't helping me by logging it now. That being said if I were doing heavy duty cleaning. You know moving furniture and what not or say I helped a friend clean their house after I cleaned my own then yes I would count it. I would under estimate though. The amount of calories burned on here seems a bit high.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    To me daily life isn't exercise...so no, I don't count it. Spring cleaning, moving furniture washing windows...maybe. But not daily tasks like weekly cleaning, laundry, going to the market, etc.

    Just my thoughts.
  • mooglysmom
    mooglysmom Posts: 319 Member
    I used to, but now I only log it if I'm really working at it - like moving furniture and cleaning behind it.

    I do log walking my dog - because if I'm out walking for 45 -90 minutes that IS a good burn. It just *happens* to be walking with my dog. She'd be so sad if I didn't take her with me!
  • Teko03
    Teko03 Posts: 14 Member
    Yeah, I think logging things like cleaning and walking dogs or whatever just sets you up for failure. MFP overestimates calories burned anyway so if you log every little physical activity you do, plus eat those 'exercise calories' back, you're not going to lose, and you may even gain.

    I personally only log what I set out to do as exercise. If I clean, I just count it as a little bonus like someone else said. :)

    Agreed. Such activities aren't intense enough to consider logging anyway.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    No, but then again I don't log any exercise because I'm using intake based off an exercise-inclusive estimate of TDEE.

    That being said, I still wouldn't recommend that anyone log cleaning as an exercise. Cleaning is something you should be doing on somewhat of a semi-regular basis and as such it would fall under non exercise activity thermogenesis. NEAT should be somewhat factored into your activity level.
  • deadgirl81
    deadgirl81 Posts: 412 Member
    Yes I log it coz it takes me bloody ages to clean a 3 storey house properly!!

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