Should we log all "exercises"?

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woahitsangie
woahitsangie Posts: 139 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What i mean by this is, if im taking a 10 minute brisk walk to the mailbox I should count that as exercise right? If I do 2 hours of constant house cleaning, I should count that time as well. What are your thoughts on this? Am I just hurting myself logging all of these small exercise calories?
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Replies

  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
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    Those little things are certainly better than sitting on your bum all day. I say log them if you find that more motivating. But personally, I don't bother logging non-strenuous activities. For example, 1 hour of snow shoveling might get logged, but 1 hour of vacuuming wouldn't. I may ask myself: am I breathing hard? am I breaking a sweat? Could I do this allllll day and repeat the next day, or is it too strenuous for that?
  • trickettmomma
    trickettmomma Posts: 14
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    I usually log the ones where I break a sweat, or at least feel my heart rate rise a bit. Esp if it's not something normal for me. HTH
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
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    Unless you were completely bedridden before there is really no need to log everyday activities. If its something that takes an extra effort and makes you sweat log it and see what works for your weight lose goal
  • JeanneJeanne
    JeanneJeanne Posts: 11 Member
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    I have an idea. It's very satisfying to log exercise and seeing it on the screen really is a positive reinforcement. Perhaps keep logging the little things, but don't eat the calories gained...this would ensure that you continue to give yourself the positive reinforcement of eating under your calorie allotment until your deliberate exercise level increases to the point that you don't 'need' to log the little things to feel good.
  • natalovesmusic
    natalovesmusic Posts: 49 Member
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    I only log my cardio. I don't even record my strength training or core exercises. If I do anything besides my cardio in the day I think of it as icing on the cake but I've seen others log when they clean the house. If you want to, you can; a benefit can be to see how many calories you're really burning with these little activities.
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
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    why is your mailbox 10 minutes away?!

    I only log my cardio. I don't even record my strength training or core exercises. If I do anything besides my cardio in the day I think of it as icing on the cake but I've seen others log when they clean the house. If you want to, you can; a benefit can be to see how many calories you're really burning with these little activities.
    i only record my strength training so i know which days ive done them so i dont overdo it
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Were you losing weight by doing these things before? If it motivates you to log them then do so but I certainly wouldn't be eating those calories.
  • ChristineMarie89
    ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,142 Member
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    up your activity level to lightly active. . .i clean AT LEAST 2 hours a day but instead of logging it i just upped my activity level and if i burn more than that than woo lol
  • woahitsangie
    woahitsangie Posts: 139 Member
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    why is your mailbox 10 minutes away?!


    I live in apartment complex, and its on the other side of the facility! Big apartment complex...lol
  • woahitsangie
    woahitsangie Posts: 139 Member
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    I never eat back my exercise calories, and I have seen a loss lately with what Ive been doing. But, wanted to see everyones thoughts on it.

    8 weeks in and down 17 lbs.
  • Jayme34
    Jayme34 Posts: 160 Member
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    I log only the exercises i do.I dont understand why people log shopping, painting, bathing the dog , sweeping the floor as exercise!!! I do those as part of my everyday life not as exercise.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    I only log "intentional" exercise.
    So, even if I'm cleaning house for an hour and I break a sweat I don't consider that exercise.
  • woahitsangie
    woahitsangie Posts: 139 Member
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    I log only the exercises i do.I dont understand why people log shopping, painting, bathing the dog , sweeping the floor as exercise!!! I do those as part of my everyday life not as exercise.

    But, youre burning calories doing those things. Why not log them? I understand what youre saying. Just seeing what people had to say on the subject. FOR ME, its very motivational. But, wanted to hear other oppinions as well :)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Did you walk to the mailbox briskly before you started exercising? If the answer is yes, then don't log it.

    Did you clean house before you started exercising? If the answer is yes, don't log it.

    Stuff that you did before you started on this journey, is part of your lifestyle.. and not exercise.

    Exercise is something purposeful, that you do on top of your daily routine. To me, walking to the mailbox and cleaning are things I'd be doing anyway, so why log them?
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
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    I log only the exercises i do.I dont understand why people log shopping, painting, bathing the dog , sweeping the floor as exercise!!! I do those as part of my everyday life not as exercise.

    exactly, these are daily activities. even walking my dog is included.

    now when I schedule an hour in the gym? then I will log calories burned
  • GlutesthatSalute
    GlutesthatSalute Posts: 460 Member
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    I don't log anything that I don't put on exercise clothes to do.. I figure some days I do more erroneous tasks than other so it all evens out.. Now if u wanted to do a few sets of wind sprint intervals on your 10 min walk I would count those:flowerforyou:
  • courtleemens
    courtleemens Posts: 14
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    I used to log all my cleaning because until after I had a baby I never really had a weight issue. But now if I am mopping the floors and break a sweat I will log that in , but other than that I wont. I do log my walks if I am pushing my stroller ( i have a hilly road to walk on so that helps burn more) or I take my dog because he may be little but he runs the whole time lol

    I love this WII game and I dont know if you can find it as its almost 4 yrs old now but its call Your Shape with Jenny McCarty as the host, it has a camera that helps to log your movements with a workout so you know if you are performing correctly ect. and it helps keep track of your effort by scoring you 1-100% and in turn gives you an estimate of how many calories you burn durning a workout. most of them only take 15-30 minutes and its alot of cardio which has helped me a lot!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I use a BodyMedia, so I just log all the calories I burn beyond the base MFP sets for me to get my TDEE for the day. (I'm on maintenance) I used to do it manually, but now MFP and BodyMedia sync automatically.

    So, yes... I suppose I do log every single activity I do as 'exercise'.

    It works for me. I lost the weight I wanted to lose easily (and then some) and have been successfully maintaining since June. :smile:
  • ShaniWulffe
    ShaniWulffe Posts: 458 Member
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    I log things like walking around from class to class on campus because my bag weighs a good 30lbs (on an easy day!) and I walk around 20 minutes per day carrying that... But I think it's mostly a personal thing. Log what *you* think you should
  • MrDelts
    MrDelts Posts: 209 Member
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    You should never log basic things like cleaning and walking.. Those things are not exercise.. If it were, everyone with a cleaning job would be super fit.. lol.. you get the point.

    I understand logging these activities might seem motivating, but it is a bit of false motivation. Going for a run, strength training, jumping rope, playing basketball.. Logging those activities would probably motivate you more.

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