Logging 'food preparation?' /rant

k8blujay2 · February 2013

Hey, so as I warned this is a rant... I want your opinions on this.

I have seen people logging food preparation, washing dishes, even 2mins walking up stairs. Is this getting a bit ridiculous? I see those everyday actions as being part of my net personally.

Should I log it every time I use the bathroom? And add extra calories if it's a little more difficult than usual? Like seriously people, be realistic... unless you are doing a strenuous amount of housework I don't see why this should be logged. But do prove me wrong, please, I'd like to giggle at the reasoning.

Cheers,

A grumpy Aussie

And? Perhaps they have their diaries set to Sedentary (as in just laying in bed all day doing nothing) and want to see just how many calories they expend versus take in. I have a friend that does it and she has lost an good deal amount of weight... she looks amazing! I have no problem with it. You aren't the first, nor will you be the last, with this rant... but it is definitely a petty one as I am sure you have no idea where their settings are set at.

beatleschic87 · February 2013

Should I log it every time I use the bathroom? And add extra calories if it's a little more difficult than usual?

:laugh:

mrfrodogetdown · February 2013

If they feel the need to log it, good for them. Maybe it gives them motivation to see some calories burnt. Maybe they don't normally do cleaning, or food prep, or don't normally take the stairs. If you don't like seeing it, unfriend them. It's easy.

Good for you for judging them. Always nice to see people being down on people who are trying to make a positive life change.

ncl1313 · February 2013

Some people have vastly variable activity levels from day to day. To account for that, they set MFP at 'sedentary', and then log everything they do. It's just another way of figuring out your TDEE, and learning how much you can eat based on how much you do. That's why I did it when I first started, and it taught me a lot. Now I don't need to anymore.

Everyone starts at different levels of self-awareness, and not everyone can hit the right calories for their activity straight away without having them laid out for them.

^^ THIS!!

briannakaechele · February 2013

Not sure if someone has posted this article or not, I didn't take the time to read the whole thread. But I found this interesting and thought I would share.

http://deadspin.com/5978620/you-have-to-work-out-to-get-a-workout

Enjoy!

AmyFett · February 2013

I used to count when I cooked because I'd wear my HRM and do jumping jacks and run in place too. Just plain cooking, I wouldn't log. I'm also set as sedentary, which means no activity at all. Technically, you could log like everything you do when you're moving around.

k8blujay2 · February 2013

I've logged cleaning before. You try breaking down a tree for over an hour at a time. This was not something I do on a daily basis, but occording to your reasoning, " cleaning" isn't exercise. Have you ever been over 300lbs? Do you know how hard it is for some people to do certain activities that you deem as "daily"? No. Why don't you just delete them? If they are losing their weight, what's it to you how they exercise? I don't consider my job, that consists of standing/walking for 8+ hours at a time and lifting 50+ lbs of weight exercise, but another person might log that they walked for 20 minutes. By your logic, this isn't exercise because I do it on a daily basis. Someone that works on a farm bails hay on a daily basis, and yet someone else might find it an exercise to help a friend do the same thing, because their body isn't accustomed to it. Also, I must state that Sedentary means that you take less than 6000 steps a day. It doesn't mean only your work life! That is just an example used by MFP, because most peo ple in the US only get physical activity in at work.

Say what? Breaking down as tree is cleaning?! You have a tree in your house?

I think what the OP (and many many others) have been trying to say is that you got fat when you did cleaning, continuing to do cleaning is not what is going to make you lose weight.

I think some people just need to get real and I, for one, am not going to cheerlead when they are setting themselves up for failure (raynavee - this last bit is not actually directed at you!)

reply to the bolded part... Um no, you didn't get fat while cleaning... you got fat while taking in more calories than you expend. If I burn 2200 calories doing my day to day activities (ie going to work, cleaning, etc.) and taken in 2800 calories I am going to get fat. While that is a simplistic approach it is still true for the most part.

PamelaGatorMom · February 2013

Personally I don't log anything that I would have done when I was getting fatter - it did not stop me from getting fat - so why on earth would it now help me get thin!!

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

but I agree they are only cheating themselves if they are trying to "earn" more calorie intake.

xxnellie146xx · February 2013

I don't log anything other than actual exercise, but what other people do is not my business.

MyM0wM0w · February 2013

The only time I would log that is if it was some major like ...an entire batch of homemade pasta/pierogies/ravioli.... something that was a lot of work. I WILL admit to adding housework if I just don't want to see red in my numbers and it's less than 50 or so calories. I'll run the vacuum and log it as housework. :P

That said, I don't care if other people do it. It's none of my business.

beatleschic87 · February 2013

Alright people take a breath.

This is a rant so everybody that has a problem with a "rant" shouldn't read the rant! Or maybe open your own rant about the rant...:grumble:

Get off her back people.

I agree with you Aussie, it is kind of annoying to see people log things like food prep and such. I personally don't log anything out of the ordinary unless it was a massive effort, like moving for example. I lifted boxes and cleaned for hours so hell yes I logged that! But other than that, no I'm not going to log the calories it took for me to stick a chicken breast in the oven.

:drinker:

mjterp · February 2013

I see it. I don't let it bother me. I feel a bit sad for them usually, because they are the same people that will be griping that they aren't losing anything by next week. Me, I overestimate my calories and underestimate my burn. Example, I went to a Pi-Yo class (yoga pilates mix) for the firs time today. Have NO idea how to log it. It wasn't particularly strenuous, though I DO feel it in my muscles (especially arms and chest...and glute meds!) BUT, it will just be a bonus on the scale later. I don't log my weight training under cardio, either, unless I really built up a sweat and then I will log PART of it. (I'd much rather error on the side of loss than gain!)

So...let them log it if they want. Hopefully posts like this will call it to their attention and maybe help people face a bit of reality.
NOW...a huge spring cleaning binge...where you lose your workout but are sore for the next three days from moving stove and refrigerator and scrubbing behind them...and ceiling cleaning! Yah...I can see logging those. (I, personally, wouldn't.)

Make sure you don't friend people that do that since it bothers you so much. Me, I can't judge. Maybe the cleaning they are logging is really a huge workout for them due to disabilities. I'm just here to support and be supported in return.

stumblinthrulife · February 2013

I've logged cleaning before. You try breaking down a tree for over an hour at a time. This was not something I do on a daily basis, but occording to your reasoning, " cleaning" isn't exercise. Have you ever been over 300lbs? Do you know how hard it is for some people to do certain activities that you deem as "daily"? No. Why don't you just delete them? If they are losing their weight, what's it to you how they exercise? I don't consider my job, that consists of standing/walking for 8+ hours at a time and lifting 50+ lbs of weight exercise, but another person might log that they walked for 20 minutes. By your logic, this isn't exercise because I do it on a daily basis. Someone that works on a farm bails hay on a daily basis, and yet someone else might find it an exercise to help a friend do the same thing, because their body isn't accustomed to it. Also, I must state that Sedentary means that you take less than 6000 steps a day. It doesn't mean only your work life! That is just an example used by MFP, because most peo ple in the US only get physical activity in at work.

Say what? Breaking down as tree is cleaning?! You have a tree in your house?

I think what the OP (and many many others) have been trying to say is that you got fat when you did cleaning, continuing to do cleaning is not what is going to make you lose weight.

I think some people just need to get real and I, for one, am not going to cheerlead when they are setting themselves up for failure (raynavee - this last bit is not actually directed at you!)

The person also didn't have a strict calorie goal. Now they do, and perhaps it doesn't take into account those things.

As said before, when I started with MFP, I had no idea what a reasonable daily calorie goal was for me, because I had inconsistent activity levels, and I was not knowledgeable about how many calories various activities actually burned. By making my base line sedentary, and then logging everything I did, I learned a tremendous amount. Oh, and I consistently lost 2lb a week along the way.

As for 'setting myself up for failure', I'll happily put my 40 pounds lost, minimal LBM loss, and new found sustainable eating habits (my diary is open, feel free to take a look), against that claim. I now much better understand my daily activity, and I don't feel like I need to log everything because I understand my body much more, and what is required to fuel it.

Different people do things different ways. This method works for many. If it's not right for you, don't do it. If you started out with a much better understanding of your body's needs than I did, then more power to you.

Just please don't assume that because you don't like it, it's the wrong thing to do.

Faye_Anderson · February 2013

It's only as stupid as someone thinking they are being healthy and doing things right by eating less than 1200 cals per day, even though their goal is set at, say, 1559. People who add all those little bits are probably getting closer to TDEE - 20% and losing at a healthier rate than the people who decide this "lifestyle change" is about putting in as few calories as possible :flowerforyou:

ldrosophila · February 2013

It's their logg and their journey (I know everybody hates that word but I think its awesome and an awesome song), and to each their own if they feel bending over to wash dishes was a physical chore and it got their heart pumping I guess they could. I might snicker to myself, but it doesnt cause me to get upset. Some people like to see the added calories they get or know for a fact they will be under calories.

Oh and I agree with the other poster if you are over 300lbs sometimes walk ito the mailbox is physical activity, so whatever floats his/her boat.

DonnaBee2013 · February 2013

Alright people take a breath.

This is a rant so everybody that has a problem with a "rant" shouldn't read the rant! Or maybe open your own rant about the rant...:grumble:

:drinker:

Yes, because multiple threads about this will make the people who are logging these things feel MUCH better about themselves.

stumblinthrulife · February 2013

Alright people take a breath.

This is a rant so everybody that has a problem with a "rant" shouldn't read the rant! Or maybe open your own rant about the rant...:grumble:

Get off her back people.

I agree with you Aussie, it is kind of annoying to see people log things like food prep and such. I personally don't log anything out of the ordinary unless it was a massive effort, like moving for example. I lifted boxes and cleaned for hours so hell yes I logged that! But other than that, no I'm not going to log the calories it took for me to stick a chicken breast in the oven.

:drinker:

YEAH! People should do the OP the common courtesy of allowing her to ***** about them behind their back, and not like get all up in defending themselves and siht.

beatleschic87 · February 2013

Oh good lord, people... it's a forum rant. She warned you and if you have a problem don't read it.

*facepalm*

stephdeeable · February 2013

I don't give a funk what other people log as exercise. I'm not the who has to eat those "exercise" calories back.

stumblinthrulife · February 2013

I see it. I don't let it bother me. I feel a bit sad for them usually, because they are the same people that will be griping that they aren't losing anything by next week.

Yeah. Man. I wish I'd never done it. Maybe I'd have lost 80lb in the last 5 months, instead of a measly 40lb. And maybe I'd have just magically figured out my optimum food/activity balance along the way.

BryVia12 · February 2013

Haven't seen that - pretty funny...

Maybe it was something super intense, like butchering a camel.

Or grinding sausage meat by hand.

Or squeezing a tonne of oranges by hand.

Or pulping grapes for wine by stamping on them.

Or kneading a massive amount of dough for one hour.

Or...ok, I'm just getting carried away now. I don't actually think it was any of those things, but it was fun to think about what would be worth logging.

Haha butchering a camel. I just spit my drink out!!

DonnaBee2013 · February 2013

Oh good lord, people... it's a forum rant. She warned you and if you have a problem don't read it.

*facepalm*

Generally when people "rant", they do so about things that affect them in some way. This doesn't really fit.....It's more of a mock/bash people who don't do things my way sort of thread, and it was put in a public forum TO BE READ by all.

I could take the same approach as you did and tell you "If you have a problem with people disagreeing, don't read it!", but that statement would be as ridiculous as yours. Once you see something, it cannot be unseen. lol

k8blujay2 · February 2013

Oh good lord, people... it's a forum rant. She warned you and if you have a problem don't read it.

*facepalm*

The *facepalm* should be directed at the OP who made a forum "rant" about a subject that should be a dead horse that has been pulverized plenty by now... I don't there is any bones left in tact it's been beaten so much... It's called doing a search.

LorinaLynn · February 2013

When I first joined, I logged things like the walking I did while shopping. I was at that blasted 1200 calories and I was willing to do anything to eat more. :laugh:

After a while, I realized I'd be better off listing my activity level as lightly active instead of sedentary if I spent so much walking and shopping and cleaning and all that other incidental stuff. I'd rather get the extra 130 calories off the bat than add every little thing.

erinlibke · February 2013

Maybe they are having sex? I log sex in as cleaning

debk3p2 · February 2013

I wear a fitbit (a pedometer) all day so I suppose in a way I am logging food prep, laundry and...yikes...even walking to the bathroom. Oh well. I exercise too and make sure I get 12,000 steps a day.

Debbie

Anthonydaman · February 2013

Agreed!

rejordan · February 2013

I have logged walking up stairs for two minutes before, but it was because it was the first time I had ever done it for exercise. I could have taken the elevator. Food prep and cleaning? I call those freebees. I have friends who do that, but I dont comment when it comes up.