859 calories shopping?

Tdacks

Personally, my calorie limits in MFP are for sedentary activity, so I tend to log things like walking around the store for an hour as 30 minute of 2mph walking. The other day I walked a mile to school, wandered around a botanical festival for 2 hours, and then walked home with my take. You bet my shiny metal behind that I logged that! It doesn't sound that much different from walking around the mall, shopping, and carrying heavy bags.

So yeah, If I were you (which I am not) then I would take the HRM number and maybe log half of that.

kelcro40

Direclty from Polar, they say that the watch is not as accurate for calories burned if your heart rate isn't above 110 or 120. I can't remember the exact amount, but it's an amount that you would be hitting if you were at the gym, not just shopping. Were you sweating? Ask Polar.

Thanks!

Deanna149

wow! personally i do count my shopping walk, but my activity level is also set to sedentry, so being hypoglycemic my rule of thumb is if it drops my blood sugars i count it. either way you did good today and was a great way to see what you burned and didnt realize.

SonicDeathMonkey80

no, just no...

this is not exercise..this is just daily activity..

I walk up and down the stairs at work 20 times a day ..I do not count that as exercise...

No, this is not daily activity. I do not go shopping at the mall and walk for the most part of 4 hours. I do not count weekly shopping trips to walmart etc. I was also toting bags of clothes, shoes

Ummm so a trip to the mall counts, but a trip to walmart does not? I am missing something here...?

You really should not log daily activities - shopping, work, cleaning, walking to car, etc....as "exercise" just my opinion...

Walmart has those fancy motorized carts

kelcro40

no, just no...

this is not exercise..this is just daily activity..

I walk up and down the stairs at work 20 times a day ..I do not count that as exercise...

No, this is not daily activity. I do not go shopping at the mall and walk for the most part of 4 hours. I do not count weekly shopping trips to walmart etc. I was also toting bags of clothes, shoes

Ummm so a trip to the mall counts, but a trip to walmart does not? I am missing something here...?

You really should not log daily activities - shopping, work, cleaning, walking to car, etc....as "exercise" just my opinion...

No, walmart trips are my normal routine. Are you reading what I am posting? The mall trip for almost 4 hours was more than I normally do in a week.

no, walking around the mall is not exercise sorry .it just is not..

I went to the mall last weekend and walked around for two hours..that is not exercise..that is something I did during the day aka daily activity...

Yes, walking is exercise. I go to the gym and bust *kitten* on the treadmill at an incline at 4 mph and I am pretty sure that is exercise. And yes, for the third time, it (an almost 4 hour shopping trip most of which I was walking albeit slower than 4 mph) is over and above what I would normally do on any day, therefor it is NOT normal daily activity. Thanks for your input though.

kelcro40

no, just no...

this is not exercise..this is just daily activity..

I walk up and down the stairs at work 20 times a day ..I do not count that as exercise...

I agree, but what if you are set to "sedentary"? Would you then log it so you eat enough?

THis is my point, because I know that I was more active today than a normal day. I think 859 is ridiculous to count, but some of it should be counted.

xaMErica

I personally *now* would not track that.. before when I was eating 1200 calories a day and 'sedentary' I would count working.. because I would be on my feet for 4-8 hours.. so I'd track it as like walking 2mph for a little less than half the time I worked. I wouldn't do that now though. I would say its normal daily activity.. that is just from my experience and learning from this weight loss and stuff.... Now.. If I was working truck day where I was lifting heavy box's and moving things, up and down ladders.. running around like crazy and getting REALLY tired.. I would still count that..

I personally don't count my calories burned shopping in the mall. I just started subtracting the 62 calories that my body would be using whether working out or not..

StaceySuperfly

I've been having hot flashes all day. Breaking a sweat and elevated heartbeat. By your logic I guess I should be logging this as exercise!

anifani4

Walking around stores and shopping is NOT part of my daily routine. I am very sedentary. So when I do shop, I log it as exercise under "walking, slow pace, 2mph" It's not a lot of calories but it certainly is more than if I was sitting in a chair at home.

People have made some valid points about the heart rate monitor not actually being good at recording milder exercise calorie burn so to me that says not to count what the monitor claimed but definitely count something because it's not part of your routine.

kelcro40

no, just no...

this is not exercise..this is just daily activity..

I walk up and down the stairs at work 20 times a day ..I do not count that as exercise...

I agree, but what if you are set to "sedentary"? Would you then log it so you eat enough?

no change sedentary to light activity...

That is an idea. I have been very sedentary up til January. Maybe it is time to change my acitivty level on here. I hadn't considered it because I guess I haven't had the confidence to label myself other than sedentary even though I started going to a gym last week.

kelcro40

I've been having hot flashes all day. Breaking a sweat and elevated heartbeat. By your logic I guess I should be logging this as exercise!

lmao! I have had a few of those. I feel ya.

ndj1979

ughhh ..I am just going to say it..if you want to exercise, exercise and log it...I just don't think that normal stuff ..yes going to the mall is normal stuff should be counted towards exercise...there is a huge difference between a four hour stroll through the mall and hitting the weights for an hour and half or running a 5k....IMO

kelcro40

Also, I just decided to put the HRM on to see what it would do. Sure I stated that in my original post? I just got it a couple days ago and was curious what it would say I burned during the shopping trip.

kelcro40

ughhh ..I am just going to say it..if you want to exercise, exercise and log it...I just don't think that normal stuff ..yes going to the mall is normal stuff should be counted towards exercise...there is a huge difference between a four hour stroll through the mall and hitting the weights for an hour and half or running a 5k....IMO

I GET what you are saying, I truly do. But I don't think you are getting that this is NOT normal stuff in MYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY daily, weekly or monthly routine. And I am talking about my normal acitivities, not yours. This was just a test to see what the HRM would say since I just got it and was curious.

NCchar130

no, just no...

this is not exercise..this is just daily activity..

I walk up and down the stairs at work 20 times a day ..I do not count that as exercise...

I agree, but what if you are set to "sedentary"? Would you then log it so you eat enough?

no change sedentary to light activity...

That is an idea. I have been very sedentary up til January. Maybe it is time to change my acitivty level on here. I hadn't considered it because I guess I haven't had the confidence to label myself other than sedentary even though I started going to a gym last week.

I had mine set to sedentary for the first couple weeks and so I logged some daily activity stuff if it was above and beyond the norm. I found MFP easier to deal with once I changed it to lightly active and then logged only my exercise. The only exception now is when I do an afternoon of heavy duty yardwork and I only count about half of the calories the database here tells me I burned. I get what you're saying OP that since it wasn't a normal shopping trip, some of it should 'count'. I think other posters are trying to help you not overestimate calories burned, especially if you eat back exercise calories.

Tdacks

ughhh ..I am just going to say it..if you want to exercise, exercise and log it...I just don't think that normal stuff ..yes going to the mall is normal stuff should be counted towards exercise...there is a huge difference between a four hour stroll through the mall and hitting the weights for an hour and half or running a 5k....IMO

Is movement only valid exercise if it is an athletic activity? I get the impression that the only thing that "counts" is stuff done at the gym for the express purpose of fitness. Is it still exercise if someone "hits the weights" at only 30 minutes using less than some acceptable amount of weight?

I just don't get why carrying a 30 pound bag of clothes and walking around a store for an hour isn't exercise, but carrying a 30 pound dumbbell while walking on a treadmill for an hour is an exercise.

There seems to be a bias on this site against people who don't live a gym regimented lifestyle.

denvervegan

Maybe a Fitbit would be better than an HRM for this type of activity?

ndj1979

ughhh ..I am just going to say it..if you want to exercise, exercise and log it...I just don't think that normal stuff ..yes going to the mall is normal stuff should be counted towards exercise...there is a huge difference between a four hour stroll through the mall and hitting the weights for an hour and half or running a 5k....IMO

Is movement only valid exercise if it is an athletic activity? I get the impression that the only thing that "counts" is stuff done at the gym for the express purpose of fitness. Is it still exercise if someone "hits the weights" at only 30 minutes using less than some acceptable amount of weight?

I just don't get why carrying a 30 pound bag of clothes and walking around a store for an hour isn't exercise, but carrying a 30 pound dumbbell while walking on a treadmill for an hour is an exercise.

There seems to be a bias on this site against people who don't live a gym regimented lifestyle.

no...

But things like you mentioned should already be included in your BMR or TDEE....because going to the mall, walmart, shopping,waling hte doggie, etc is what your body burns off on normal day doing regular functions..its not anything 'additional" or "special". IMO if you do all your normal stuff - walking the doggie, mall, shopping, whatever - and THEN go work out or run or whatever your preferred choice of exercise is then this is above and beyond what you would normally do and should be logged...

IDK I don't think that just because you did X daily activity that, that should be seen as doings come additional with respect to your weight loss...

If I go up the stairs 20 times a day is that additional? No, I have to do it to get up and down the stairs...

And this is a fitness/weight loss cite so it seems that most people would prefer some form or exercise....

Mokey41

I say log it, eat it, justify it however you want then we'll wait for the post in a couple weeks asking why you aren't losing.

Sedentary doesn't mean dead or laying on the couch all day, it means not having an active job where you walk all day or lift heavy things. It includes everyday activities.

Unless you are the incredible shopping woman that runs through the mall at 4 mph toting 5 bags in each hand then shopping is not exercise. I haven't seen anyone at the mall doing more than a slow wander with lots of stops to look at things, stand in line to pay, wander to the next store, look some more...... repeat endlessly. The fact that you actually moved around today does not mean you need to compensate for it with food.

KBSwinger

I dont count mall walking its pretty pointless unless your in denial and just making an excuse that mall walking is actually exercise! To be considered exercise there needs to be at least a moderate effort and no stops at the food court either!