Do you count every day activities towards your exercise?

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beccasetsfire
beccasetsfire Posts: 135
in Fitness and Exercise
I do not, but I've seen some people listing "cooking dinner" & "cleaning" as their exercise... And I wanted to know how many people are doing this? Or is this odd to anyone but me?

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  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
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    I find it odd because this is stuff you do everyday and your body is used to it. The only activity like that I add is laundry because I only do it once a week and my washer and dryer is in the basement so I have to go up and down carrying big baskets of laundry.
  • confuseacat
    confuseacat Posts: 137 Member
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    I don't count it either unless it is an activity that really gets you working like heavy gardening or yard work.
  • wannbAhottie
    wannbAhottie Posts: 63 Member
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    I only count my set aside excercise time, and if I happen to burn extra cleaning or some other normal life activity that is just BONUS! How do you figure out what you burn cooking dinner or folding clothes? A HRM?
  • beccasetsfire
    beccasetsfire Posts: 135
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    I just wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy for finding this odd haha
  • beccasetsfire
    beccasetsfire Posts: 135
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    I only count my set aside excercise time, and if I happen to burn extra cleaning or some other normal life activity that is just BONUS! How do you figure out what you burn cooking dinner or folding clothes? A HRM?

    I think the people doing this are just putting it in as cardio and a time amount but idk...
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
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    yep, ODD.
    I only count something if I work up a good sweat, and am breathing hard, THAT is a workout. the other stuff, no, not at all.
  • prydery
    prydery Posts: 1
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    Normal daily work I do not count, but if I am raking the yard or some other activity I do not do normally every day, then I count it. I would not count normal housework.

    For example: If it snows and I shovel the drive and sidewalk, I count that as exercise.
  • beccasetsfire
    beccasetsfire Posts: 135
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    Normal daily work I do not count, but if I am raking the yard or some other activity I do not do normally every day, then I count it. I would not count normal housework.

    For example: If it snows and I shovel the drive and sidewalk, I count that as exercise.

    I agree, if I'm outside for an hour digging out my car that's a better workout then I get in the gym!
  • fooja
    fooja Posts: 451 Member
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    I thought it was a little odd too!! i will count yard work if im busting my *kitten* and sweating or shoveling snow but nothing else. Isnt that why we have the option to set our daily activity level...... like moderate or active?? i set mine to moderate i think cuz im constantly cleaning up after these kids and doing laundry and making food and swiffering!!!! omg...i swiffer constantly!!!!!! i think this should be considered part of our daily activities instead of an extra workout.
  • Bleux
    Bleux Posts: 186
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    Yes I agree. I just cleaned my apartment for about 3 hours last night, but didn't log it as exercise. I don't do this on a daily basis, but it wasn't something I was getting my heart rate up at all for. When a MFP account is set up, they ask you what your daily activity level is. Since I am a nanny and work with kids all day, I am on my feet moving most of the day, but not to the point of "exercise". MFP takes into account that activity level and works it in to your calorie count. To me, unless you are outside doing major yard work or something, logging cleaning and household duties isn't doing you any favours. Seems like you would be eating a lot of extra calories.
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
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    I think mowing the lawn and digging/raking in the garden could conceivably count but I don't think it's right to count normal activity - that should be taken in by your normal activity levels, otherwise you could count every single thing apart from sitting around or sleeping and surely that's not right!!
  • KimmyBee
    KimmyBee Posts: 158 Member
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    on a side note should you count vigorous sex as an excercise. Thats something ive ben wondering about for a while now.

    please forgive my wierd mind but it is a genuine question O.o
  • stephlewis
    stephlewis Posts: 59
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    I only count it when it is more than my usualy daily 'house stuff'... like when i have to get down on my hands & knees to scrub the kitchen floor, I do this about once a week. We have that stupid linoleum that ALWAYS looks like it's dirty so I give it a good detail cleaning each week. Or if one day I breeze through 3-4 loads of laundry, I do squats while I do laundry, so I might log in that as 20 extra minutes of vigorous cleaning. Because I am so winded and sweaty. If I'm not huffing & puffing afterwords I don't count it b/c I'm obviously not challenging myself.
  • Mom2Emery_Liam
    Mom2Emery_Liam Posts: 149
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    I don't count every day stuff either- unless you're always wearing a hrm, you never know if you're burning much calories by doing it or not. If I spend more than 30 mins *really* cleaning the house I'll count it but it's rare...lol
  • freakincampers
    freakincampers Posts: 16
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    Since I have increased the amount of walking I do, I count it. I only count about 50% (rounding down).

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