House Cleaning count as Exercise?

KathreneW

Generally I would say no. Factors to be considered however: How long, how big is the house, are you tidying, DEEP cleaning, or Spring Cleaning? I think if you are deep cleaning (mopping, toilets, windows) that could count as exercise. As well as Spring Cleaning (cleaning out linen closets, washing window sills/trim, wiping down walls). However, if you are just picking up toys, and wiping counters I really don't think that counts.
What do you all think?

neacail

I think that it depends on what one's activity level is set at. Sedentary? Yes. Active? No.

BobOki

I would say yes. Anything that is over your standard range of movement and activity should be considered exercise.
I you move fast, and scrub hard, etcetc you can even bring yourself short of breath, get your heart beating quickly, and sweat, all signs of physical exertion.

meglynne1987

I normally don't log cleaning UNLESS it is extreame cleaning like moving furniture, moping under it...climbing up and down a ladder to wash windows etc. It has to be for atleast an hour before I would log it either.

Just a personal choice, i think my body is already used to and well adapted to picking up around the house daily no need to log it.

_DaniD_

Why bother? Just do some real exercise and log that.

chocolateandpb

I agree with you--deep cleaning or spring cleaning, where you (me, anyway) are at it for several hours at a time, constantly moving, does count as exercise, particularly when you have a sedentary desk job like I do. If it's normal everyday pick-up, then no. I'm in the process of moving and I do actually feel a little sore from all the packing and box lifting that I'm doing, and I have been logging it as exercise.

pastryari

No. I consider exercise to be exercise.

If you work up a big sweat doing some major house cleaning, just consider it a bonus.

FindingMyself24

I do believe you burn calories cleaning house but i never count it....i only log my exercise programs....i dont see the need to add that just to get more exercise calories just to eat more....kind of a waste..

ndj1979

No, cleaning and any other non exercise activities should already be considered when you enter your activity level as sedentary, active, etc...

I walk up and down stairs at my office about 15 times a day but I do not log that...

Anthonydaman

No, its daily routine

kookanddra

Depends on if I went over my calories because I drank too much beer. :drinker:

caspergirl7

I count it when I'm doing heavy cleaning... ex: bathroom, spring cleaning etc.. stuff that I don't do on a regular basis... you're moving & burning calories so why not count it?

BPayton27

This is the age old debate on MFP. It gets people all worked up, too.

Personally, I don't log it because it is a part of my normal daily activity. I would consider logging it if it was deep, seasonal clean and I was scaling ladders and such. It also depends on your setting - sedentary, lightly active, etc.

Mokey41

If you want to eat more just eat more, don't try to justify it by calling cleaning exercise. To get any major calorie burn you need to be maintaining your heart rate at a significantly high level for 20 minutes or more. While you may be bending and sweating your calorie burn won't be much bigger than taking a leisurely walk.

JohnnyCashMoney

Yes. Anything that gets you moving is exercise. Is it intense exercise? No. Are you in your fat burning zone (if you go by hr monitor measurements)? No. But there is a calorie burn every time you get moving. It just may not be substantial. Think about it like this. If you are moving (just a leisurely stroll down the street), you are burning calories. It may not be many, but you are burning them nonetheless.

thisdarkpassenger

Yes, it counts. I log cleaning as exercise. I sweat more when cleaning/mopping/sweeping than anything else lol

Jlopez201

To be on the safe side I wouldn't really count it.. The same way I won't count pushing a stroller for 5 blocks lol.

pfgaytriot

I always work up a sweat while cleaning. So, as an experiment, I decided to wear my HRM while cleaning one day. Turns out I actually burned more calories than MFP estimates. So, to me, it is a form of exercise. I may not always log it, but I consider it to be a calorie burning activity.

Mainebikerchick

I don't necessarily log it, but I do clean houses as a side job and I have 4 hours to turn it over before the new tenants arrive. It's 4 hours of the most intense cleaning I've ever done in my life and my body is usually wicked sore the next day. So, I think I get a great calorie burn, but don't always log it. Guess this probably doesn't answer your question? Sorry!

branson101

just because your not working to the level of that Insanity workout doesn't mean that it is not excercise. That being said, I don't think that standing at the sink washing dishes counts, but I do count putting laundry away. Let me explain, I put one thing on a hanger and walk from the laundry room all the way to my bedroom closet and then back. I do each garment separately. I consistantly stay in motion. I also count vacuuming, gardening, and occasional cooking experiences. Anything that gets you up and moving should count, IMO. But, I do sit at a desk for 9 hrs and a car for 1 hour on weekdays so I am very sedentary.

ndj1979

I don't necessarily log it, but I do clean houses as a side job and I have 4 hours to turn it over before the new tenants arrive. It's 4 hours of the most intense cleaning I've ever done in my life and my body is usually wicked sore the next day. So, I think I get a great calorie burn, but don't always log it. Guess this probably doesn't answer your question? Sorry!

this just means your activity level should be set to "very active"

PriceK01

No. I consider exercise to be exercise.

If you work up a big sweat doing some major house cleaning, just consider it a bonus.

Exactly how I look at, too. House cleaning is part of my normal activity. Why cheat myself by trying to log it so that I can eat an extra cookie?

lizziebeth1028

I never count it. I've seen too many people who consistently log it, everyday it's popping up in their newsfeed as 'light exercise' and I watch how their tickers don't move.

luckyclover78

I don't count it because I was still doing it while I was stuffing my face and getting chubby.

Jlopez201

But that is just because I want to be on the safe side and not log in more/less than I should. If you feel like you have burned a significant amount of calories just cleaning your house alone then why not.

csuhar

This is among the activities that I just let a pedomiter give me credit for taking X-number of steps. For me, I'm usually talking lawn care or, with my current to-do list, painting rooms. It's activity, but it's really too irregular for me to try logging it, specifically, with any expectation of accuracy.

jessannprice

I don't count things I do everyday.. laundry, cooking, cleaning up kitchen, etc...

But when I know I'm going to be vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, scrubbing... then I put on my HRM and I count that crap!! Lol!

Also, I try to clean very quickly and keep my heart rate up... work up a sweat.

CarmenSRT

I wear a Body Media Fit Link. It tracks every thing I do and reports it to MFP. MFP gives me credit for my activity level depending on how far above (or below, I can lose consumable calories if I'm being a couch potato) my normal activity level I am. For me, it can be counted, depends on how awesomely I'm doing it. :happy:

Mokey41

I always work up a sweat while cleaning. So, as an experiment, I decided to wear my HRM while cleaning one day. Turns out I actually burned more calories than MFP estimates. So, to me, it is a form of exercise. I may not always log it, but I consider it to be a calorie burning activity.

A HRM isn't meant to be worn that way and will give you wildly exaggerated numbers. Mine will tell me I burn over 150 calories sitting on my *kitten* watching TV which I know for a fact is not true.

ndj1979

just because your not working to the level of that Insanity workout doesn't mean that it is not excercise. That being said, I don't think that standing at the sink washing dishes counts, but I do count putting laundry away. Let me explain, I put one thing on a hanger and walk from the laundry room all the way to my bedroom closet and then back. I do each garment separately. I consistantly stay in motion. I also count vacuuming, gardening, and occasional cooking experiences. Anything that gets you up and moving should count, IMO. But, I do sit at a desk for 9 hrs and a car for 1 hour on weekdays so I am very sedentary.

This is the worst example ever. By this reasoning, I should count waking up and getting out of bed in the morning because it "gets me up and moving"

Also, why would not washing dishes count? You are moving your hands in a circular motion and that expends calories because you are, well moving...

missybct

Nah, I never count it. Ever. I do quite a bit of it, but I'd prefer it to just be a nice extra - besides, I'm crap at it.