Is housework considered excersise?

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  • fit_librarian
    fit_librarian Posts: 242 Member
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    It depends. I count it if I am scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming, or doing something that causes me to move around more. But if I'm doing laundry or just picking up around the house then I don't count it.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    If you were truly hungry, you should just eat something. Or you could just use it in your favor and stick to whatever your plan is. Counting things like housecleaning is silly as there is no real way to log it accurately.

    You can check with a HRM. I did that and it was telling me that housework was exercise :)

    I would suggest you do a little research on what a HRM is good for. It's not going to measure this type of activity correctly.
  • smnassise
    smnassise Posts: 22 Member
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    It's in the cardio excercise choices...there are a few different levels to choose from. Happy cleaning!
  • rbn_held
    rbn_held Posts: 682 Member
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    I think it depends on what type of housework. Dusting, vacuuming, dishes ect...no, but if you are moving furniture or climbing stairs alot, the i would say yes. We just bought a house that has 3 levels and I am constantly running up and downs stairs putting things away and been climbing up and down ladders cleaning and painting. I definately have been logging it. Now tonight is bathroom cleaning night but I wont count it since I don't feel like there is much of a workout involved there.
  • loumaag
    loumaag Posts: 118
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    As stated previously, in contravention to all the "know it alls" this site seems to collect, it depends on your normal activity setting. If you are sedentary, anything you do that is not sitting on the couch or lying in bed is exercise, including walking in the parking lot, loading your car with groceries, going to the store, etc. That is how the activity levels are set here at MFP.

    What is one person's exercise is someone else's normal routine. If it is part of your normal routine and you didn't consider that when you set your activity level, then adjust one or the other.
  • Marinayes
    Marinayes Posts: 21 Member
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    I really had no idea this was such a hot button issue around here. Thanks to everyone who answered. I think I will log it since I only do a cleaning this heavy twice a year (fall and spring), I definitely don't have it as part of my normal routine. This is more than washing dishes, tidying up and vacuuming.
  • missytrishy
    missytrishy Posts: 203 Member
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    LOL'd :tongue:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    If you were truly hungry, you should just eat something. Or you could just use it in your favor and stick to whatever your plan is. Counting things like housecleaning is silly as there is no real way to log it accurately.

    You can check with a HRM. I did that and it was telling me that housework was exercise :)

    People that think housework isn't exercise either have someone else clean for them or they have a dirty house! :tongue:
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
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    i don't clean, my husband does all the housework, so when i do bother to do it, i list it. i do laundry and cat pans every week, so i don't list it, but if i got wild and busted out the vacuum i would list it.

    How did you get him to do the housework? That is so not fair! Some days I feel like I'm cleaning up after a 3rd child!
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
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    Simply NO. Clean is a basic routine. You can not count that and more than you count walking through the parking lot to get to your car.

    Yes you can. This is not everyday cleaning. She said she was movin furniture big deal cleaning. So while washing the dishes and vacuuming is a no, I would say this is a yes!
  • Superbritt2drescu
    Superbritt2drescu Posts: 273 Member
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    To me no, I think its a personal thing though. I moved, I clean heavy duty every other week. (Including moving furniture and such. I don't count it. I count going for runs, or going to the gym, or racing in a 5K as my exercise. :)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I would never conider house cleaning exercise. Most people who clean house stop and take breaks and its not consistant. Exercise= Getting your heart rate up for at least 30+ minute dailiy and keeping it up for 30+ minutes. Exersise is more than just physically moving!!!

    You are confusing the word "exercise" with the term "cardiovascular exercise."
  • brendamanning34
    brendamanning34 Posts: 6 Member
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    I agree, yes you can count calories burned cleaning house. That's why there is a catagory under our exercise tracking!
    I just finished doing 90 minutes of cleaning with NO breaks. I'm tired, i deserve to use those calories. I will still do my regular exercise I do every day.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Simply NO. Clean is a basic routine. You can not count that and more than you count walking through the parking lot to get to your car.

    Yes you can. This is not everyday cleaning. She said she was movin furniture big deal cleaning. So while washing the dishes and vacuuming is a no, I would say this is a yes!

    You can count the parking garage too, especially if you start taking the stairs instead of the elevator. My first few weeks, I always logged everything that wasn't sitting at a desk or on the couch. I only quit because it was too time consuming, plus I did it enough to remember. Some days I don't feel like taking the stairs, by the way. And I count my daily routine as sedentary. Before MFP, all I did was sit or lie down all day, except to cook dinner. (and I sat as much as I could during that)
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    Simply NO. Clean is a basic routine. You can not count that and more than you count walking through the parking lot to get to your car.

    I wear a fitbit.....So I guess I do kind of count both of these.....
  • Sarahbara76
    Sarahbara76 Posts: 601 Member
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    Good question, I'm getting my hair cut later on today, can I count this as exercise?
    WOW.....Would you like a little bowl of milk?:noway: She asked about heavy, non- everyday out of the ordinary cleaning, not everyday stuff...Which made her tired and hungry -same as what a 4 hour hike would do....
    To the OP, like others said, if it's not something you do everyday, log the calories...I won't eat all of it, but definitely enough to fuel my body for the extra energy required...

    :laugh: awesome retort!! I wore my HRM the last time I did some major cleaning and I burned more then MFP says.. I don't clean every day.. I do prepare meals everyday a few times a day so I don't count that also I have changed my calorie goal to reflect all I do burn in a day recently because I found out I was under eating...I hate all those folks who say it's not a good burn..for some cleaning jobs it is..like mopping floors and it burns MAJOR calories!!
  • Sarahbara76
    Sarahbara76 Posts: 601 Member
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    My mindset: I did that kind of stuff when I was fat.

    What I DIDNT do when I was fat was diet and exercise. So those mindful, purposeful things I count. The rest I just chalk up to life as a bonus.

    Exactly.

    I agree!
    \


    I disagree- I didn't do housework when I gained.. my house was gross and I rarely had clean clothes unless I saved up and did them all in a weekend.. I ate a lot when I was fat and barely moved off the bed or away from the TV. Soon as I started being move active the weight came off.. I also ate a lot less...
  • smtillman2
    smtillman2 Posts: 756 Member
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    DavPaul says you can burn 1000 calories in 30 minutes cleaning your house if you work hard enough.

    That must be one seriously nasty house if you're burning that many calories when you clean.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    DavPaul says you can burn 1000 calories in 30 minutes cleaning your house if you work hard enough.

    True story. And when you folks are done logging your housework you can burn some extra calories cleaning up the squat rack area. That spot in my gym definitely needs some extra attention. Lots of sweat from lots of bicep curls.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    As stated previously, in contravention to all the "know it alls" this site seems to collect, it depends on your normal activity setting. If you are sedentary, anything you do that is not sitting on the couch or lying in bed is exercise, including walking in the parking lot, loading your car with groceries, going to the store, etc. That is how the activity levels are set here at MFP.

    What is one person's exercise is someone else's normal routine. If it is part of your normal routine and you didn't consider that when you set your activity level, then adjust one or the other.

    Sir, I hate to get all "know it ally", but I think you've got "sedentary" confused with "comatose". Sedentary means you don't do much strenuous activity. It does not mean you do *no* activity. My counter is set at sedentary, and if I use your definition of the word I'll have to start logging bathroom breaks.

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