What do you count 'exercise calories' for?

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acakeforawife
acakeforawife Posts: 207
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm curious about what people tally exercise calories for. I set my activity level to sedentary, because I do have a desk job, but I have the kind of lifestyle where I live downtown and I don't have a car, so I walk everywhere, carry home all my groceries cat litter, etc.

So I've been kinda wondering what I should count ... lately I've been counting walking to work, which is about 18 minutes in each direction. But then I think, I've been doing that for 2 years straight, it's probably almost automatic for my body and I doubt I burn that many calories. But then yesterday, I went shopping for FIVE HOURS (ugh!), including walking to and from the shopping centre, and trust me, I was EXHAUSTED when I got home, so I wondered about adding some calories in for that.

Anyway, just curious how other people manage this -- do you count calories burned for stuff you do every day? What about stuff that's not 'intentional' exercise, like cleaning or shopping?

PS: I do have a Polar HRM, but in my experience they aren't very reliable for those long duration, low heart rate activities like walking around all day.

Replies

  • Aril
    Aril Posts: 66
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    ahh, i am also confused on that as well. From what i understand they wont be as effective as a real intentional workout, but preventing your metabolism from dropping any lower? But i suppose shopping for 5 hours counts as intentional workout, lol! Sorry i'm not much of a help. :(
  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
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    Wow 84 pounds!!! Great job! I think all that walking has to count and if you don't add it in to your calorie count your body might get into hoarding mode but girl you are obviously doing something very right so keep on keeping on!
  • afyfe
    afyfe Posts: 93
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    In that instance, I think I would change my settings from sedentary to lightly active at least. If you don't have a car, you are doing lots of calorie burning with the walking, carrying groceries, etc.
  • Aril
    Aril Posts: 66
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    btw, just visited your blog, omg your progress is amazing! and beautiful photography~
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I keep my phone in my pocket all day which counts my steps & tells me how many calories I burned so I put that in, any cardio I do at the gym (or if I go for a walk). I put in my strength training in exercises but I don't figure out calories because that's not the main reason I do it. I do it for the toning & strength building, if that makes any sense. :happy:
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    You can add the walks to and from work as exercise. That definitely qualifies. Or, you could change your lifestyle to lightly active and that would probably work too. What you're doing seems to be working for you so keep it up! Great work!
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
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    this has been a long time debate on here. Personally I think it makes it easy to develop really lazy habits as far as excercising goes if we all just log in every time we move as excercise. I only log actual excercise (ie cardio and weights, etc...).

    Think about it.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
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    Good question. I have had similar questions. I also have a relatively sedentary job, but I walk 30 minutes to work each way and I also don't have a car so I do most of my trips by foot, bike or bus. Basically, I figured that my lifestyle was lightly active and then I only count intentional exercise or a trip by foot/bike that is really above and beyond what I would typically do in a day. Seems to be working okay so far.
  • xojox
    xojox Posts: 187 Member
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    i feel the same. i normally don't count the calories i use for walkin the kids to school etc. but if i go for a longer walk - like going into my local town pushing my youngests pushchair i will count because i build up quite a sweat.
    i broke my ankle severel wks ago and am only just getting out again so i count any walking i do now until i'm up and about properly again.
    Basically i think anything that doesn't wear you out a little isn't exercise therefore not counted, so day to day walking no but 5 hrs shopping i would defo have put in !! lol
    keep up the excellent work xx
  • spiralgirl71
    spiralgirl71 Posts: 374 Member
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    I don't count calories for things I do everyday. I also don't count if I'm running around with my kids or extra flights of stairs I take. I count workouts only.
  • SquidInTraining
    SquidInTraining Posts: 196
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    btw, just visited your blog, omg your progress is amazing! and beautiful photography~

    I agree on both points -- very inspiring! :drinker:

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