Do I count work as exercise?

Sballard418
Sballard418 Posts: 153 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have MFP set as sedentary, If I'm not working I'm not really doing much. On days that I work I have been putting it in as exercise. (cleaning light moderate effort) At work I am on my feet walking cleaning stocking helping customers ect. I only work 3-4 days a week should I put that in as exercise since on days off I'm not do all that? I plan on doing the C25K when it warms up and I'm a little more comfortable.

Any views would be helpful.

Replies

  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    Personally I would set your activity to lightly active or even moderate. Then when you do actually exercise - i.e. things that you are doing to get fit and healthy rather than normal daily activity thing, you can log them and eat back the calories burned from it.
    This is how MFP is set up.

    I like to think of exercise as something I am doing to improve my health. Things that I was doing when the weight piled on I do not consider in the same way.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Instead of doing it that way, just change your activity setting. I'd take the average. So if it seems like you're moderately active 3-4 days a week and sedentary the other days, just set it on lightly active.

    I don't think most people are sedentary anyway. I used to have mine set on sedentary because I'm a housewife with no kids, but I figured out recently that my TDEE is actually higher. It's even a little higher than the lightly active setting.
  • 30ismyyear
    30ismyyear Posts: 145 Member
    Hey man, I am so not an expert but from what I've read on here you should either change your lifestyle to the next one up since it doesn't seem sedentary. If you don't want to do that then "they" (random people on here who I really don't know what their qualifications are lol) say that yes, you log anything you do when you've chosen sedentary.
  • flatblade
    flatblade Posts: 224 Member
    Some of my MFP friends count their work as exercise. I see 6 hours of walking at 2.0 and think they must have a lot of time on their hands before I connect the dots and realize they are counting their work as exercise. I don't count work as exercise unless there is a drastic amount of physical exertion that is out of the realm of normal. I have stated before that I think the amount of exercise I get at work is my "secret weapon" for pretty dramatic weight loss.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Personally I would set your activity to lightly active or even moderate. Then when you do actually exercise - i.e. things that you are doing to get fit and healthy rather than normal daily activity thing, you can log them and eat back the calories burned from it.
    This is how MFP is set up.

    I like to think of exercise as something I am doing to improve my health. Things that I was doing when the weight piled on I do not consider in the same way.

    This what I do. I don't count my strength training as calories burned either. Just intentional cardio...like a jog or bike ride or Pilates.
    I am an At Home Mom, homeschooling 2 kids, errands, driving, laundry up and down stairs.... All that is just "normal living and part of my activity setting"...

    When I first started here, I set mine to sedentary and logged everything. Just to see what was happening. How much do I do?, etc. it was informational for me.
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    Hey man, I am so not an expert but from what I've read on here you should either change your lifestyle to the next one up since it doesn't seem sedentary. If you don't want to do that then "they" (random people on here who I really don't know what their qualifications are lol) say that yes, you log anything you do when you've chosen sedentary.

    I don't understand your comments. The Op has posted on an open forum and is asking for people's opinions. I am sure that she is not expecting qualified opinions. If that was what she wanted I am sure she would have asked a qualified person rather than creating a post.

    Just saying :drinker:
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
    Set your activity level to at least lightly active. I have a semi-similar situation where I stand all day at work and walk a bit, but on the weekends I literally sit on my rump and do nothing. There are also some days at work where I don't move as much and some days where I move a lot.

    Setting mine to Lightly Active has been a good compromise, though I just took the plunge and ordered myself a FitBit. I figure that way I can both see what my average weekly burn is AND it will inspire me to move more on the weekends!
  • JanaCanada
    JanaCanada Posts: 917 Member
    Excellent question...one I have asked myself many times. I started MFP as a "sedentary" person, which I believe I truly am. I am a full time writer with 2 damaged knees, so I spend a lot of time at the computer. Thus, anything I do besides sitting is counted as exercise. However, if I did have a job where I moved a lot, then I would change it up and recalculate my MFP goals by stating that I am a slightly active person. Then, anything over-and-above that norm would be logged as exercise.
  • Redbirdz83
    Redbirdz83 Posts: 153 Member
    I have found that not logging my work as exercise and only cardio has worked best in seeing max weight loss results...maybe try a workout at home...even youtube has some that are 30 or less or walmart has inexpensive ones...untill it gets warm...you can do it!:)
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    I am sure that she is not expecting qualified opinions. If that was what she wanted I am sure she would have asked a qualified person rather than creating a post.:

    Are you say I am not a qualified expert?


    <--You can call me Doctor Worm. I'm not a real worm, but I have dissected them before.

    :wink: :wink: :wink:
  • Pettygirl
    Pettygirl Posts: 23 Member
    I only log the exercises that I do intentionally to burn calories or to increase my fitness. :smile:
  • GetFitE
    GetFitE Posts: 247 Member
    Hey:

    I have a similar lifestyle where I work 3-4 days a week and walk around all day. I have my lifestyle set to lightly active and I don't count work as exercise since it really isn't anything outside of the norm. I DO have a FitBit, so I count my steps and as long as I reach 10K for the day, then I'm not stressing and won't workout that night, but if I don't reach my 10K step goal on a work day, then I try to workout and walk around more when I get home and burn the extra calories, but I still don't log that walking--I just consider it an "off/rest" day. And then on my TRUE off days, I try to do some physical activity: kickboxing, running, weight training, etc. and then I count and log that as my exercise.

    And to combat the calories: I try to eat under or to my calorie goal EVERY day. I don't agree with the "eating back your exercise calories" thing, because you don't develop a net balance. I have found I lose weight when I have a daily net of 500+ burned calories. So I eat the daily calories goal MFP gives me & then try to burn 500+ more calories through exercise.

    But of course, everyone is different.
  • Sballard418
    Sballard418 Posts: 153 Member
    Thanks Everyone I really appreciate all your comments. I am going to switch it back to lightly active. :wink:
  • Sballard418
    Sballard418 Posts: 153 Member
    Hey man, I am so not an expert but from what I've read on here you should either change your lifestyle to the next one up since it doesn't seem sedentary. If you don't want to do that then "they" (random people on here who I really don't know what their qualifications are lol) say that yes, you log anything you do when you've chosen sedentary.

    Not that it matters but I am a Wo-Man....Man :grumble:
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    I don't count as exercise anything I did while I was getting heavier. I figure, if it wasn't helping then, it isn't helping now. I think it gives you false security in the number of calories you are burning and can eat, and it is discouraging when you don't lose as much as you think you should.

    Good luck!
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    You may wish to invest in a FitBit which would record your activity and automatically sync it with your MFP account meaning you'd know for sure how active you are.
  • RiversideBabe
    RiversideBabe Posts: 75 Member
    I asked myself the same question and I have a similar scenario to yours. I decided not to count work as exercise too often since it sometimes gives me an excuse not to workout. I only count days at work when I work up a sweat and make sure I am getting my workouts in for the week!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    So I have MFP set as sedentary, If I'm not working I'm not really doing much. On days that I work I have been putting it in as exercise. (cleaning light moderate effort) At work I am on my feet walking cleaning stocking helping customers ect. I only work 3-4 days a week should I put that in as exercise since on days off I'm not do all that? I plan on doing the C25K when it warms up and I'm a little more comfortable.

    Any views would be helpful.

    considering that you work sometimes only half the week I'd keep it like you did it. then you only log the cleaning on days you work. perfect IMO.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    You may wish to invest in a FitBit which would record your activity and automatically sync it with your MFP account meaning you'd know for sure how active you are.

    thanks for this short easy to understand info. gonna ask for FitBit for valentines day,....somehow without being too obvious.

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