Losing Calories at Work?

So, I'm kind of confused at the moment. I started working at a restaurant; I'm on my feet for a good number of hours, doing anything and everything. Should I count this exercise? Or would consider this cheating? According to a website, for my size, I'm burning about 209 calories and hour doing this.

Replies

  • megedoug
    megedoug Posts: 31 Member
    When you set up your goals, etc, enter yourself as having an active lifestyle. It's not exercise, just how you live. MFP will take that into account when it sets your calories and goals
  • bluebug2013
    bluebug2013 Posts: 8 Member
    It's not exercise as such it's just a more active job.

    The reason I wouldn't count it as exercise is that your movement isn't planned and consistent.

    I use a pedometer sometimes to see how fast I'm walking. If I walk to a place I am about 2mph faster than if I'm shopping. When I'm shopping I have frequent times when no steps are taken as only taking more than 3 steps counts.

    However you need to change your overall weekly calorie intake to add the fact your job is more active. If you count it as exercise you risk over eating and therefore not losing weight.
  • I totally forgot about the goals you set in the beginning. Thanks for reminding me!
    And yeah, you're right. I felt slightly bad taking those calories away. I probably shouldn't have added those new exercises either.

    Also, HOLY GEEZ. D: I went from having a 1500 calorie a day to 1900.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    When i went from a restaurant job to a office/ desk job i totally stopped losing weight and lowered my calories. Getting exercise while working was awesome lol
  • I work two jobs. One of them is cleaning a restaurant seven mornings a week. It takes between 2 and four hours. MFP's exercise log has a calculation under cardiovascular activity for cleaning light effort and cleaning vigorous effort. I was so excited to find this!! I only break a sweat vacuuming and mopping under the many tables. So, I allot most of my calories to light effort and about a third to vigorous. It still adds up to between 350-600 calories daily! I am thrilled about this and still in a bit of disbelief so I try to stay a couple hundred under my calorie limit everyday. This is the only exercise I do regularly for now as I am so busy working and with being a now single mom. It seems to be working so far. Yeah!!