Should I be counting this walking as exercise?

spaghetti93
spaghetti93 Posts: 140 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I walk everywhere for means of transportation. Four days out of the week I walk to class which is anywhere from 1.5 - 2.5 miles depending on the day. Also, now that the weather is nicer I'm going to try to walk at least this much on the weekend as well. I have never count the walking time it takes me to get to class, only if I go somewhere that means I'm walking more than usual. Then I would calculate the extra time and only count this. On the weekend i do the same, if I go for a short walk, I'll ignore it as exercise, but If I walk more than I would on a weekday, I'd again count the extra. I don't go to the gym or anything, so this is pretty much the most rigorous my physical activity ever gets. My usual walking calories burned would probably only be around 120-180, but I'm wondering If I should be counting them as exercise. I wasn't because I thought since it's something I do almost every day it doesn't really count. What do you think?

Replies

  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
    I walk in my job for 3+ hours a day and I count it.

    If you walked on a treadmill would you count that?
  • leahd150
    leahd150 Posts: 17
    Yes! Count it!!
  • spaghetti93
    spaghetti93 Posts: 140 Member
    I walk in my job for 3+ hours a day and I count it.

    If you walked on a treadmill would you count that?

    I walk about 40 minutes to get around. If I stayed home all day but walked for 40 minutes on a treadmill, I wouldn't count it. But if I walked for an hour, I would count the extra 20 minutes, since this extra time is unusual for me.
  • LaurenLouG
    LaurenLouG Posts: 65 Member
    What is your activity level set at?
  • whitecapwendy
    whitecapwendy Posts: 287 Member
    it is exercise. It burns calories. count it.
  • GnomeLover1984
    GnomeLover1984 Posts: 80
    If you walk everyday just set your activity level appropriately. I count anything out of the norm as exercise.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    if it's everyday, then it is reflected in your activity level and your calories will automatically adjust. Any exercise you do above and beyond your daily activity level would be "bonus" calories burned.
  • jotness
    jotness Posts: 2 Member
    I walk a few miles a day at work and I was told by my weight watchers leader, it didn't count because I do it everyday.:grumble:
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
    If its something I HAVE to do, like work, shop or whatever, I do not count that as exercise. Its daily activities. Now my hiking or going to the Y... I count that.
  • spaghetti93
    spaghetti93 Posts: 140 Member
    Thanks for your replies everybody. I think I'm going to continue doing what I have been. My activity is set at lightly active, so I don't think I need to change that. I will just make sure I keep up on weekends so the daily walking stays daily.
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
    I walk anywhere from 45 minutes to over 2 hours every day. Because it varies so much I have my activity level set at sedentary
    and add the walking and my gym activity manually so my calorie expenditure is accurately accounted for. I have created an activity called miscellaneous walking and according to my HRM it burns about 6 calories per minute
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
    I walk a few miles a day at work and I was told by my weight watchers leader, it didn't count because I do it everyday.:grumble:

    Really? You eat every day, does that not count in weight watchers?
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    What is your activity level set at?

    This!! Depends on how your activity level is set. If it's sedentary then YES, absolutely you need to count it as exercise. If you've already calculated in that walking as part of your activity level then no.
  • marc_s_johnson
    marc_s_johnson Posts: 107 Member
    Walking is part of my activity level, checked and as an active person its allowed me an extra 300 calories to eat.

    I spend 2 hours a day running up and down stairs at work, I can't believe that I'm not supposed to log that as its not like I'm taking a leisurely stroll to the shops.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    If you're set at a higher activity level for stairs/walking (allowing extra calories), and you log them again as exercise (and eat the calories again), you're only cheating yourself.

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