Does anyone record shopping as exercise?

Emmalydia26 · April 2013

I went shopping today for around 3 hours, we only stopped once so were practically on the go the whole time. Should i log this in MFP?

If so what do i log it as??
Thanks
Emma

WrenTheCoffeeAddict · April 2013

It's up to you whether you log it - but if you did, maybe under Walking..

melfitnesspal13 · April 2013

Yes, created my own exercise. For now I am guessing at 150 calories for 2 hrs or running around doing errands/grocery shopping/walking around in the building at work. Once I get my pedometer/with calorie counter I will be able to be more precise. It is for sure a workout!

mariapuhl · April 2013

I don't, and don't log anything that's not "exercise". As in, if I'm not going to the gym for it, running, etc.

So shopping, definitely not.

missikay1970 · April 2013

I think it depends on whether or not that is in your normal routine. for me right now, being on my feet for 2-3 hours is out of the norm b/c I just had surgery, so I would log it. but before my surgery, I was on my feet for 6 hours a day and so shopping would just be considered normal activity so I wouldn't have logged it. sounds like a fun day either way!

Flixie00 · April 2013

I always do, I log anything that is not part of normal daily activity. 3 hours walking around a shopping centre is a killer. I log it as walking 2 mph.

1two3four · April 2013

I logged it yesterday. Anything that I don't do EVERY SINGLE DAY I log.

lilbearzmom · April 2013

I wouldn't, even though I don't do it every day. Not saying you shouldn't- do what you feel you need to. It's your journey.

3dogsrunning · April 2013

I don't.
its not something I do every day however there are days when I am over in calories and days when I am not exact (even if I try to be). These types of extra burns help balance those. I just consider it a bonus.

JoRumbles · April 2013

I logged shopping today as "slow walking". Three hours round the shops and I was starving when I got home- it must have done someting becuase I had a massive lunch.

I really only logged it today because on Sundays I eat my mum's roast dinner followed by homemade dessert and that meal in itself can come over my daily goal.

jeansuza · April 2013

Sometimes, I do. If so, it's under slow walking and I don't record all of it (for example: 30 minutes instead of 60 because I figure I was not walking ALL the time!)

shadow2soul · April 2013

I think thats up to you. For me personally, I don't log shopping trips, cleaning or anything that isn't exercise. But that is just my preference.

ChristiSykes · April 2013

I believe your calories are based on "normal" activity and shopping is a normal activity......

IbiH · April 2013

Get a Fitbit, the steps would go towards your daily goal plus it would record your energy output.

Railr0aderTony · April 2013

Buy a fitbit or a pedometer then you list it as walking. Fitbit would even add it right to your diary for you. The wonders of modern Technology. Good luck.

JessicaN1979 · April 2013

I log just my workouts, not shopping, cleaning, mowing the yard, etc. I figure those things will take care of the discrepancies in calories in the foods I log or even the discrepancies in the exercise calories burned I logged since I do not use an HRM. I don't use that just to make my calories for the day look better either. I cleaned my carpets and whole house last weekend and did not log any of it and it was a heck of a workout.

dw61574 · April 2013

I log it, if you are tracking calories, Would you add hamburgers to your MFP if you eat hamburgers everyday? Your still burning calories. Doesn't matter if it's routine or not.

chelseybennett1 · April 2013

I think it depends on what your activity level is set at for MFP. I would because mine is set at sedentary but if you are set at one of the active settings I would not because that should already be built into your calorie allowance.

honeydawn329 · April 2013

I agree with a lot of the posts on here. If it is not something you do every day or at least every other day, then I would count it. Today I actually counted light housework. I never would have, but today has been a mojor cleaning day with me doing it for over 3 hours straight and then I had to stand for an hour. So I just logged 2 hours of light cleaning cause this is way more than usual. And I still have a couple more hours I need to squeeze in before bed. But again, I would only count it if it is out of your norm.

CarolElaine25 · April 2013

The only time I do is if I walk to where I'm shopping, so I created my own exercise: Walking/Shopping (I'm usually walking at least a mile to get to these stores). Before I do this I always start my Fitbit or I wear my HRM so that I can record how many calories I'm burning.

That said, I very rarely just shop for three hours, so I probably would record a session like that. Create your own exercise or, as others have said, record it as "Slow Walking." Remember, though, that the MFP exercise algorithm tends to overestimate calories burned, so I hope you have some way of getting a more accurate calorie count.

sandraha84 · April 2013

I log shopping for two hours or more at 2 MPH since I'm very seldom on my feet that long. I also log cleaning my house on weekends because it takes me four hours to do so. you can go to www.fatburn.com, put in your weight and what you done and it will give you calories burned. I also just purchased the Bodymedia and it works great. It automatically logs any thing extra I do into Myfitness for me. It also shows me how many more calories I need to burn to reach that 1,000 deficit I'm looking for to lose two pounds a week.

KenosFeoh · April 2013

For a long shopping expedition where I truly spend a lot of time walking, yes, I log it as walking at a slow pace.

jaimrlx · April 2013

I log it as walking. If you went on a 3 hour walk at 2.0mph, would you log it then? Just because you were preoccupying yourself, doesn't meant you didn't burn calories.

That being said, if you go on a 3 hour walk at 2.0mph every single day.. I'd say you should change your activity levels instead.

Up to you, OP!

amberlykay1014 · April 2013

If you count your calories, you might consider logging it. What really is the difference between hiking an easy trail with a 10lb pack from shopping with 10lbs of shopping bags in your hands?

I wouldn't count it, because I eat based on my average daily TDEE, but if you go by daily burn, I'd count it.

MicroHez · April 2013

No. I walked 8-10 miles while sightseeing in DC this last week, and I didn't even log that as exercise.

rosiereally2 · April 2013

If it's not part of your normal routine and was fairly exertive, I would count it. Today I did a house cleanout and plan to count 75% of the total time as exercise.

bertburtison · April 2013

Logging a shopping trip as an exercise really is desperation in all honesty. On average if you sat down all day and did nothing you'd use about 1 cal a minute that equates to about 1400cals a day. People generally live a very sedentary lifestyle as it is so suggesting that a three hour walk is over and above what you'd normally do just seems like an excuse for why you didn't actually do some form of positive exercise.

Skrib69 · April 2013

In my profile I'm Sedentary because of my work, so I would log it as walking because it is not covered by my setup.

kwest_4_fitness · April 2013

I do if it's not something I normally do and if there's quite a bit of walking involved, i.e. a morning spent at the flea market or 4 hours at the mall.