How to log this

I personally don't log activities as cardio unless it increases my heart rate. I see a lot of people on here trying to figure out how to add breastfeeding, sitting on a ball and so on as exercise. I think that if your heart rate isn't up, then your not burning a lot of calories.

People are logging breastfeeding as "exercise" because it is the only way to add in the extra calories that your body NEEDS when you are breastfeeding. I'm sure they don't consider it aerobic exercise, but right now that is the only way to add in calories for circumstances like that. Sitting on an exercise ball is also exercise... not cardio, but strength training... and that can be logged under strength training (which is under cardio). All exercise is not aerobic. You are correct that aerobic exercise builds more calories, but strength training burns some as well and is equally important.

I was wondering how to log that type of work too. I have a part time job that's on my feet for 4-8 hours at a time. Not much movement, but constant. So the general consensus is to log it as 1/3 the actual hours as slow walking? Is this what I'm seeing?

Perhaps wear a heart monitor and see what it logs, it seems to be much more accurate because you program it for your personal size. I use mine with the chest belt when I am doing heavy duty cleaning, gardening, etc. Just to get an idea. I also discount the calories it records just for good measure...not sure why I do that but I do.

The fact that you are moving is great and having fun with the kids even better!

I was wondering how to log that type of work too. I have a part time job that's on my feet for 4-8 hours at a time. Not much movement, but constant. So the general consensus is to log it as 1/3 the actual hours as slow walking? Is this what I'm seeing?

When you signed up, the option that said moderate, the one above sitting a desk job already takes that into account.

People... Just because something is listed in the database as "exercise" doesn't mean you can count it as such. Walking, yes. Standing? Come on. What are you going to add next? Sleeping? Sitting? I think those are in the database too. Standing, cooking, cleaning, these activities are apart of your DAILY CALORIES burned, meaning that for the most part they are already calculated in for you. If your heart rate isn't up then it's really not exercise. Everything you do burns calories, but not everything you do is exercise.

when you sign up, your usual amount of movement is calculated into your calorie alotment. We're talking about extra time on your feet. A lot of extra time. Once or twice a week. that isn't calculated in the daily counter. Yet it isn't the same as breathing either. After my day job, daily house chores and walking the dog, going to the second part-time job is extra. 5-8 hours of walking and standing extra. It should count as something. Shouldn't it? Just was wondering how to count it.

when you sign up, your usual amount of movement is calculated into your calorie alotment. We're talking about extra time on your feet. A lot of extra time. Once or twice a week. that isn't calculated in the daily counter. Yet it isn't the same as breathing either. After my day job, daily house chores and walking the dog, going to the second part-time job is extra. 5-8 hours of walking and standing extra. It should count as something. Shouldn't it? Just was wondering how to count it.

Don't count it. Let you body count it for you. Especially if you are eating back the calories you burn.

Let's say that you're right, and you burn an extra 200 calories working, if you don't count it, that's an extra 1400 calories (nearly a half pound a week) burned. It's not enough for you body to go into "starvation mode," but it is enough to give you a little extra weight loss. But let's suppose you're wrong. Let's suppose that you don't burn those extra calories just standing around, and you eat back those 200 calories you're not really burning. Well then your weight loss would slow down about a half pound per week. If your goal is to lose 1 pound a week, all of the sudden you're losing .5 pounds a week. Do the math.

I just think it makes more sense not to add every arbitrary activity to your exercise log. If something is not what most would consider "real" exercise (jogging, walking, running, weight training) then odds are you'll do yourself a favor by not adding it. It's always better to overestimate calories consumed and underestimate calories burned. The calories burned listed in the MFP database are already grossly inaccurate as it is.

Just my 2 cents.