Counting work, as a workout?

marydhastings
marydhastings Posts: 132 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I do work out on a daily basis.
On top of that though, I'm a server. Should I be counting some of that as cardio? I'm constantly walking around and carrying heavy trays.
JW (:

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I would figure it into your activity level rather than counting it as exercise.
  • kaylabrose
    kaylabrose Posts: 71
    Hi, I'm a waitress. I don't include it as exercise, I just calculate my daily calorie needs and include ''moderate'' as my exercise level, works well for me.
  • ParisKennedy
    ParisKennedy Posts: 38 Member
    When I count work as a "workout" I don't lose and it tempts me to skip workouts as an excuse. That said, I stopped counting work as a workout. I am a massage therapist .
  • marydhastings
    marydhastings Posts: 132 Member
    Sounds good (: I normally don't count it but I was curious today to find out how much roughly I do burn, it was crazy to see how much haha.
    I only counted half the time I was there (because I'm not CONSTANTLY moving) and it was over 1000. and I only had it set to about 3mph about a moderate walk. I was surprised ;P
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    It's crazy what active jobs will do :) I have a physical job, and my TDEE is regularly over 3,000 for a day with an 8 hour shift. It's figured into my activity level on here, but I got a BodyMedia in order to get a more accurate idea of what my day looks like because I was extremely curious and am trying to eat based on TDEE.

    My recommendation would be to set your activity level to very active. Definitely don't count work as a workout. In terms of your putting it in as exercise and it coming out to being over 1,000...MFP overestimates calorie burns by a lot.

    Good luck! :)
  • violenceandlace
    violenceandlace Posts: 30
    I wonder about this too. I'm a hairstylist and am often standing and moving around for 10+ hours a day without a break.
  • Tysonlovesweights
    Tysonlovesweights Posts: 139 Member
    It's crazy what active jobs will do :) I have a physical job, and my TDEE is regularly over 3,000 for a day with an 8 hour shift. It's figured into my activity level on here, but I got a BodyMedia in order to get a more accurate idea of what my day looks like because I was extremely curious and am trying to eat based on TDEE.

    My recommendation would be to set your activity level to very active. Definitely don't count work as a workout. In terms of your putting it in as exercise and it coming out to being over 1,000...MFP overestimates calorie burns by a lot.

    Good luck! :)
    did you find that the bodymedia fit worked well?, I am in construction, and have some pretty heavy work days, but also some days where I am doing more planning and mental exercise! I am trying to lose some extra right now, so if i am under a bit more some days, no big deal, but 20 lbs from now, when i want to maintain and work on body recomp, knowing my requirements shift on a day to day basis makes it hard to plan meals and workdays to reflect my activity level. I have been debating getting either a bodymedia, or a fitbit, my wife has the latter and loves it, but i wonder if it tracks strenuous work like you normally get in construction properly to allow calorie replacement.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,159 Member
    I'm a nurse doing twelve hour shifts. Sometimes it's a lot of running around, the unit is huge too. I don't count that as a workout, but if I'm trying to stay awake at 3AM , or now trying to get steps and distance in, and I do laps around the unit(20 is a mile) not related to my patient or the job, then I count it.
  • marydhastings
    marydhastings Posts: 132 Member
    I was thinking about getting one of those Nike+ bands. They track how much you walk, and how much activity you need to do based on your goals. it's like a usb so you can upload your stuff. really neat.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    It's crazy what active jobs will do :) I have a physical job, and my TDEE is regularly over 3,000 for a day with an 8 hour shift. It's figured into my activity level on here, but I got a BodyMedia in order to get a more accurate idea of what my day looks like because I was extremely curious and am trying to eat based on TDEE.

    My recommendation would be to set your activity level to very active. Definitely don't count work as a workout. In terms of your putting it in as exercise and it coming out to being over 1,000...MFP overestimates calorie burns by a lot.

    Good luck! :)
    did you find that the bodymedia fit worked well?, I am in construction, and have some pretty heavy work days, but also some days where I am doing more planning and mental exercise! I am trying to lose some extra right now, so if i am under a bit more some days, no big deal, but 20 lbs from now, when i want to maintain and work on body recomp, knowing my requirements shift on a day to day basis makes it hard to plan meals and workdays to reflect my activity level. I have been debating getting either a bodymedia, or a fitbit, my wife has the latter and loves it, but i wonder if it tracks strenuous work like you normally get in construction properly to allow calorie replacement.

    Yeah, I'm not sure if a fitbit will track like that since it's not on body. My job isn't as strenuous as construction - I work part-time in a liquor store. A lot of lifting cases, moving around hand carts with 3-5 cases on them for part of the day, stocking shelves, and walking around the store the rest of the day. In the words of my manager while on the phone with someone, "can I lift 50 pounds? I'm throwing around 60 pound cases of liquor all day! Of course I can!" Haha.

    I've been really pleased with the bodymedia and its ability to track what I do. I know some like one more than the other - I think it's a lot of personal preference, and what you want it to be able to do based on what you do. Can you possibly wear your wife's fitbit for a day to see without it messing up her numbers?

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