housework counting as legitimate exercise

I have a light cleaning routine. I don't count that. When I have a truly heavy-move-furniture, mop&bucket, up-down-up-down-up-down doing laundry, clean both bathrooms, change bedding in al rooms cleaning day, I count it. Because I am moving. Constantly and it all counts. I walk the dog for a mile, it counts. I walk the dog for three miles, it counts too! Our regular walk, our default walk is a mile. So even if you didn't sweat your body knows you burned those calories and it counts. IMHO!

I only count it if it's vigorous enough and consistent enough. In other words, I have to be on a cleaning task for more than say, 20 minutes, and although I don't have to be sweating, I have to think, "Woah, this is hard work" for it to count. Vacuuming is vigorous enough, but not consistent enough. Cleaning the kitchen floor, however, is vigorous and consistent enough for me (I scrub on hands and knees because I'm OCD and can't miss ANYTHING).

Since I am not the primary house cleaner in my household, it is not part of my daily routine. So if it is vigorous and of long duration, then I count it.

ETA: But I don't use a HRM for it, I just go by the numbers and knock off a percentage.

If I'm hardcore hands and knees scrubbing floors for 2 hours, I might log 30 mins of it. Same story with things like raking the lawn, shoveling snow, etc.
Otherwise I view it as an everyday inclusion and don't log it... Unless you're sprinting back and forth across the house to put things where they belong, one at a time... :glasses:

I don't count normal daily stuff, but a few weekends ago I spent about 6 hours cleaning and I was sweating most of the time. Had I been logging at the time, I probably would have logged 3 hours of that.

Many women I know log work and housework. I don't because I gained all this weight while doing those things. I count the extra things I now do as exercise. Between lower calories, walking, biking, and yoga, my body is changing. This is a lifestyle change.:flowerforyou:

I log anything that is out of my regular routine. So those bigger chores that I don't do as often I log. However, I wear the fitbit, so if the fitbit adds calories burned from cleaning I certainly take those!!

I count all of mine, however only on bad weather days and if I turn that into a workout. What I mean by that is, I will make sure that I turn my housekeeping into cardio by running from room to room, squatting while cleaning the floor, etc. I mean I am DRIPPING sweat. However, you can count whatever you'd like. Someone who is very out of shape (like me) does not take very long to burn calories. If you're fairly fit, you know what constitutes a WORK OUT and what doesn't. Be honest with yourself, and the scale won't lie back!

bump

If I can feel my heart rate elevating, and my muscles getting tired, I count it. Yesterday I deep cleaned my bathrooms, and I was vigorously scrubbing tile and grout for an an hour....I worked up a decent sweat, and you can be DAMN SURE I counted those as calories burned.

Without actually seeing you in action, I can't tell if it's exercise or not. Why don't you come by here. We'll have you do 2 1/2 hours of cleaning and ironing. I'll watch and then make a decision when you're finished. ;-)

That's pretty much day to day hum drum in my books...it should already be accounted for in your NEAT per your activity level. Occasionally I have a crazy day out in the yard doing landscaping...I don't log it, but I do treat myself to a few extra beers...but just general type of stuff, no way. I personally think a lot of people do this and those same people complain about "doing everything right" but not losing.

I'm amazed at how many people consider cleaning part of their daily routine. I HATE to clean and I sure as heck don't do it every day. So for me, I'd count it as "light cleaning" and probably use 1/2 the calories the MFP says. I also count mowing my lawn as exercise. It takes me 65 minutes to cut my entire yard and that's a lot of walking. One of these days I'm going to get a pedometer and wear it while cutting the grass. I'm guessing it's the equivalent of walking a couple of miles.

Also, I have always worked out. The only times that I've gone more than a short while without exercising where: recovering from numerous knee surgeries, the last month of pregnancy (I swelled so much I couldn't wear regular shoes), the first 3 months after having a baby, and 8 weeks after having female surgery. Yet, I still gained weight. So to the comment, that you did that and still gained weight, so you shouldn't count it doesn't cut it in my book. I count my exercise now.