Legit question. Housework....exercise or no?

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  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
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    It depends on what you have set your activity level at... if it's set to sedentary... then go for it... if it's set higher than that... then I would say... mmm... probably not.

    Perhaps you can get an activity tracker (like fitbit) to calculate those calories for you already. I have my calorie goal set to sedentary but have a fitbit, so I don't track my cleaning calories.

    no

    Well that is a smart rebuttal.

    I really don't feel like wasting my time - which I am doing now - on a dead horse...this one get tossed about like every other day..

    Exercise is something that you do in addition to your daily activities...i.e. Cleaning...I mean my office is on the second floor I walk up and down stairs every day..but I do not "log" that..it is built into my activity level for the day.

    satisfied?

    You're still wrong. if you took the elevator everyday, and then the stairs two days a week as your workout, then that would be extra. Just like how she does extensive cleaning two days a week wich goes above and beyond what she normally does. I don't get why people think just because it is cleaning it doesn't count. She could be burning more calories than somebodies 4 mile walk.


    Ahh thank you! That's what i have been trying to get at this whole time!
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
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    Keep doing what your doing if it is working for you. I LOVE how many replies say "don't count it cause it is normal activity" when you have clearly stated it isn't an everyday activity.

    I workout 5 days a week at the gym (elliptical and weights). Some weekends, not all, I clean like a fiend or do heavy yard work for 6-8 hours and I do log it. Although I log it as @2 hours of cleaning/gardening. Some weekends, not all, I also do a circuit training class or a DVD. If we shouldn't be logging "normal" activity I guess maybe I shouldn't log my workouts at all cause I do those a lot more regularly then I do super industrial housekeeping.

    I have a desk job so my activity level is set to sedentary. I like using that setting because it takes the guess work out of "was I active enough this particular day?" - I can just add activity as I do it. And like you I only count it if I am worn out and exhausted at the end of the job - loading the dishwasher, laundry, and cooking never make the cut. I don't eat back all my calories but I do eat back some of them especially when my log reveals I have had a super active day.

    Oh and Most of my MFP friends do the same and we are all having success in our weight loss journey.


    Thank you thank you thank you.
    I shouldve known better by asking it on here but i wanted everyones honest opinions but most never even read the entire thing. lol
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    train, work out, and exercise are all synonyms. you can say something along the lines like "i'm going to go lift weights," or "i'm going to go for a run." but you can easily substitute those words for the former: "i'm going to go train," and "i'm going to go for a work out."



    you can not say "i'm going to go exercise this floor. it is so dirty." or "man, the carpet needs a really thorough work out."


    but, on second thought, for a good through carpet work out, you do use a machine. so what do i know???
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    include it in your NEAT, it's not exercise. All of my chasing around of the kids, cooking, cleaning, etc is included in my NEAT activity level. If I happen to have a killer day landscaping the yard or something I just treat myself to a couple extra brews and call it a day.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    train, work out, and exercise are all synonyms. you can say something along the lines like "i'm going to go lift weights," or "i'm going to go for a run." but you can easily substitute those words for the former: "i'm going to go train," and "i'm going to go for a work out."



    you can not say "i'm going to go exercise this floor. it is so dirty." or "man, the carpet needs a really thorough work out."


    but, on second thought, for a good through carpet work out, you do use a machine. so what do i know???

    You're using it wrong. To train, workout, or exercise is something you are doing too your body, liifting weights, running, cleaning is how you are doing it. "I'm going to get a really good workout in by moving all of the furniture around, moving the TV, lifting the stove, and putting all of my summer clothes down stairs." You wouldn't say, "I'm going to go train those weights over there, they are so heavy"
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    can't hear you. i have triathlons to go get ready for. this floor ain't gonna mop itself!
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    can't hear you. i have triathlons to go get ready for. this floor ain't gonna mop itself!

    Have fun exercising the floor, it is probably dirty. I have nothing to go get ready for so I'm going to go workout that treadmill, it is so fat.
  • Cherylllyn
    Cherylllyn Posts: 114 Member
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    The way I see it, as long as you're sweating it should count. If your burning as many calories cleaning as you do working out it should count as a work out. I do every so often use cleaning as a workout but only if I've worked up a sweat. And it's not something I do on a daily basis. More like once a week deal (if that) when I don't have the time to get a normal workout in. I work in housekeeping and you can get a good workout in and get a good sweat going.
  • explosivedonut
    explosivedonut Posts: 419 Member
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    I am gonna jump right into this dramafest. I personally don't. If you want to, fine, that's up to you. I think you would do yourself more of a favor by not logging it, but that's just me. I have my activity level set to sedentary, but I don't count all the extra walking I do (I walk about a mile or two every day walking to/from the parking garage etc). It just seems like it isn't "exercise" to me. If you think you do it enough to warrant putting it in as exercise calories, maybe you should instead put your activity level higher. I think that would be a better choice.
  • tikkathyme
    tikkathyme Posts: 28 Member
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    I don't think any of these angry people actually read your post. And I don't say that because they said no, I say that because their justification for their opinion doesn't make sense in your situation.

    I think you should log it. Just because you're getting a good benefit out of it (a super clean house) doesn't mean it doesn't count as exercise. If you were doing some other manual labor that isn't factored into your daily activity you would log that too. I think people have a problem with the label.

    Also, it's pretty clear that you aren't trying to get some sort of sneaky exercise calories to eat back into your day... just trying to figure out your "calories out".
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I wouldn't necessarily log the extra housework, but I would maybe do it if you're hungrier on those days and want to eat more. Here's just a little note about housework from my perspective:

    When I joined MFP I set my activity level to "sedentary" because I'm a SAHM and spend a good amount of time on the computer. What I have found since - via Fitbit and Body Media Fit - is that my NEAT burn on most days is at least 800 calories. So on days I don't exercise I burn about 2300+ calories (BMR is 1500). And honestly I don't do an astronomical amount of cleaning, but I go up and down the stairs in our house throughout the day and do a lot of dishes and food prep (5 kids; 1 pre-schooler). That actually puts me at MFP's "Very Active" level... actually above it. So those people setting up at "lightly active" may be giving themselves a much higher deficit than is useful, especially if they have less fat to lose.

    So I'd say instead of logging the housework, set your activity level to "moderately active" instead of "lightly active" or whatever you have it at now.
  • karl39x
    karl39x Posts: 586 Member
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    As long as you have a sandwich ready by the time I come home.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
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    Now, I have a bit of OCD.

    I clean everyday but 2 days out of the week I go crazy with cleaning. and when I do that. I log it in as exercise. Because for me it is, I sweat more those 2 days than i do for my normal work outs, wake up with arms and legs sore as crap and all that mess.
    I'm not talking taking a mop and doing the floors, folding laundry and all that.

    As an example, when I go crazy cleaning I do all my floors on my hands and knees, packed with a toothbrush to get the nooks and crannies, and scrub every inch.


    Log it or no?


    ***EDIT***
    I am saying to log the 2 days where I deep clean, not everyday housework. I do wear an HRM and it levels out the same as when I'm working out.

    IF this is new (the 2 days) - ie joined mfp and started your deep clean housework then yes log it but if it's something you've always done even when/if you were heavy then i say no. this is imo though. i look at it as a happy bonus and a very clean house.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I LOVE how many replies say "don't count it cause it is normal activity" when you have clearly stated it isn't an everyday activity.

    It doesn't have to be a daily activity to be included in your NEAT....whether you're using NEAT or TDEE, it's all about activity that takes place over time with any frequency. For example...I don't exercise every single day...or burn the same amount every single day...but over the course of a week, I burn roughly the same amount week to week...same goes for stuff like this. I mow once per week and spend a couple more hours in the yard doing stuff...I don't do it every single day, but I include it in my NEAT as a light to moderately active individual...most of the time, not day to day minutia.

    Most people who log this kind of stuff and eat back these calories end up back here on the forums *****ing about how they're doing everything right but the weight just isn't coming off.
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
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    As long as you have a sandwich ready by the time I come home.

    I dont make sandwiches. I make a full 3 course meal hot and ready. :smile:
  • EmilyMcD84
    EmilyMcD84 Posts: 46 Member
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    I know the type of cleaning you're talking about. I only do it once a week/every 2 weeks because it can get crazy.
    I don't feel like the mop did a good enough job so I get on my hands and knees and scrub the whole house. I scrub baseboards and bathtubs with toothbrushes. HECK yes that is a workout and I log that mess.

    I admire you for doing it twice a week!
  • sweetNsassy2584
    sweetNsassy2584 Posts: 515 Member
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    NO
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
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    I wouldn't necessarily log the extra housework, but I would maybe do it if you're hungrier on those days and want to eat more. Here's just a little note about housework from my perspective:

    When I joined MFP I set my activity level to "sedentary" because I'm a SAHM and spend a good amount of time on the computer. What I have found since - via Fitbit and Body Media Fit - is that my NEAT burn on most days is at least 800 calories. So on days I don't exercise I burn about 2300+ calories (BMR is 1500). And honestly I don't do an astronomical amount of cleaning, but I go up and down the stairs in our house throughout the day and do a lot of dishes and food prep (5 kids; 1 pre-schooler). That actually puts me at MFP's "Very Active" level... actually above it. So those people setting up at "lightly active" may be giving themselves a much higher deficit than is useful, especially if they have less fat to lose.

    So I'd say instead of logging the housework, set your activity level to "moderately active" instead of "lightly active" or whatever you have it at now.

    Makes sense. :smile:
  • Designingwoman1
    Designingwoman1 Posts: 6
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    UH OH< I have been counting cleaning, chasing a 2 year old, walking the dog, etc.
    So I shouldn't?
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    UH OH< I have been counting cleaning, chasing a 2 year old, walking the dog, etc.
    So I shouldn't?

    If it's working and you're losing, keep counting. But MFP is trying to set your deficit based on the assumption that you will do some of those things during the day. So you eat all your BMR calories and your exercise calories but your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) burn IS your deficit. If you log and eat NEAT you lose your deficit.

    But if you're achieving your goals, keep doing what's obviously working for you.

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