Does house cleaning count as exercise?

DeniseForgach67
DeniseForgach67 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Example: vaccuuming, mopping?
«1

Replies

  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    yes.................
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    under cleaning
    theres light cleaning
    and vigirous cleaning
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    I don't count it for a weekly cleaning or something like that. But if it's DEEP cleaning, I usually count it as light exercise.
  • c_30
    c_30 Posts: 12
    I personally will never count cleaning as an exercise. I could not imagine getting "fit" off of cleaning my house.
  • Cutemisscoco
    Cutemisscoco Posts: 55
    I don't count it, for me it's just a part of my daily activities and I was doing those activities when I was heavier and it didn't help me to lose weight. I only count intentional exercise personally.
  • FearAnLoathingJ
    FearAnLoathingJ Posts: 337 Member
    It depends on what your activity level is set at, if you set it at sedentary then you can probably count it. Personally I feel like its really not.
  • chelstakencharge
    chelstakencharge Posts: 1,021 Member
    I wear my HRM while cleaning and yes I count those calories because they are over and above what I have already burned working out. I never eat my calories back
  • darias_mommy
    darias_mommy Posts: 127 Member
    I don't count it for a weekly cleaning or something like that. But if it's DEEP cleaning, I usually count it as light exercise.

    I agree. if it's part of your routine, then the body is used to it. Now, if you were carting a ton of bricks off your lawn to a dumpster like I did last week, then by all means count it. I actually wore a heart monitor this weekend while cleaning the yard (moving patio block, weeding, etc.) and burned almost 300 calories in an hour. I counted that!
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    I will never count cleaning as exercise.
  • g33kmommy
    g33kmommy Posts: 104 Member
    I count it as exercise if I break a sweat, yes. Normally after I do my rounds of cleaning / scrubbing both bathrooms, the kitchen floor and counters, and vacuuming I'm breaking a nice sweat and my heart rate is up. I do the same when I exercise, so now I count it as "vigorous" cleaning.

    If I'm just dusting, doing laundry and such, then no. :)
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
    Only if you truly want to lie to yourself about what exercise is and get discouraged when you eat back those 'exercise' calores and don't lose weight.
  • Synapze
    Synapze Posts: 499
    No! It should be included in your daily activity.

    Heavy gardening ect, (pulling weeds, digging, paving ect), i would log tho, as that's not as common.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I SWEAT-so yeah. I count it..............................
  • AlliBarlik
    AlliBarlik Posts: 111 Member
    I do. But I lower the calories that are counted. Now if I am doing heavy, deep cleaning, then I keep it. I sweat a lot--especially when I do the floors. I loathe the floors. We have 4 fur babies so I have to do that often! And vacuuming the furniture, holy moly! :sad:
  • c_30
    c_30 Posts: 12
    I SWEAT-so yeah. I count it..............................

    I sweat during sex, don't see that as a cardio workout :)
  • TonicSapphire
    TonicSapphire Posts: 24
    I don't count it, for me it's just a part of my daily activities and I was doing those activities when I was heavier and it didn't help me to lose weight. I only count intentional exercise personally.

    True for me, too.
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    I know this can be a heated debate but IMHO, yes if
    you perspire, definitely yes. Last time I did, it required
    enough energy from me I know I burned more than
    with my elliptical.
  • TonicSapphire
    TonicSapphire Posts: 24
    I SWEAT-so yeah. I count it..............................

    I sweat during sex, don't see that as a cardio workout :)

    Even if you have a stripper pole and a trapeeze? :wink:
  • c_30
    c_30 Posts: 12
    Oh, now that just sounds like fun ;)
  • EGirl7
    EGirl7 Posts: 39 Member
    Say what you like, I strap on the HRM for anything that involves getting my heart rate up. But I do exercise over and above that as well. Frankly, any opportunity to increase my heart rate and break any kind of a sweat is fine by me. I don't think we need to so strictly define exercise so that we miss out on opportunities to make the most of any activity we do. Walking, after all, is something we just do, but it's become "exercise", so it's all fair game, in my book!
  • MissSaturday
    MissSaturday Posts: 784 Member
    I don't count cleaning exercise but if you are a cleaner or you spend a day cleaning and you clean hours and hours then YES but wear a HRM because the calories here on MFP are not really accurate! :)
  • tanashai
    tanashai Posts: 207 Member
    I do if it's a big clean involving moving full boxes, furniture, scrubbing, tons of sweeping and carrying garbage around. Dishes, laundry and light sweeping, not so much. I think it all depends on your perceptions of exercise though :)
  • TNTPete
    TNTPete Posts: 701 Member
    I think it just depends.. when we just say mop then no, but if we do our crazy around the house Sunday cleaning.. then yes.. as I keep it up for a period of time with the intention of making it count. So, ... all depends on you. And as far as sex. I believe you can find a cardio count for that if you were wanting :wink:
  • jenniferwoodweeg
    jenniferwoodweeg Posts: 45 Member
    No, I son't count it. Funny, I saw "grooming/showering" as an activity under exercise before! Dang, I would be really searching if I chose that. For me it's an excuse to eat more calories and I may as well increase my cal allowance if I am feeling that deprived!(Which I did;)
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    I only count exercise as exercise!!! You raise your activity level but it's not really exercise!! If your trying to loose weight you actually need to put in the work!! I have seen cooking, cleaning, driving (Really?) fishing etc. NONE of these will help you loose weight!!
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    I personally will never count cleaning as an exercise. I could not imagine getting "fit" off of cleaning my house.

    Absolutely!!
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    I don't count it, for me it's just a part of my daily activities and I was doing those activities when I was heavier and it didn't help me to lose weight. I only count intentional exercise personally.

    Exactly!!
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    No, I son't count it. Funny, I saw "grooming/showering" as an activity under exercise before! Dang, I would be really searching if I chose that. For me it's an excuse to eat more calories and I may as well increase my cal allowance if I am feeling that deprived!(Which I did;)

    Right!!
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    No. Unless it's something that you don't do all the time...Like scrubbing the floor with a brush, washing the windows inside & out, gardening, mowing lawn etc. You wouldn't add 'preparing food' would you? It's all part of your daily goings about so unless you have your activity level on the lowest level....Forget it.
  • EGirl7
    EGirl7 Posts: 39 Member
    Geez, talk about a contentious topic! ;-)

    Anyone heard about "incidental exercise"? That's pretty much what that is.

    At the end of the day, you want to count it...count it. I certainly do and having lost nearly 25 kilos including it (of course, with all the other exercise I also do...), I'm not letting anybody tell me I haven't worked for it!

    Anything that gets me moving is worthwhile. You aren't going to lose weight solely by doing your cleaning, but if you're off your butt and moving...doing ANYTHING will help in the long term. Sitting on your butt won't...that's a given. If you're off it and doing anything that gets your heart pumping - even a little - that's beneficial.

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