Does house cleaning count as exercise?

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Replies

  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    It's activity. Not exercise. Big difference.
  • Alicia_P_28
    Alicia_P_28 Posts: 76 Member
    I have only counted it a few times...when we were cleaning and putting up the kids pool I counted half of the time I spent as vigorous cleaning (only half because I thought the numbers were WAY inflated) and another time when I helped clean out the rabbit cages and digging through stuff in storage I also counted half (and I probably actually burnt all of them that time)...but I'd say if it's anything other than what you *normally* do as cleaning you could count it, otherwise I would think normal cleaning is added into your activity level.
  • JustPeachy044
    JustPeachy044 Posts: 770 Member
    Does it burn calories? Yes. Do I log it? No. That's just a small bonus calorie burn in my opinion. I think if you want to count it, fine. But as other posters said, I wouldn't advise relying on it as your "exercise".
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
    It depends on what your activity level is set to. Mine is at sedentary, so I count any significant cleaning I do.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Sup' to you personally I was cooking like crazy today in a hot kitchen sweated buckets and now I smell like well it ain't roses
  • babycakes1970
    babycakes1970 Posts: 111 Member
    I do not count general cleaning like vacuuming and laundry but I do consider mowing the lawn a workout. Gardening can also be a workout.
  • EGirl7
    EGirl7 Posts: 39 Member
    Is exercising NOT an activity? ;-)
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    No, just no. Were you cleaning house when you were overweight and/or gaining weight?
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    Is exercising NOT an activity? ;-)
    logic fail.. try harder.

    exercise is an activity. not all activity is exercise..
  • MiKiTzLi
    MiKiTzLi Posts: 8 Member
    I totally agree.
  • Healthytobex2
    Healthytobex2 Posts: 27
    No...
  • mmissnelly35
    mmissnelly35 Posts: 7
    I SWEAT-so yeah. I count it..............................

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

    Acutally sex is a part of exercise, it all depends on the person:wink:
  • JusticeGirl25
    JusticeGirl25 Posts: 703 Member
    If you start to sweat while cleaning, yes I count that as exercise.
  • branson101
    branson101 Posts: 173 Member
    I say count it if you think you should. If the cleaning session felt like it was a workout. I count it. I've read the other commenters going on and on about it not being exercise because it doesn't fit into their definition of exercise or they did it before they tried to lose weight. Under that last logic, I walked before I joined MFP, so I can never count taking a walk. People are forgetting one thing. Not everyone here has the same medical history as everyone else. I have medical issues that keep me from doing certain exercises. I know others that are more restricted than I am, so creativity in trying to exercise has to come into play for some people. If it works for you counting cleaning as exercise then do it. If you notice that it's not, stop logging it. I count cleaning if it is at least 15 minutes of continuous movement. I sometimes go out of my way to make sure that I am going up and down the two flights of stairs in my house as much as possible. I also count gardening when I'm getting down and dirty with my garden. That's my 2 cents. Take it as you will. I know Someone one the "if it can't be done in a gym, its not exercise" group will comment about my opinion. That is their opinion and right.
  • ilikesitspicy
    ilikesitspicy Posts: 24 Member
    I'll never count it but I do acknowledge it as extra calories that I'm banking for my weight loss. For example, yesterday, I was windexing every mirror in the house and my arm was burning. I know I burned extra calories but no idea how many so I just smile to myself that I cleaned something and simultaneously got fitter.

    If you wanted to, you could always wear a heart rate monitor or any other device that counts your calories burned and see if you burn a significant amount extra.
  • scarrletti_girl
    scarrletti_girl Posts: 479 Member
    That is strictly up to you. I count it. But others don't. It's really your decision though.
  • inkydnk3
    inkydnk3 Posts: 62 Member
    I personally only count intentional exercise.
  • MzGotItAll25
    MzGotItAll25 Posts: 29 Member
    YES I SWEAT LIKE CRAZY!!
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Different strokes for different folks. Personally I have my activity level set to "sedentary" which would mean that I sit or lie around all the time. So any time I do something other than lying around for a significant amount of time, I log it. That includes cleaning.

    Now, obviously I'm not going to log throwing a load of laundry in the dryer... but if I spend 30 minutes scrubbing and organizing things, I would log that. I'm burning more calories doing that than I would be if I had stayed sitting in bed.
  • janinealfke
    janinealfke Posts: 93
    ABSOLUTELY...IT IS LISTED IN THE EXERCISES!!!!

    Janine Alfke
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    ABSOLUTELY...IT IS LISTED IN THE EXERCISES!!!!

    Janine Alfke

    So is standing, FFS. Doesn't make it exercise.
  • udderlyfantastic
    udderlyfantastic Posts: 27 Member
    Every time you move you burn calories. Whether it is something that you do every day or not. This site calculates how many calories you burn doing all these activities, it calculates how much food you should eat for your sex, weight, height etc. as you do activities, it will tell you how much more you can eat if you so wish. People who only count running, treadmills, weight lifting, aerobics etc are sadly misinformed. Housework, gardening, decorating and the like have been proven to be as effective in being constructive exercise, both in weight loss and in improving cardiovascular strength. Yes, count housework, it is one of the most effective ways of getting healthy and has the double whammy of being a work out and achieving something useful and practical.
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
    I only count it when I do a lot of it, and it usually involves me carrying a vacuum cleaner up and down stairs, bending to pick up stuff, and carrying heavy objects around the house all day.

    Then I only count it as "light" even if it was vigorous. Then I only count half the time I worked at it. Then I don't eat back the calories if I can help it. My activity level is set at sedentary and I really only deep clean the place once a week (sorry if I grossed anyone out there) so i think I'm safe for counting it.

    I do this because later on I will look back and wonder what I did to lose weight and it won't make sense if i don't enter it in as exercise.
  • ajudd71
    ajudd71 Posts: 4
    Absolutely
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    My exercise is set as sedentary. I cleaned house for 3.5hours on Sunday but I would not log it at exercise.

    But if it works for you then log it.
  • Stronger_Diva
    Stronger_Diva Posts: 149 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!

    This! In my opinion if you can log it, and if it gets you to put a little more "oomph" in your dusting or whatever, then by all means count it. On the same coin though, don't let it be an excuse not to do your normal workout routine. Have fun! Life doesn't always have to be so set in rules that you miss an opportunity to both burn extra calories and have a little fun at the same time.
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 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.

    This!
  • ladylaume
    ladylaume Posts: 81 Member
    I count it But If I clean the whole house 3/4 hours including the floors and small stuff I still only track it as an hour of cleaning...

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