"That's why they don't use vacuum cleaners in gym class"

I stole (and paraphrased) this from an earlier response to another one of the "does this (activity) count threads. I posted this a couple of weeks ago, but it bears repeating (with some additional info).


Of the many ways that people trying to lose weight lie to themselves, estimating "activity" calories is almost certainly near the top. Every day there are a number of topics and comments from people who "count" (or who would like to count) everything from standing, to cleaning, to walking to the car from the house, to having sex, to going to the bathroom, etc, as "activity" or "exercise". For most people, the only "exercise" involved in this effort is an exercise in futility or self BS.

1. There are three main components to daily energy output: BMR, or resting metabolism, Exercise calories, and activity calories. There are a number of formulae established to estimate BMR. Exercise calories are a little harder to quantify, but there are a number of tools out there that can get you in the ballpark. Activity calories have the most variability and are the hardest to quantify. In order to account for those calories, we set up a general level of activity in our profiles, which adds a certain percentage of calories to our BMR to help determine daily intake.

2. However: that activity multiplier represents an AVERAGE, not a minimum. It is easy to remember ONLY the days one did a little extra and conveniently forget those days when you weren't very active at all.

3. In addition, most people fail to account for OTHER changes in their activity patterns that might occur when work or recreational activity changes. Often, when people increase their activity in one area--e.g. a job that requires more walking or more effort--the increased fatigue causes them to decrease other casual activity. The often also see a decrease in the amount or intensity of their exercise programs. The net result is that any increase in work activity (or casual or domestic) is usually offset by a decrease in other types of activity, so that overall energy expenditure does not change. Often, these changes are subtle and not something that we are consciously aware of, but they are very real.

4. Most people significantly overestimate the amount of exertion required to do everyday activities. They use inappropriate cues such as sweating or fatigue to estimate effort; or use calculators that provide inflated estimates; or confuse "continuous" activity with "intermittent" activity, or use HRMs to estimate calories expended (I'll deal with that separately). I have seen large population studies in which participants kept detailed activity logs over a period of weeks. Activity hours were classified according to exertion levels and an overall activity index assigned for each day. The results suggested that, when casual work and leisure activities were included with rest and sedentary behaviors, 70% of all adults measured were essentially motionless. This doesn't mean they sat in a chair all day--it meant that the "extra" activity in their lives did not amount to much.

Look at the two of the standard descriptions for determine average activity level:

Very light

Seated and standing activities, painting trades, driving, laboratory work, typing, sewing, ironing, cooking, playing cards, playing a musical instrument

Light

Walking on a level surface at 2.5 to 3 mph, garage work, electrical trades, carpentry, restaurant trades, house cleaning, child care, golf, sailing, table tennis

Note that "standing activities" fall into the "very light" category. Given the nature of modern industrialized society, very few people could be honestly classified in anything above the "Light" category.

5. Our bodies do a good job of maintain long-term equilibrium. Small variations in food intake or activity level average out over time. Stored body fat represents the LONG TERM balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. A common mistake made by "fat burners", "protein cultists", and "activity hoaders" alike is to think that what happens during a short-term event is a discrete occurrence that is not related to what happens in our bodies the rest of the day, week, month, or year. Over the long-term, those few episodes of house cleaning or yard work are insignificant.

6. HRMs cannot be used to track energy expenditure during casual activity. CANNOT. I don't know how to say it any plainer. Unless the activity is a steady-state, dynamic activity that is at least 40% of your VO2 max, any number from an HRM is garbage. Even the HRM manufacturers themselves will admit this. If you are wearing an HRM all day to "count calories", you are just wearing out the batteries.

Activity calories MIGHT be significant if there is a permanent and substantial increase in the amount of activity in your daily routine AND that increase in activity is not offset by decreasing other casual activity or exercise or is not offset by increasing caloric intake.

Ultimately, you can tell yourself anything you want or track anything you want, however, these are just artificial constructs--your body will be the ultimate judge.