House cleaning/walking on the job as excercise??

Options
anmusselman
anmusselman Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work 6 days a week as a bartender/waitress so i do a LOT of walking while im working, but i have a really hard time counting that as a workout or counting any cleaning i do as a workout. When i clean for work its a pretty vigorous effort of scrubbing toilets and sinks, vacuuming 3 large areas and mopping two large areas, heavy lifting when i stock the beer coolers, and lots of sweating cause i only have an hour to do it all.

I feel like i would be cheating by logging that as a workout but because i work so much i haven't been able to fit in an actual workout at all this past week :( I feel like these daily activities are already included in the calories your body normally burns in a day.

What is your opinion on the matter? Do you think these activities should be logged or not?

Replies

  • harleykat64
    harleykat64 Posts: 70
    Options
    I work in the food service industry it is a very labor intensive job but when you set up your MFP it asks you how active you are during your normal day to day. Did you set it to very active? If so I would not log any work or cleaning. If you set it to inactive then you need to be logging work because it makes a huge difference and how much you should be eating just to keep your body fueled for work! I wore a pedometer one day for a standard 10 hour shift and it said I had walked 18 Miles in just that shift! Food service worker do not get enough credit for how much running around they have to do, never get a break to eat a meal etc.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Options
    Your MFP should be set to your job activity level. I think waitress is listed under Active if I remember correctly. Your daily activity should be figured in for you already.
  • harleykat64
    harleykat64 Posts: 70
    Options
    Your MFP should be set to your job activity level. I think waitress is listed under Active if I remember correctly. Your daily activity should be figured in for you already.
    @ herblackwings......I just squealed with girlish delight at your ticker image! LOVE IT!
  • LillyWillow
    LillyWillow Posts: 59
    Options
    I have my activity level set at sedentary since I'm a stay at home mom, but I move quite a bit actually. I don't count cleaning or taking my son to the park because my body is use to it. I'm sure your cleaning is much more of a calorie burner, but if your body is use to it, then maybe your body needs different activity.
  • PunkinSpice79
    PunkinSpice79 Posts: 309 Member
    Options
    I work a very active job five days a week, but the other two, well, sometimes I'm lazy. For that reason, I entered my activity level as sedentary and then I log those work activities. Hope that helps. :)
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Options
    Your MFP should be set to your job activity level. I think waitress is listed under Active if I remember correctly. Your daily activity should be figured in for you already.
    @ herblackwings......I just squealed with girlish delight at your ticker image! LOVE IT!

    LOL thanks. I adore Eddie Izzard. He's my favourite action transvestite.
  • anmusselman
    anmusselman Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys, i just went in and changed my active status, and yes i agree nobody knows how much running around we really do as servers/wait staff and bartenders. i am the only one on my shift so i do all 3 jobs myself all at once and its crazy.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Options
    I would
  • amanda3588
    amanda3588 Posts: 422 Member
    Options
    I work a full time desk job so I have my activity set to sedentary since z large majority of my day is spent in front of a computer. However, I serve tables here and there on the weekends, but maintain my activity level. I don't log it as exercise but I also don't worry if I go over my calorie goal that day by 100-200 calories.
  • NYgirl1990
    NYgirl1990 Posts: 180 Member
    Options
    I would feel like I cheated if I added cleaning as a work out lol. But that's just me.
  • tilmoph
    tilmoph Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    I have it at active/moderate active/the middle one, for my job. On the days I'm off, I'd just keep it there and not eat back for activity. It should balance out.

    I thought about logging my job, but then I realized I have no blasted clue how I would do that. What kind of work out is bagging the ice, moving it, then unloading it? Would it even count? How fast do I move on average when playing fetch or bouncing from station to station? How many boxes do I have to move to get out the one I want, and how much did they weigh? Frankly, I have no clue, so just setting it in you're base calories is just easier.

Categories