Do you count work as exercise?

J2U1N
J2U1N Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a retail store manager. During my 8 - 12 hour shifts, I am pretty much always on my feet walking/jogging/standing, mostly walking. I am constantly being pulled in 5 different directions at once. I rarely ever sit, unless I am interviewing people. I still say that I will not count it as exercise. I classified myself as an active person when I started my profile. So my stats are based on that. Plus, my body must be used to my daily activity.

The reason I ask mainly is because when I put walking at a moderate 3.0mph pace for even 2 hours, it is a relatively significant amount of calories. It would be nice to use it, but I gained weight working here so clearly I can't rely on it. However, now that I am eating MUCH better, all this walking at work is a nice perk. (still won't log it as exercise.)

What do you all think?

Replies

  • WannabeStressFree
    WannabeStressFree Posts: 340 Member
    I think it shouldn't be logged, unless it's out of your daily routine.
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
    I do a lot of walking for work and some jogging (I work at athletic events and am constantly going back and forth between fields). I don't log any of it. I only log planned "exercise."
  • KisforKriss
    KisforKriss Posts: 71
    your profile is selected as active for a reason, but i do 12 hour shifts in a kitchen at a nursing home and rarely ever sit myself, cept for breaks and i put myself in as lightly active.

    MFP's stats for walking are ridiculous
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    Keep your profile as active, you will get more calories to eat and only count gym workouts, running, jogging, or what ever you do as exercise. That is my opinion.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    If you categorized yourself as active, those calories are already factored into your TDEE. Eating them back would be double-dipping.
  • rieann84
    rieann84 Posts: 511 Member
    I have my calories set to accommodate my activity level. This includes my workouts (3x weekly) and my job, where I am constantly standing/walking/lifting/etc.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    The above link will give you some idea
  • ALekaeHay
    ALekaeHay Posts: 37 Member
    I'm a middle school teacher and - contrary to popular belief - the only time I sit is usually during my team planning and about the first 10-15 minutes of my lunch. The rest of the time I'm walking around my room to monitor students, lots of talking, walking the halls, and outside between classes for duty.

    I figure that if all of that could actually be considered as "exercise" to log then I wouldn't need to lose weight lol
  • Crosbinium
    Crosbinium Posts: 415 Member
    You would be a good candidate for a fitbit to help you see how much your walking at work contributes to your daily burn.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    No. I count it in with my activity level.

    I work a busy retail job, too.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I count exercise as exercise and work as part of my daily activity. It's all there in your settings...
  • woodstockchick
    woodstockchick Posts: 23
    I count working but dont go crazy eating because my body is used to it
  • knitwit0704
    knitwit0704 Posts: 376
    Use either 'lightly active' or 'active' in your activity setting, whichever sounds right to you.. That's where your daily work is factored in.
  • MelissaBoydston82
    MelissaBoydston82 Posts: 47
    being "active" is what i'd choose. that should give you the calories you need, especially if you log other "planned" exercise and eat those calories back.
  • goldninja
    goldninja Posts: 28 Member
    Especially since you counted yourself as active on the profile, I wouldn't count it towards the exercise goal for the week. Plus you are right, your body is used to the walking and it became more efficient at it, burning fewer calories.
  • kem05
    kem05 Posts: 97
    I wouldn't count it.... Choosing active in your goals settings should be enough.
  • savagedaisy
    savagedaisy Posts: 9 Member
    I feel ya! I'm a GM at a fast food restaurant, and am constantly active at work. But, I don't log my daily routine as exercise because (like you said) my body is used to doing that every day for well over a decade. I bet, though, we burn a lot during the day!
  • JennPrebs
    JennPrebs Posts: 111 Member
    I have been a waitress running around like crazy for years and still managed to be severely over weight . If i did count a normal 12 hour shift into my calorie burning for the day, I would burn an insane amount of calories and eat to much. My advice, don't do it. Add a workout routine into your daily life. I know it can be hard I am doing 50+ hours a week right now and It's exhausting working out for 2 hours then working a 8-12 hour shift. You just gotta push yourself super hard. Good luck!!
  • babyluthi
    babyluthi Posts: 285 Member
    You would be a good candidate for a fitbit to help you see how much your walking at work contributes to your daily burn.

    This is what I ended up doing. I am set to sedentary too.
  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    Ithoink you are correct. Call yourself active and use that guideline. Anything over that is extra.
  • SEvansHB
    SEvansHB Posts: 17 Member
    This is the exact reason that I got a FitBit Flex!
  • lovebig30
    lovebig30 Posts: 167 Member
    this is why I got a bodymedia as a gm at a food establishment I want to know my actually calories burned so I wasn't eating to much or to little.
  • thefragile7393
    thefragile7393 Posts: 102 Member
    Yes. It will be easier when I get my fitbit one but I definitely do, because I am running around a hospital or inpatient unit all day, up and down stairs constantly, and I know darn well it is exercise lol.

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