Do you count work as exercise?

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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?
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Replies

  • WannabeStressFree
    WannabeStressFree Posts: 340 Member
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    I think it shouldn't be logged, unless it's out of your daily routine.
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    No. I count it in with my activity level.

    I work a busy retail job, too.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    I count exercise as exercise and work as part of my daily activity. It's all there in your settings...
  • woodstockchick
    woodstockchick Posts: 23
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    I count working but dont go crazy eating because my body is used to it
  • knitwit0704
    knitwit0704 Posts: 376
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I wouldn't count it.... Choosing active in your goals settings should be enough.
  • savagedaisy
    savagedaisy Posts: 9 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Ithoink you are correct. Call yourself active and use that guideline. Anything over that is extra.
  • SEvansHB
    SEvansHB Posts: 17 Member
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    This is the exact reason that I got a FitBit Flex!

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