What do you log?
DeeDeeMee
Posts: 133 Member
Hi All,
I've noticed that some people log things that I consider to be just daily activities and therefore don't count so I'm wondering what everyone does log?
I log the following foods:
Everything that I eat, no matter how small and I round up for preference. If I think a calorie calculation on MFP might be light I look it up in a couple of other places just to be sure.
I don't log my medicines/vitamin supplements or water (because I know I drink lots of it, that's never been a problem).
I log the following exercise:
Anything structured/intentional - I do yoga every weekday and either walk or ride my bike to work, so I log that. I log walks and hiking or bike rides etc. and the exercise videos I do every Wednesday.
Heavy duty cleaning or gardening, and I mean heavy duty - our yard is overgrown and I'm trying to get a handle on it so I count chopping down small trees, hard-core pruning, digging, hauling rocks or bricks around and lawn mowing. For cleaning I log unusual and strenuous things like getting down on my hands and knees and scrubbing a floor. Anything that makes me sweat.
I don't log anything that's a regular daily chore - bed making, dusting, laundry, watering the house plants, general weeding, light pruning of roses etc or fussing around with my succulent and cacti collection. I also don't count playing games with the cat, which does sometimes involve running around the house or yard. My understanding is that these things are already included in the MFP calculation for 'sedentary' and I really don't feel that they count as exercise anyway.
I also don't include shopping if I drove to the shopping centre. I only include it if I walked there and then consider it a continuation of my walk at a very slow pace.
So does anyone else have any self-imposed criteria for their logging?
I've noticed that some people log things that I consider to be just daily activities and therefore don't count so I'm wondering what everyone does log?
I log the following foods:
Everything that I eat, no matter how small and I round up for preference. If I think a calorie calculation on MFP might be light I look it up in a couple of other places just to be sure.
I don't log my medicines/vitamin supplements or water (because I know I drink lots of it, that's never been a problem).
I log the following exercise:
Anything structured/intentional - I do yoga every weekday and either walk or ride my bike to work, so I log that. I log walks and hiking or bike rides etc. and the exercise videos I do every Wednesday.
Heavy duty cleaning or gardening, and I mean heavy duty - our yard is overgrown and I'm trying to get a handle on it so I count chopping down small trees, hard-core pruning, digging, hauling rocks or bricks around and lawn mowing. For cleaning I log unusual and strenuous things like getting down on my hands and knees and scrubbing a floor. Anything that makes me sweat.
I don't log anything that's a regular daily chore - bed making, dusting, laundry, watering the house plants, general weeding, light pruning of roses etc or fussing around with my succulent and cacti collection. I also don't count playing games with the cat, which does sometimes involve running around the house or yard. My understanding is that these things are already included in the MFP calculation for 'sedentary' and I really don't feel that they count as exercise anyway.
I also don't include shopping if I drove to the shopping centre. I only include it if I walked there and then consider it a continuation of my walk at a very slow pace.
So does anyone else have any self-imposed criteria for their logging?
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Replies
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I'm maintaining and don't log much of anything anymore but I got to maintenance by logging every bite that passed my lips. Everything. I rarely ever ate/eat back exercise so that's not an issue but I consider exercise to be something you do intentionally for some fitness aspect. Not house work, shopping, child care, or any other daily activity. Walking is brisk walking done for exercise, not generally walking around or shopping. Exercise significantly raises your heart rate for an extended period of time and isn't classified by sweat or perceived exertion.0
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I have a fitbit so I only log exercises that require me to take it off, like swimming. I'll log pretty much everything I eat, except for those 2 grapes I ate while preparing lunch.0
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I use a fitbit so I log all activities but specific exercise separately.0
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I did almost exactly the same thing you do before I got my fitbit.
Now I use that for everything except bicycling and really arm heavy chores like chopping trees or lifting bricks/building stone walls.0 -
It doesn't matter as long as you're consistent.
Of course it's a different matter as to whether it makes sense to log doing the dishes.0 -
I agree with you. I use fFitbit Flex and only log walking/jogging 40 minutes 5 x per week on my treadmill. When im on a treadmill i do not move my arms like i would with a normal walk. If I walk around the block or not on a treadmill I do not log it because imy fitbit logs it for me.0
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It probably depends on your settings and your weight loss goals. If you marked 'Sedentary' and you only have it set for low loss, I can see logging every little thing for accuracy in the beginning. Or if you are only doing it trying to get a general idea of where maintenance is or your calories base. But for me, I only log planned exercise. I don't add shopping or housework, even if strenuous. I just figure that it balances out my 'lazy' days I have once in a while where I chose to only do dishes and read a book or something! lol For others, though, they may just be playing with the numbers and attempting to figure out what works. I am STILL playing with mine trying to figure out what works! And others may be doing the same. I really don't pay much attention unless someone is saying they think they need help figuring out what they are doing. Otherwise, I just mind my own business and go on. It's a good question, though. Hopefully some of those doing that will see this and either figure it out or have answers. 0
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Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be. 0
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I don't log water or coffee.0
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I try to log everything going down my gullet except water and diet sodas--I'm not quite as fanatical about water consumption as some are. On exercise, I log anything I put on workout clothes for and break a sweat doing. I don't log everyday chores because I assume I need margin for errors in calorie counting.0
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Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be.
It's like a jacket up pedometer. You wear it all the time (you can get either a clip on or bracelet type) and it calculates your calories burned during the day based on both your BMR and your activity level (steps taken). You can link it up to MFP so if you burn more calories than MFP has calculated for the day, you'll be given extra calories to eat.0 -
Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be.
It's like a jacket up pedometer. You wear it all the time (you can get either a clip on or bracelet type) and it calculates your calories burned during the day based on both your BMR and your activity level (steps taken). You can link it up to MFP so if you burn more calories than MFP has calculated for the day, you'll be given extra calories to eat.
That sounds pretty awesome. I'll look into getting one. What I'm doing at the moment seems to be working pretty well, but having a more accurate expenditure calculation would be great. 0 -
I only log exercise if I have changed into my workout gear to do it (jog bra, shorts). If I'm just in my everyday clothes, I treat it as my everyday activity that has already been accounted for. When I change for a workout, I'm prepared to sweat heavily
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I also try to log everything I eat. I have occasional cheat days and sometimes I don't log those. But for the most part, if I eat 3 potato chips it gets logged. Because that little nibble here and there can add up to a whole lot of calories for the day if you don't keep track. Just today, I finished the edges of my daughter's poptart, ate 3 chips at the bottom of a Pringles can, ate the last broken pieces of approx. 4 cookies left in the cupboard. Just those few little things added up to 350 calories. That's a lot to not log!0 -
I only log exercise if I have changed into my workout gear to do it (jog bra, shorts). If I'm just in my everyday clothes, I treat it as my everyday activity that has already been accounted for. When I change for a workout, I'm prepared to sweat heavily)
That's actually a really good way of looking at it. When I think about it, all the things I log require different clothing (I usually wear workout clothes to work and change there, esp if I'm cycling. Not sure what I'll do once summer rolls around, I think I'll have to brave the showers.... eeee). Really heavy gardening and cleaning also require different clothing. 0 -
I highly recommend the Fitbit... I have the Flex specifically, it runs at about $99. Very useful so far, logs pretty well everything you do, and is subtle enough you don't feel self conscious wearing it. Logs your steps, tracks your sleep... it's very handy.
I do a ton of walking but never bothered to log it; I have a long walk to work and back, and usually go for a walk at lunch and in the evening, too. With the Fitbit you're kind of inspired to walk more than you normally would because you're rewarded for every extra step.
Plus, it has a competition feature on the Fitbit website, so you can compete with friends and family to log the most steps!0 -
I'm another one working on the principle of if I get changed into workout gear and put my heart rate monitor on, it gets logged, otherwise it doesn't. I log everything I eat. Seems to be working so far!0
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I walk a lot at work...and run too (i'm security) so I do log my walking at work and i use a podometer app for that...cause I find that MFP stats for walking's too high.
The rest of my loggings are all pure workout.0 -
I log everything I eat and drink. (Although sometimes I'll eat an almond or peanut and not log it right away, I usually account for it later.) And I try to pre-plan my meals so it's not all tedious and time consuming to find everything in the database and sort it out.
I log all of my on purpose exercise because I have a weekly personal exercise goal; however, I usually delete it from my 'wall' unless I have a comment on it. I'll also log any activities that are not part of my normal week.0 -
I log all food I eat. I don't log medicine and wouldn't log vitamins. If the estimates I see are extremely varied I take the average. I log all exercise, I log cleaning. I put down I'm sedentary so I figure anything active and moving should count. I find I lose more weight than what MFP would suggest so whatever my TDEE is, it's higher than MFP's estimate. I eat back all exercise calories.0
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I log food and water. My activity is logged by my bodymedia device. iam set to moderate activity in MFP due to active job and if I burn more than that it sync the rest over as exercise or sometimes as negative if I was off and lazy only had that happen once so far I it was only 75 calories less than what I should have burned in one day being active. on average my exerice calories range from 300 to 1000 depending on the day. if you decide to get a tracking device do your research and decide whats best for you lots of people are in to fitbit I liked the bodymedia more even though its more visible and has monthly plan that makes me more likely to use it.0
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I log all the food and drink, but you are right that when you look at other peoples diaries and they log light cleaning (2-3h every day and according to MFP that burns like 800-1000 cals) it makes me wonder. I don't log any 'exercise' that I did before when I was gaining weight. I also remind myself that I am not a athlete so I will not burn a 1000 cals when swimming for an hour, regardless of what MFP says, so I double check with other sites what they think I have burned.0
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There's actually someone in my newsfeed that logs calories burned preparing a meal. Cracks me up every time!0
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I don't log incedental exercise like housework, gardening, walking around the shops etc.I only log actual excercise I purposely do.0
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I log all the food and drink, but you are right that when you look at other peoples diaries and they log light cleaning (2-3h every day and according to MFP that burns like 800-1000 cals) it makes me wonder. I don't log any 'exercise' that I did before when I was gaining weight. I also remind myself that I am not a athlete so I will not burn a 1000 cals when swimming for an hour, regardless of what MFP says, so I double check with other sites what they think I have burned.
MPF seems to run high on some things, I agree - but it's really easy to double-check online calculators and see how they compare. If a person is typically sedentary I can see logging any extended periods of exertion, especially at a heavier weight. I just used three different calculators and they said I would burn 365, 440, and 460 calories per hour of light, general house cleaning. Obviously, it's not exact, but any of those is quite a bit to ignore. When I do my own normal stuff around the house, I don't log it, but when I clean for other people (which tends to be heavier work - scrubbing walls, ceiling light fixtures, baseboards, etc) the deal I have with myself is to log half the time as light house cleaning. I figure it's a good average for when I am doing lighter tasks on the same job and offsets any overestimates on the calories burned, but it's better than logging nothing. Plus it's satisfying to put something in!
Since my jobs and schedules vary a lot, it's easier for me to approach it this way instead of changing my activity level. Sort of convoluted, I know, but it seems to be working.
As for food, I log pretty much everything except spices. I don't go crazy...I know I forgot a 55 calorie corn tortilla the other day, but I was under anyhow and wasn't about to go back in and change it after closing out for the day. lol I probably would have if I have been close to going over. Why? Because it feels more honest? Idk.
I do log my vitamin as of just recently, but that's more to see how much the micros are affected in the system...just curiosity, really. Oh, and occasionally I'll eat a serving of 5 green olives out of the jar, standing in front of the fridge, and just because I like to live on the edge, I don't log those or their friend, Sodium. I'm just a rebel like that.0 -
For exercise: if it's not a routine daily activity for me and I work up a good sweat doing it, I log it. Yes, I log my serious house cleaning. I sweat and am sore for days after spring and fall cleaning. I'm taking credit for that!
For food: all of it. Every calorie that goes in my mouth. I don't log water. Water intake has never been an issue for me.0 -
I log everything I eat and most of my water. I logged my vitamins long enough to see that my diet was sufficient I didn't need them and that I might actually be going way too far over on some.
I wear a pedometer to work and walk an average of 8,000 steps in a given shift. As a result I have started only logging anything over that as well as swimming. I do not log housework at all but I also have MFP set to moderately active.
My spouse who is a disabled student has hers set to sedentary and does log housework along with exercise. So far it seems to be working for both of us.0 -
This is what is basically considered in a sedentary person's daily activity.
Sleeping - 8 hours
Personal care (dressing, showering) - 1 hour
Eating - 1 hour
Cooking - 1 hour
Sitting (office work, selling produce, tending shop) - 8 hours
Driving car to/from work - 1 hour
General household work - 1 hour
Light leisure activities (watching TV, chatting) - 3 hours
Most people don't do much more than that without inserting some intentional exercise.0 -
I dont log housework and I dont log the short 5 min walk to the shops or anything like that. For me exercise is something that gets me breathless and sweaty for 20 minutes or longer and that I make a concious descion to put on my gear and get out of the house.
I try to log everything that passes my lips. I add my own reciepies on here to ensure it is as accurate as possible (rather than selecting a generic meal I always create my version of it based on how I cook it)
I try and weigh everything, some exceptions are bananas and apples as we dont have scales at work (I get my fruit for free from work) but I figured the little bits of walking that I am doing and not logging will hopefully counter act the fact that I estimate some of my fruit
When I get some money I want to buy a heart rate monitor so that my exercise calculations are more accurate (I use map my ride which calculated one of my bike rides at 800 calories but on MFP the duration and speed calculated the same ride at 550 calories, I go for the lower of the two)0 -
As we look at other people's logs, we really need to take it with a grain of salt, we don't know what their daily routine is. For example, when I first started I had myself set as sedentary and logged cleaning a lot. Because that's my job. People probably looked at my diary and thought why is she logging 4 hours of cleaning? In reality I actually spent 7-8 hours that day doing a thorough deep cleaning that left me exhausted, sweaty, and in need of a shower.
Now that I have learned more, I know that my daily routine is not sedentary at all. I usually count myself as active and only add back specific exercise calories when I do a focused exercise. People learn more as they go and they tweek things here and there to make the system better for them.0 -
i am seditary and i dont do house hold chorse regularly at all so when i get in to a big cleaning spree it is ushually several hours and burns a sweat it is just my hubby and my self and we do light pick up but i dont have to deep clean all the time. I do not do dishes as i cook daily so he dose dishes so i dont log cooking or simple cleaning. as for shoping i dont generally count that but i do if i am walking the mall on purpous but the mall whare i am is large0
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