Do you count cleaning?

hulababe7
hulababe7 Posts: 7
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
I saw that they have cleaning as a cardio exercise on MFP. Would you add it to your exercise or would you consider it just part of your regular daily calorie burn? What do you think?

Replies

  • trisha329
    trisha329 Posts: 266 Member
    I only put it in when it's something out of the ordinary that I do, but not regular, everyday "tidying up". For instance, yesterday I was moving furniture, and today I was constantly up and down the stairs, changing and washing curtains and bedding, and up and down the ladder hanging them. I added that on both days.
  • SashaSpells
    SashaSpells Posts: 86
    If I do something excessive, that really wears me out and/or I don't do it everyday (like scrubbing out the fridge, or mowing the lawn, or sweeping the front porch/sidewalk) I count it. The rest of the time I just consider it part of the daily grind. =)
  • xxjessikatxx
    xxjessikatxx Posts: 90
    I do not count it ,Its a daily activity for me ...
  • bpclark
    bpclark Posts: 13 Member
    i don't add it, because i don't want to count on it. i view it more as "bonus" burn :-)
  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
    I count it on Saturday's and Sunday's, but only part of it. I count it because my activity level isn't sedentary on the weekends, its the next level up. This gets me to that calorie level.
  • toya860
    toya860 Posts: 18 Member
    My Saturday morning cleaning sessions are serious, about 2-3 hours of nonstop moving so I count those. I clean the whole house from top to bottom! But any other small cleaning tasks I do through the week I don't count.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    I only count it when it's something out of the ordinary.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    I personally do not. I am a stay at home mom and am constantly cleaning or running errands. I wish I could count it (so that I wouldn't constantly be over my calories) but if I worked in an office I wouldn't count running to the copy machine as exercise.

    Ultimately it's up to you! I agree with those who say to count it if you do something out of the ordinary. I counted unpacking when I moved in, and cleaning the garage (but I wear my HRM so I get an accurate count).
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
    i count it when it's actually like exercise, like when i am scrubbing floors, the tub, washing windows, etc.

    i also count food prep on serious food prepping days (like once a month i have to go through and prep everything before it spoils and it's pretty much an all day event, especially if canning is involved and if it's hot, like in the summer when this activity takes considerably more time.

    but for the daily stuff, no.
  • antarah
    antarah Posts: 9
    when it's serious cleaning
  • lab_goddess
    lab_goddess Posts: 170 Member
    I only count the cleaning calories when I am doing non daily cleaning and deep cleaning weekends. Ditto for yardwork. I don't count the little everyday things, weeding here and there, but raking and mowing--yep! I count them too!
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
    I also count it when it is "above and beyond" cleaning. For instance, I typically NEVER vacuum--that's my husband's job. But he's been sick, so I gave the whole house a really good vacuuming today (he's not been feeling well for awhile, and hasn't been getting this chore done). We have pets and it took me 2 hours to vacuum the entire house really well. I counted part of it, but not all.
  • luckyinlife
    luckyinlife Posts: 81 Member
    I don't.
  • sandra80
    sandra80 Posts: 308 Member
    on sundays i cook all my dinners for the week and then clean my house top to bottom. i count both the cooking and cleaning because i'm running around the place for about 6 hours getting it all done. i dance around while i do it all with my ipod too so i count it as activity. the rest of the week i'm either in a cubicle 9 hours a day and try my best to get in an hour walk at night or on saturdays i'm running around doing errands and not being terribly active. so sunday most definitely counts for me with my activity level.
  • nettip
    nettip Posts: 113 Member
    Idont count daily cleaning ( sweaping the floor, doing the washing - live in a 3floor house so have to go up and down 2 sets of stairs to get washing and put away) But on a saturday me and my sister ( lives at my house) get up stay in pjs and blitz the house takes us from bout 9am till about 2-3pm so i count about 2hours of this day as cleaning exercise and have the rest as every day burn.
  • AnnieeR
    AnnieeR Posts: 229
    No. I will usually count mowing the lawn because it's a big lawn and takes me a minimum of 20 minutes and I know from my HRM that it raises my heart rate to a zone that is akin to a light work out for the duration of the chore. Anything else, even if it's moving furniture to hoover, I look at as a bonus mostly because any raise in heart rate is not sustained at all - if it gives me extra burn, that's great but I don't see the point in trying to keep track. I also don't count things like taking the stairs instead of the lift.
  • lifeisgoodBev
    lifeisgoodBev Posts: 11
    I only count the major cleaning, gardening etc 1//2 hour or more, not regular daily pick up. Have a great day!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I saw that they have cleaning as a cardio exercise on MFP. Would you add it to your exercise or would you consider it just part of your regular daily calorie burn? What do you think?

    I do not count it. I also do not count grocery shopping. I know what it takes to really burn calories and no amount of cleaning burns enough to bother.

    I count intentional exercise only.
  • chelekaz
    chelekaz Posts: 847 Member
    I count it when I do heavy housecleaning. Our house has 3 floors (4 counting basement where the laundry is) so if I am doing a major clean yes... that is a heck of a lot of steps to be running up and down. Same thing when we were cleaning out the garage or basement with all the lifting and carrying. My rule of thumb: day to day clean is part of your daily activity level.... if I am hustle bustle with breaking sweat... it's a counter.
  • coronalime
    coronalime Posts: 583 Member
    That would be like counting sex.
    it also messes up your workout calories in general and then when you look at your stats and you see all these workout calories but you arent losing it causes frustration. Myfitness over does workout calories as it is so unless you are wearing a heart rate monitor would I put those calories in for something like cleaning or walking the stairs at work.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I count it when I do heavy housecleaning. Our house has 3 floors (4 counting basement where the laundry is) so if I am doing a major clean yes... that is a heck of a lot of steps to be running up and down. Same thing when we were cleaning out the garage or basement with all the lifting and carrying. My rule of thumb: day to day clean is part of your daily activity level.... if I am hustle bustle with breaking sweat... it's a counter.

    We do yoga at work twice a week, so I wear my HRM for it. We do the yoga in the basement and I work on the third floor (VERY steep stairs).

    I decided to see how many calories I burned going up those stairs from the basement to the third floor and then down the hall to my office. My HR was at 85% by the time I reached the second floor. I burned a total of 7 calories.
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
    I give the house a good scrub about twice a month. I start when I get home from work and clean for 2-3 hours over two evenings. I totally count this. I actually skip the gym both nights and go to bed EXHAUSTED.

    SW: 230 (01/10)
    Height: 5'4"
    CW: 150.2
    GW: 135
  • DigitalRain
    DigitalRain Posts: 45
    Yep, when I have to do vigorous house cleaning, I claim those calories too. Lawn mowing, washing the car, you best believe I"m claiming those calories :laugh:

    I have no shame when it comes to logging exercise. If it seems like I'm going to be working hard, no matter what I'm doing, I wear my HRM.
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