Is it cheating to count my walk to and from the gym?

bridgew24
bridgew24 Posts: 143 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I generally walk a good hour or so out of the day to and from uni, the train, supermarket etc, good part of not having a car!
I've never considered counting that. Even though I have my activity levels set fairly low.
However it's a good 20-30 minute walk to and from the gym, so is it cheating to count that? Does anyone else count it??
It definitely helps me meet my cardio goal for the day!

Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I would count it.
  • gogozinn
    gogozinn Posts: 19 Member
    if you look at the USDA activity tracker, it has an activity for this. If you're doing it as your workout walk, it would at least count as warmup/cooldown. If not, it at least counts as walking-slow, or whatever pace you are using, from the MFP calorie tracker. Moving is moving, it all counts.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    No? Why would it be?

    The purpose of tracking your exercise is to get a (somewhat inaccurate, but hey) measure of your calorie expenditure. The only real way to 'cheat' it is to count twice (e.g. set lightly active based on normal daily activities and then track your normal daily activities), to include rest breaks (e.g. walk from 6-7pm but sit down for 20 minutes in the middle, and still count it as an hour), or to falsely enter a higher intensity than you've done.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    Don't see any reason not to count it, especially if you didn't figure it into your daily activity level.
  • Unknown
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  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    I wouldn't.
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
    Absolutely count it!
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
    I count that. Whatever walk/activity is not part of your daily routine that can be counted.
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    Do you walk that far daily? Change your daily activity level to lightly active or active. If you don't, go ahead and keep it on sedentary but log when you walk. Walking is good for you!
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    my setting is sedentary so i would count it
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    However it's a good 20-30 minute walk to and from the gym, so is it cheating to count that?

    For a normal sized person walking at reasonable pace, you're looking at about 100 net calories burned, in total.

    Personally I wouldn't be adding it unless I was very confident in my BMR/TDEE numbers.
  • traceyjj
    traceyjj Posts: 406 Member
    I count my walks to the gym, mine is about the same time as yours, up and down hills and its a brisk pace I set myself (no need to warm up as much at the gym)
    But my activity level on MFP is set to sedentary so I generally count pretty much all my walking and as I dont walk to the gym EVERY time I go, I figure I am burning extra calories for that time.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Count it if it helps you get a more accurate picture of your calorie expenditure or if it actually encourages you to walk more.

    I count the cycling/walking part of my daily commute on the basis that although it's only 150 cals a day it adds up over time. 750 a week, 3000 a month. Also means when I'm not commuting to work (weekends, get a lift, work from home) I'm not over-estimating my calorie burn.

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