Do you count cleaning as exercise?

Pheboh
Pheboh Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just spent the last hour cleaning and according to MFP, I burned 232 calories. It kind of feels like cheating to log it, since it's not really exercise. But, I already worked out for 75 minutes today, so it's not like I replaced a real workout with cleaning... Should I log it? Do you?
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Replies

  • violetlight
    violetlight Posts: 4 Member
    Yes I do! I find that if you do enough cleaning, it burns quite a few calories!
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    I have my settings at 1200 so I log in cleaning & eat my calories back :)
  • emmaw0316
    emmaw0316 Posts: 3
    I would, when I clean, sometimes I sweat more than I usually am when working out so yea....more cal.= more food....WOOT WOOT
  • taralc1
    taralc1 Posts: 98 Member
    Every day cleaning, no, but when I scrub the whole house down, yes because It's not something that is done daily.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    I have a Bodymedia, so it just syncs and does that calculation itself. Otherwise, in my opinion, cleaning is just an everyday activity, not an exercise that needs to be fueled by eating those calories back.
  • jcmrax5
    jcmrax5 Posts: 133
    unless you dont usually clean, dont log it. or if by chance you cleaned extra...like someone elses home. ran a car wash...something of that sort.

    i never count cleaning my home/doing my dishes. thatd be like logging sex as working out.
    silliness!
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
    My calorie burn is already factored into my calorie goal so I don't count it but when I was wearing my BodyMedia Fit I was shocked that things like mopping, vacuuming, scrubbing the tub etc. burned so many calories. My apartment is much cleaner now so that I can eat more chocolate.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    unless you dont usually clean, dont log it. or if by chance you cleaned extra...like someone elses home. ran a car wash...something of that sort.

    i never count cleaning my home/doing my dishes. thatd be like logging sex as working out.
    silliness!

    I mean. I work pretty hard during sex, but maybe that's just me.
  • Unknown
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  • Pheboh
    Pheboh Posts: 88 Member
    Yeah, this makes sense to me. It's tempting to log so I can eat more, but at the same time it's really just living, right? I won't log it unless I do a crazy big clean!
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    No because I used to clean before I started to lose weight.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Nope... I never log normal daily activities.... Even the big 6 hour cleaning ones... Sort of makes up for the reading time before bed...
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Do you count breathing as exercise too?
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    No because I used to clean before I started to lose weight.

    I used to jog before I started losing weight? Does that mean I can't log jogging?

    What if I jog everyday? Is it then a 'daily activity' and unworthy of logging?

    Just curious about the standards.
  • thatbelinda
    thatbelinda Posts: 94 Member
    I've logged it once, when I scrubbed down both my balconies, moved out the couch and mopped behind and under it, cleaned the pantry, cleaned all the kitchen cupboards, etc.

    Normal cleaning - the stuff I do on a daily/weekly basis - I don't log.
  • FEMAZmolek
    FEMAZmolek Posts: 5
    There are actually entire exercise routines built around cleaning the house. It looks a bit silly but when you're short on time it kills two birds with one stone.
  • Pheboh
    Pheboh Posts: 88 Member
    These are all great comments, thanks!
  • Pheboh
    Pheboh Posts: 88 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
    Hmm... I googled working out while cleaning and there's quite a few sites that have advice like: blast the music and dance around, do some squats and lunges, run up and down the stairs and generally put in extra effort when you're scrubbing and mopping. I'm not overly enthused at the prospect actually. Making cleaning more strenuous and difficult would likely make me want to skip it altogether. :laugh: Thank goodness there are far better ways to get cardio in that are way more fun. :happy:
  • FrauMama
    FrauMama Posts: 169 Member
    I only did when I was moving, like a full-on, 4-hours at once house scrubdown. I wore a HRM one day and was surprised. Of course that was in the middle of summer in the tropics with no A/C. But, yeah, if it's vigorous and out of the norm, definitely.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
    Hmm... I googled working out while cleaning and there's quite a few sites that have advice like: blast the music and dance around, do some squats and lunges, run up and down the stairs and generally put in extra effort when you're scrubbing and mopping. I'm not overly enthused at the prospect actually. Making cleaning more strenuous and difficult would likely make me want to skip it altogether. :laugh: Thank goodness there are far better ways to get cardio in that are way more fun. :happy:

    Fun. Cardio.

    Sounds like a myth.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
    Hmm... I googled working out while cleaning and there's quite a few sites that have advice like: blast the music and dance around, do some squats and lunges, run up and down the stairs and generally put in extra effort when you're scrubbing and mopping. I'm not overly enthused at the prospect actually. Making cleaning more strenuous and difficult would likely make me want to skip it altogether. :laugh: Thank goodness there are far better ways to get cardio in that are way more fun. :happy:

    Fun. Cardio.

    Sounds like a myth.
    There's a couple of fun ways I can think of... but people don't generally log that either. :tongue: I think that was a question this week too though...
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I don't. But then my "lifestyle" multiplier is set to "Very Active".
  • xapril77x
    xapril77x Posts: 248 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
    Hmm... I googled working out while cleaning and there's quite a few sites that have advice like: blast the music and dance around, do some squats and lunges, run up and down the stairs and generally put in extra effort when you're scrubbing and mopping. I'm not overly enthused at the prospect actually. Making cleaning more strenuous and difficult would likely make me want to skip it altogether. :laugh: Thank goodness there are far better ways to get cardio in that are way more fun. :happy:

    ^^^ This is what I do... & it does work up quiet a sweat!!! B4 I got my BMF I used 2 log it but only if it made me pour sweat... If it was just walking around doing the normal stuff I didn't... It makes for a clean house! =)

    & my settings are set 2 sendentary so it's ok... My BFM logs any calories I burn just doing normal stuff anyway if I go over a certain amount per day...
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Do you have a link or example? I doubt I'd actually ever do any of it, I'm just curious to see what it looks like!!
    Hmm... I googled working out while cleaning and there's quite a few sites that have advice like: blast the music and dance around, do some squats and lunges, run up and down the stairs and generally put in extra effort when you're scrubbing and mopping. I'm not overly enthused at the prospect actually. Making cleaning more strenuous and difficult would likely make me want to skip it altogether. :laugh: Thank goodness there are far better ways to get cardio in that are way more fun. :happy:

    Fun. Cardio.

    Sounds like a myth.
    There's a couple of fun ways I can think of... but people don't generally log that either. :tongue: I think that was a question this week too though...

    It's a question every other week, lol. But I'll give you that one, This time you win.

    Next time gadget, next time!
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    it's activity, not exercise.

    and over half that burn was existing tdee. You did not burn that much from activity.
  • kimjutjor
    kimjutjor Posts: 387 Member
    If I clean for more than an hour straight, then I log it but only at 1/3 of the time spent. I think the calories it gives you are too elevated and the reduction in time makes it a more reasonable amount. So if you eat back the calories, then you aren't killing your chances of losing weight.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you included cleaning in your activity setting, then don't count it. If you are set to sedentary, then count it.

    But whether you count it or not, it is exercise.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Think of it as a bonus. You likely didn't burn that many calories and if you eat those back you're probably just cutting your deficit. For long term goals it's good to get out of the mindset of every action you doing having to be rewarded. Thin people don't go around all day calculating that they cleaned the house so now they get a cookie. It's a bad mindset to get into.

    As for sweat, that isn't a measure of exertion or calorie burn. I sweat easily, I can sit in my chair and sweat. My co worker can run 5 km and be gently glistening. Sweating has more to do with genetics and your physical fitness than it does as an indicator of whether you are working hard.
  • mushroomsontoast
    mushroomsontoast Posts: 118 Member
    No. As someone above said, it's activity, not exercise. Even "sedentary" expects *some* daily activity.

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