Do you count cleaning as exercise?

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  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    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
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    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
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    I don't. But then my "lifestyle" multiplier is set to "Very Active".
  • xapril77x
    xapril77x Posts: 248 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    No. As someone above said, it's activity, not exercise. Even "sedentary" expects *some* daily activity.
  • exmsde
    exmsde Posts: 85 Member
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    These days I usually just 'accept' whatever my Fitbit One registers for normal activities. But then I'd rather under-count than over-count calories burned.

    To the specific question, I'll point out that Weight Watchers definitely counts housework as exercise. But then their clientele have traditionally been the definition of couch potato and any way to get people to increase their activity level is a good thing. If you are already quite active (e.g., specific workouts) then calling out normal daily activities becomes less interesting.
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
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    Would you log it if you included yelling at your kids and pets for the added aggravation they cause?

    I'm interested in the replies on lifestyle settings. Based on the descriptions, I put mine as lightly active but that must be grossly inaccurate based on where they put my caloric needs. I think they had me at 1600 calories/day. I upped it to 2,000. Maybe some people have a metabolic rate set to vibrate all the time. Either that or yelling at the kids really burns through calories:smile:

    I don't log housework because I have a weird ocd relationship with my vacuum and have it running all the time.
  • sophayz
    sophayz Posts: 592 Member
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    i count everything that is more then my everyday routine and eat back 70% of the calories
  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
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    I do light cleaning throughout the week...keep up on dishes, sweeping, straightening up after kids. However, at least one day on the weekend I clean the house from top to bottom. I always forget to wear my HRM, but I plan to do so this weekend. I run up and down my stairs often on these days between laundry, cleaning the toy room, and various other things so it would be interesting to see what happens.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    no....

    cleaning, walking, crapping, cooking, etc are all just part of a normal day and should already be built in to what you are doing ..or so I say ...
  • ElizabethObviously
    ElizabethObviously Posts: 380 Member
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    I count cleaning as exercise if it is something I don't normally do. Washing dishes....no.....reorganizing the closet and hauling boxes around...yes....

    BUT I usually count it at a half time amount. If I cleaned for 1 hour, I feel less guilty about logging cleaning if I log it as 30 minutes instead.

    I think the real point is you are moving around when you clean, regardless if you log it or not. Your body does not register cleaning any differently. It can only tell you were moving around.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    No I don't and I think 232 cals is very generous.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Do you count breathing as exercise too?

    You shouldn't count breathing because, unlike cleaning, it's included in your BMR and therefore part of every activity setting.
  • RawMomma10
    RawMomma10 Posts: 89 Member
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    Every day cleaning, no, but when I scrub the whole house down, yes because It's not something that is done daily.


    This!! :)
  • AprilMae1975
    AprilMae1975 Posts: 726
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    I do if I break a sweat and clean for more than an hour. My house is mostly tile so sweeping and mopping is a total body workout lol!

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