What can i include in my calorie count?

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SazzieBunny
SazzieBunny Posts: 20
in Fitness and Exercise
ok..i work 12 hour shifts as a nurse, which involves a LOT of walking quickly to and from places, moving beds,lifting people etc...so i figured over the 12 hours i did at least 2 and a half hours of walking straight...if not more but i like to underestimate...
can i include this in my exercise count or not?!?!

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  • Gershwyn
    Gershwyn Posts: 88
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    I would. Others wouldn't. Maybe invest in a cheap pedometer and see how much you're actually walking.
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
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    I would suggest wearing a pedometer to get a rough idea of how much walking you're actually doing. I wear one at work and find I cover about 6 to 7 miles per shift. That adds up pretty quick!
  • clothes_of_sand
    clothes_of_sand Posts: 59
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    I would say it partially depends on what you set your activity level at when you joined MFP. If you set it at sedentary or lightly active, then count it. If you set it at active, then I wouldn't count it.
  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
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    I would suggest changing your Activity level to either Lightly active or Active.... It will give you more cals and you don't need to enter what you do at work because that comes under the lightly active.

    Go to My Home >> Goals >> Guided >> Then change from Sedentary to Lightly active

    What you do at work doesn't really count as a "workout" but as your level of activity....
  • 1CALIJIBARO2
    1CALIJIBARO2 Posts: 132
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    Of course u can.....it is all movement........& when there is any kind of physical action u burn calories.......washing cars, domestic house chores all that is burning calories......their r sites that help u count calories.........hope this helps......Good luck & keep up the GOOD work.................
  • flowerpower263
    flowerpower263 Posts: 28 Member
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    absolutely! i work in a garden center and walk and lift all day long. i usually guesstimate my walking time as about 2 hrs. this will burn at least 275 to 350 calories depending how much effort you put into it. it's exercise no matter where you are as long as you are moving and exerting.
  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
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    Work and normal Daily activity should be reflected in the section i mentioned.... why log it in every day when there is an option to change your activity setting.....

    - Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)

    - Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. nurse, salesman)

    - Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. waitress, mailman)

    - Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)

    When you "up" your activity level it does also "up" your cals to include your work so that you dont have to.
  • Buckeye_Mama
    Buckeye_Mama Posts: 30 Member
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    I agree with Megs....change your daily activity level. That's what it's there for.
  • SazzieBunny
    SazzieBunny Posts: 20
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    but if i changed my activity level that wouldnt account for the days i have off? so that wouldnt make any sense, i wouldnt be doing the same ammount of walking, lifting etc on a day off as i would at work...
  • megsta21
    megsta21 Posts: 506 Member
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    As far as im aware it works it out on a weekly basis then estimates an average.... I worked it out... it gave me 160 more cals a day.... which would be less than you burn at work in one day but you probably burn easily 224 cals extra.

    160 x 7 days = 1,120 extra cals a week

    1,120 x 5 = 224 cals burnt extra at work

    The calculations they use are taking into account a 5 day working week not 7 days... and are only using my figs as i dont know yours. But this is what they are designed for.

    I am the opposite... i sit on my patootie all day and do bugga all... but weekends im more active...

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