Do YOU count cleaning?

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Replies

  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    I don't count my everyday things as exercise. But if I'm moving furniture to mop the whole house, you better believe I'll count it!
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    only if i'm doing a full ''spring cleaning'' kind of day where I'm constantly moving, vaccuuming, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom top to bottom, scrubbing floors, cleaning out cupboards, cleaning all the windows etc.
  • tashac2000
    tashac2000 Posts: 12 Member
    I don't count cleaning, but I do count shoveling snow!!
  • acwd
    acwd Posts: 3 Member
    Quoted from the article in the link below:
    "the more time people said they spent performing housework as exercise (which they considered moderate to vigorous physical activity), the heavier they tended to be"

    http://www.livescience.com/40523-housework-exercise-physical-activity.html
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    no….


    I mean do you count every time you get up to take a dump as exercise? I am sure you burn some calories doing that…especially if you are "backed up"
  • fizzanda
    fizzanda Posts: 10 Member
    I counted it yesterday to get some extra food calories, but I ran up and down the stairs at least 20 times, so I underestimated the time and think I burned calories while doing it. I also ran to the bus stop and to the corner store across the street for insurance that I actually burned the extra calories.
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    Only if I work up a sweat doing it....which I never do.
  • Erinelda
    Erinelda Posts: 96
    I count cleaning because it is more than I usually do lol. I find I don't count what doesn't make me burn or breath heavy because your body adjusts to what you are used to. Like I don't count going to the bathroom but I would if I felt the burn on the way ha!
  • FitnFeistyLyness
    FitnFeistyLyness Posts: 757 Member
    that's called functional exercise which means daily activity levels.. so no i dont count it.

    exercise is 30 min minimum of my heart rate being raised and working up a good sweat.

    whether that's running, a dvd, whatever if i dont work up a sweat its not exercise.. if i dont feel that pain from a good burn its not exercise

    this is what works for me,, do what works for you..

    no i dont count going to the bathroom nj. or walking to the fridge either LOL
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    No. Cleaning is more of an activity level thing.
  • RunningForeverMama
    RunningForeverMama Posts: 261 Member
    No I don't.
  • mamma_nee
    mamma_nee Posts: 809 Member
    I never count cleaning - It didn`t keep me fit before, why count it now? LOL Unless I am movings straight without stopping and working up a sweat I don`t bother to log it any more.
  • cshodges
    cshodges Posts: 12 Member
    Another option to consider, would be to wear a heart rate monitor for the longer/more rigorous cleaning sessions you may consider logging. This helps prevent "overestimating" on calories burned, and might help you to make the ultimate decision about whether or not to log. Good luck!
  • kathyflannery129
    kathyflannery129 Posts: 151 Member
    no i don't..i do count shoveling snow and heavy yard work....
  • KatM2014
    KatM2014 Posts: 263 Member
    The only cleaning I've counted recently is things like disinfecting my horses stable (lots of dragging rubber matting around, scrubbing the floor and carrying lots of water), things like that I don't do often, but when I do they wreck me!
  • evolutionaerie
    evolutionaerie Posts: 21 Member
    Unlike most of these people, I do. I have a very active job that has me pretty worn out at the end of my day (after which I work out), so I tend to save the majority of my chores for days off or random evenings. It's not like I'm dripping sweat or anything, but I'm off my butt continuously and my full body's engaged at various points throughout a 2-3 hr period, so while it isn't a gym "workout", it's absolutely still exercise. If you're worried about overestimating calories burned, just cut down the time logged by 15 minutes to 1/2 an hour and you should be golden!
    We're human. Just about any movement is beneficial.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Only if I work up a sweat doing it....which I never do.
    So should I count sitting still in 90 degree heat? I promise I can work up a sweat doing it.

    Should I never count time spent on the Gazelle unless it's over 75 degrees out? I practically never sweat on that thing, unless the temperature in the room is high enough. . . .
  • angdpowers
    angdpowers Posts: 311 Member
    I do.

    If I'm just picking up, wiping down here and there throughout the day ... then no.

    But if I've been cleaning non-stop for 30mins - 2hrs during nap time ... then heck yes!
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
    I personally do but that is because when I do clean on the weekend, it is 2+ hours of being in motion. Up and down the stairs, back and forth from one side of the house to the other, moving furniture to dust and vacuum, etc. I only count half the time at low intensity to make sure I am not overestimating. And I am sweating when I get done.

    I have a desk job so this is definitely out of the norm of my "daily activity."
  • ninja8tofu
    ninja8tofu Posts: 76 Member
    Day to day stuff I don't count, but about twice a week, I do what I call "super cleaning." I scrub every floor, I dust every nook and cranny. I move all the furniture, deep clean both bathrooms...scrub scrub scrub. So many floors. It's a big house, it's icky dirty winter and there are 6 people including a toddler living in it, so it's a big job and I am worn out when I'm done. Yes, I do count that, but I do underestimate it a bit. I don't seem to be having any problem losing weight because I log it.
  • sue_langley
    sue_langley Posts: 63 Member
    I find that my heart rate monitor is a great tool to help me see how many more calories I burn doing certain things verses at normal rest, I after all extra calories burnt are calories earned. I don't always check but certain days that I want to eat the extra calories I do. : ) Guessing may cause you to eat more calories than you really earned.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Absolutely not.
    That said, I am a lazy beggar and do little cleaning anyway.
  • KristaPerseveres
    KristaPerseveres Posts: 87 Member
    If I've done more than normal day to day picking up, I'll log it, but don't eat it back.
  • Brina4777
    Brina4777 Posts: 40 Member
    I do only when I am cleaning out houses for work. I don't count my own house cleaning or daily chores. My job is very vigorous and varies from day to day. I do anything from shoveling snow, mowing lawns, debris removal, etc.
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    Did you do the cleaning while you were gaining weight/not trying to lose weight? If yes then why log it now you are trying to lose weight. It's different for everyone I am sure but for me it seems like logging things such as low/moderate effort housework is just cheating yourself.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    I don't count cleaning or cooking, but some do.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    if I sweat-I count it. That is really the only way I can tell if I burned something......
  • amarisstorm
    amarisstorm Posts: 26 Member
    I would only count it if it was all day and intense. If I'm exhausted afterword I might count part of it.

    I logged moving furniture and boxes twice in the last couple of weeks when I was helping my mom or friends move. However I only logged a small fraction of the actual time I was there. Worked for two hours... logged 25 minutes. Worked for 6 hours... logged 1.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    I am torn. I mean.. I'm definitely walking around, and using my arms to scrub or wash dishes or dust.. and I'm bending down and picking things up and pushing the vacuum. It just seems weird to count that as exercise...

    After I had my accident, it was quite a while before I could move well enough to clean. I counted it then but not any more. Only count cleaning if it is above and beyond what you would normally do. If you have been cleaning all along and it didn't help your weight loss efforts then you can assume it won't now. But...if you do some major spring cleaning that gets you sweating and your heart rate up. count it.
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    If it's just regular around the house maintenance I consider it part of my daily activities. (Laundry, dishes, vacuuming...)


    BUT I do count it if...

    If it's a big project

    or

    if I clean my house and then go clean my elder Mom's house. (I'll count what i do around her house, but not what I do in my own.)

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