Should I log walking to class as exercise?

kkullberg431
kkullberg431 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey! I'm a college student so I do a lot of walking to and from class. If each walk is around 10 minutes, I do at least an hour of walking everyday. Should I log this as exercise throughout the day?

Replies

  • thebrinkofdespair
    thebrinkofdespair Posts: 8
    I would.

    I count shopping.

    Regards
    tbod
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    No. It's part of your everyday normal life. Only count "extra" activities.
  • FreshKrisKreash
    FreshKrisKreash Posts: 444 Member
    Nah I wouldn't. You don't want to end up eating too much to make up for a burn that small. Not worth it.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you have set your activity level as sedentary, then log it. But if you accounted for that walking when you set your activity level, then no, do not log it.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    If it's something you do most days of the week, factor it into your activity level.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    If it's not already, set your MFP to lightly active or active. This will account for the walking you do.
  • Zelinna
    Zelinna Posts: 207 Member
    If you have set your activity level as sedentary, then log it. But if you accounted for that walking when you set your activity level, then no, do not log it.

    ^ This
  • colibri23
    colibri23 Posts: 223 Member
    It just depends on what activity level you've already set for yourself. If you put yourself as "lightly active" because of these walks, then don't count them as exercise because those calories are already accounted for in your calorie bank. I personally set myself at "sedentary" and then count walking to/from work as exercise. However I ALWAYS lower the estimation that MFP gives (I don't own a heart rate monitor) as far as calories burned; I also try to incorporate other activities such as walking 3-4 flights of stairs a few times during the day and I don't count those exercise minutes. This strategy allows for a margin of error, and ensures that I'm not overestimating my calories burned.
  • theJTfitness
    theJTfitness Posts: 142 Member
    I wouldn't log it. Easy to overestimate on these calories.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Set your profile to reflect what you actually do in your day to day life, not including purposeful exercise. Only log the purposeful exercise.
  • CharzieGirl
    CharzieGirl Posts: 44
    If you walk at a fast pace (4.0 mph, power walking), then I would log it. Fast walking is some pretty good cardio.

    But if you're walking at a leisurely pace, then no, I wouldn't log it as exercise.
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    This is when a Fitbit come in handy. I don't ever have to log walking because if I do happen to burn enough calories walking in a day, the Fitbit will capture that data without my logging it.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    This is when a Fitbit come in handy. I don't ever have to log walking because if I do happen to burn enough calories walking in a day, the Fitbit will capture that data without my logging it.


    I'd go along with this advice. If you have a fair bit to lose it's a good long term investment. If you haven't I'd say to set yourself as lightly active as sedentary only really covers around 2.5 miles a day.
  • kuderstadt
    kuderstadt Posts: 134 Member
    I wouldn't log it… it's just part of life.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I teach on a big campus and wear a pedometer. On days that I teach, I do approximately 2 to 2 1/2 miles of walking, but I don't count it because I'm set to "lightly active." However, I walk a mile and a half (30 minutes) uninterrupted around my neighborhood, and I do log that. It doesn't make that much of a difference calorie-wise -- about 90 calories, so wow, I get to eat an apple or a lowfat yogurt.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    I live in a city and do a lot of walking. My rule is anything over 10 minutes gets logged. This encourages me to walk places instead of taking public transit or driving (the 10-minute-or-less trips I'd be walking for regardless). I don't have a typical routine when it comes to walking places, and I have my activity level set as sedentary. An hour of walking only burns about 150 calories, so I'm not very concerned about gaining too many exercise calories back. All my walking does is allow me to have a glass of wine or something later. :)
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    This is when a Fitbit come in handy. I don't ever have to log walking because if I do happen to burn enough calories walking in a day, the Fitbit will capture that data without my logging it.

    Agreed!
  • neilemon
    neilemon Posts: 1 Member
    It would depend on how you set up your goals. When you get to: How would you describe your normal daily activities?, if you were to pick "Lightly Active" or "Active", you probably don't need to add it as exercise.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Nah I wouldn't. You don't want to end up eating too much to make up for a burn that small. Not worth it.

    It would only be about 100-200 calories. Not really that much.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I always set myself to sedentary and logged it, because it gave me motivation to walk instead of taking the bus, and to include little detours to stretch it out more.
  • tk2222
    tk2222 Posts: 199 Member
    I don't usually log walking to class, errands, etc - it's too fluctuating and pretty small amounts, and I don't want to give myself that leeway. Also, I try to keep from getting too obsessive with logging so as not to burn out. I want to keep track of my exercise, not exhaustively quantify every single thing in my life. It's very tempting to have all those numbers to play with, but I know it's ultimately counterproductive for me in terms of long-term sustainability and making a genuine lifestyle change rather than it just being a project i'm doing on myself for a little while.
  • ValeriePlz
    ValeriePlz Posts: 517 Member
    I usually only log walks if they are over 1 mile.
  • nikkineidigh
    nikkineidigh Posts: 29 Member
    I started walking a few days ago for at least twenty minutes before I hit forty five minutes. If you stick with your diet, drink a lot of water; you lose a few pounds in a week. I lost three pounds already by walking.

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