Can I count the days that I work as exercise?(housekeeper)

jessicaduperon
jessicaduperon Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, I'm wanting to know some opinions on whether I should log the days that I work as exercise. I'm a housekeeper at a hotel . From the time I walk into work from the time I go home and I am moving and sweating. There is no elevator and the laundry area is on the opposite side of the building as rooms. So, every time I run out of anything, I'm down the stairs and across the building. On a busy day that's at least 10 times a day. I usually work 3-4 days a week and anywhere from 5-8 hrs a day. I was logging it as 1 hr . of moderate walking (just to put it in as something) but when I put it in as cleaning for 6 hrs it said 1,000 something calories burned! I really do work incredibly hard (physically) but I'm not wanting to give myself false expectations so some input would be great. I am very new at this. Today is my 8th day and I have lost 4 lbs.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    no you put your activity level at an appropriate one.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    well you *can* but I wouldn't. Is it the same job you were doing before you joined MFP? If so then you should have selected probably "moderately active" as your activity level. It's already included in what you were doing before, so really you shouldn't "double count" it by counting it as additional exercise.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    It's more than just "moderate walking." You need to set your activity level to, at a minimum, "moderately active" and go from there.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    If you put down sedentary you aren't getting enough calories by MFP recommendations unless you log it as exercise. A lot of people put sedentary, then add their exercise calories from work or whatever daily, then eat them back, or eat some back. The trick of course is figuring out just how much you're burning.
  • jessicaduperon
    jessicaduperon Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks for the input. My activity level is set at moderately active, but we are talking about making 30+ beds a day, mopping and vacuuming 20 (ish) rooms, cleaning 20 (ish) bathrooms a day. I'm talking about moving at a pace where I'm literally sweating the entire time I'm working. I feel like for those 5-8 hrs my activity level is a little more that moderate. That's why I'm wanting to count it as something, but maybe I'm wrong.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Any chance you can get a FitBit? You'd be an ideal candidate for one.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    Any chance you can get a FitBit? You'd be an ideal candidate for one.

    Agree with that! I have one and eat much more on work days than weekends for it because I walk alot (I get super lazy on the weekends!) :flowerforyou:
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Thanks for the input. My activity level is set at moderately active, but we are talking about making 30+ beds a day, mopping and vacuuming 20 (ish) rooms, cleaning 20 (ish) bathrooms a day. I'm talking about moving at a pace where I'm literally sweating the entire time I'm working. I feel like for those 5-8 hrs my activity level is a little more that moderate. That's why I'm wanting to count it as something, but maybe I'm wrong.

    It's not an exact science anyway, a lot of it is how you feel. You can play around with your calories and figure out how to have the highest energy levels while still losing pounds every week. If you get lightheaded or fatigued and you know you stayed hydrated, it could be a sign you are in too high of a calorie deficit.
  • jessicaduperon
    jessicaduperon Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks, I just googled FitBit. There are pretty expensive but probably more than worth it. Are there any cheaper versions of these things?
  • jessicaduperon
    jessicaduperon Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks, Jestinia. Appreciate the input.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Any activity is exercise. What you choose to log as exercise is up to you. If you feel you are going over your entered activity level, then log it. If you are not losing eating back all the calories when you log it, then only eat back a portion of them.

    How you log is personal preference. As long as you have a calorie deficit you should lose fat.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    [devils advocate].... does it matter? .. Why do you want to record the amount of energy that you expend whilst at work?

    If you are already losing weight (and you want to) on your current diet - then Great... if you aren't (and you want to), then you're eating too much, so cut back a bit..... Simples.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    Timing :-)
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Did you gain weight doing this job?
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Activity at work should be included under an activity factor, so when you set your calorie goal for MFP you need to put "moderately active". That's more convenient and more accurate than trying to log it all as exercise.

    Also, keep an eye on your progress. If you find that you're constantly hungry when sticking to MFP recommended calorie numbers then you would need to increase your goal by a couple of hundred calories, and the activity at work would be the most likely reason why. It's difficult sometimes to get the exact right calorie number where you get enough to eat and don't feel deprived and hungry, yet are still eating at a deficit for slow and sustainable fat loss. It is worth taking time to see how your body reacts to different numbers of calories (i.e. try it for a week or two and see what happens, then adjust the number from there if necessary).

    in any case you would definitely be burning more calories at work than someone with a desk job, and so you should be eating more than someone with a desk job, it's just that it's more accurate and practical to add this to your daily goal rather than logging it as exercise.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    [devils advocate].... does it matter? .. Why do you want to record the amount of energy that you expend whilst at work?

    If you are already losing weight (and you want to) on your current diet - then Great... if you aren't (and you want to), then you're eating too much, so cut back a bit..... Simples.

    because undereating can be very counterproductive to long term success, and someone doing a manual job burns a lot more calories than someone doing a desk job. If someone doing a manual job is eating the same number of calories that is a deficit for someone doing a desk job to lose weight, it's likely that they are undereating.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    Thanks, I just googled FitBit. There are pretty expensive but probably more than worth it. Are there any cheaper versions of these things?

    I'm sure there probably is I just got one as a present for me :happy: but also becasue it syncs with MfP, there may be other brands that do that too.
  • jessicaduperon
    jessicaduperon Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks everybody! There are some very good suggestions. I am doing this very privately. I don't like to talk about dieting, what I'm eating or weight loss with my friends or family. I know that they are supportive, I just don't feel comfortable. I am thrilled that MFP exists and that I can get valuable suggestions and support with the stroke of a few keys.

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