Do you count cleaning as exercise?

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  • allotmentgardener
    allotmentgardener Posts: 248 Member
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    Normal day to day cleaning I don't but if its a big clean I will. Lawn mowing etc yes I do. Spent 2 hours pushing a manual mower at the allotment yesterday with the blisters to prove it :)
    I don't eat back these calories but I log them down because it enables me to look back over my days and see that I did actually get off my butt and do something. Do what works for you, my way is working for me :)
  • sbarella
    sbarella Posts: 713 Member
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    IMO, if you have a Fitbit or at least have an activity level that accounts for regular daily activity at a level reasonable for you there's no need to count it. But if you chose sedentary (which few really are, I believe, but the description leads lots of people to pick) and don't account for it in some other way, you probably should.

    QFT. I have a FitBit and I found out that I only get the "sedentary" calories when my step count for the day is <3000. It may sound high if you don't have a pedometer, but believe me, it's not. I usually get to 500 steps first thing in the morning just by waking up, opening the window, going to the bathroom, washing myself, getting dressed and preparing breakfast.
  • danicaone_101
    danicaone_101 Posts: 40 Member
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    It depends actually. If you are moving heavy furniture to clean the floor under it or rearranging your cabinets for hours, then yes. If you are doing heavy spring cleaning and you are drenched with sweat then yes. But if its just light cleaning and dusting for less than 30 minutes then no.

    But hey, any physical activity is better than nothing!
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    No, I don't count any of it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    god no....I cleaned when I was getting fat, cleaned while I was fat and still clean.

    Mowing nope
    Pulling weeds nope
    Gardening nope

    None of it.

    If I did it while I was getting fat and while I was fat I don't log it.

    I helped my sister in law and her 3 roommates move...7 hours of carrying boxes, furniture etc...didn't count it.

    I will be gardening today (getting the garden ready) I wont log it

    We will be getting wood soon for the winter it wont get logged...This I probably could as it is a once a year thing and it's hard work but still wont do it...I just wont be as sore now.

    If I mowed nope...I will clean the driveway soon it wont get logged.

    Purposeful exercise that I do for the pure reason of exercise is what I log.

    The other stuff is part of my life and always has been.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Sometimes when I'm desperate for a few more calories...yep. Not even embarassed.:smooched:
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    I don't, just because I'm more likely to eat ALLLLL those calories back. Oh, look, I burned 200 calories pulling weeds? Guess who's getting piiiiieeee?!

    That's just me, though. I can understand logging out-of-the-norm activities. I've just operated under the idea that regular chores contribute to activity level rather than logged exercise.


    MMMM....piiiiieeeeee! Wait what?
  • muppet1501
    muppet1501 Posts: 46 Member
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    General housework I wouldn't count because its what I do day to day and it wouldn't change the routine but when I did the lawns the other day I did count them because its a major effort for me and MFP does recognise it as cardio. Everyone will have a difference of opinion and its really down to personal preference.
  • fraklein
    fraklein Posts: 55 Member
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    I count cleaning and cooking/food prep because any activity for me is strenuous due to the chronic Fibromyalgia pain. Honestly, I can't do much hardcore exercise, so I get it where I can.

    Same for me, because of arthritis.
  • BeanyFrog13
    BeanyFrog13 Posts: 161 Member
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    I tend to if it's things like I did today such as turning over and digging flower beds, stuff I do every couple of weeks as to me that's a work out! :) I also do if it's something like shifting heavy boxes or the like. It usually goes under "cleaning light effort" which when I'm panting and puffing seems a bit unfair :) I don't generally put in the tidying I do on a regular day to day basis though as I feel that that comes under my general fitness.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    Nope. I did it before when I was fatter; clearly it didn't benefit me then so why the hell would I try to cheat myself by counting it as exercise and getting extra calories from it now? If I was doing a "we're moving out and the whole house has to be spotless in one day" clean then MAYBE but barring that, no way.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    If I am cleaning the barn or the goat enclosure or if I am cleaning crates/kennels, I count it. If I am doing vigorous activity that makes me sweat, such as moving things to sweep or mop, I count it. Doing dishes, no. I *do* count walking dogs, since we walk for exercise, not to stop and sniff the flowers every few feet. I only count actual movement time, though, and try to estimate the time we spend waiting to cross the street or whatever so that I can subtract it.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    If I am cleaning the barn or the goat enclosure or if I am cleaning crates/kennels, I count it. If I am doing vigorous activity that makes me sweat, such as moving things to sweep or mop, I count it. Doing dishes, no. I *do* count walking dogs, since we walk for exercise, not to stop and sniff the flowers every few feet. I only count actual movement time, though, and try to estimate the time we spend waiting to cross the street or whatever so that I can subtract it.

    I like this approach although I live in a hot climate and it doesn't take much to make me break a sweat lol, I certainly can't use that as an indicator personally. I do, though, make a definite distinction between "house cleaning" and "mucking stalls" cleaning! I will note again though that if I was mucking stalls and cleaning the chicken coop when I was morbidly obese then I can't see how I should count it as exercise toward extra calories now.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Because it was still exercise even then. Being morbidly obese has nothing to do with it. It's like tracking calories--if a person is morbidly obese and starts tracking foods, then it's likely s/he will consume less due to greater awareness. If a person tracks his/her exercise and gets to see the benefits (or sees how little is burned), even estimated, the s/he is more likely to do more. It doesn't always work out that way, but most people do play such psychological games with themselves.
  • KayBallin
    KayBallin Posts: 111 Member
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    Nope. I only count intentional exercise.
  • KeepGoingKylene
    KeepGoingKylene Posts: 432 Member
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    NO, only actual exercise.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Part of normal activity for me. But I typically don't make a big deal of eating a bit over my goal either.
  • courtney123180
    courtney123180 Posts: 86 Member
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    i logged cleaning the house for the first time the other day. i did end up breaking a sweat and was cleaning constantly for 2 hours. when i logged it, MFP said it was like 400 calories for the two hours. somehow i do not believe it could nearly be that much, so i just did not eat back any of those calories that day.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    I only counted it when I was off work with a broken foot and otherwise incredibly sedentary. I have my activity level set at very active because of my job and I don't log any exercise anymore. If I was going to the gym or doing anything extra outside of work I would though. I know a portion of people on here will log everything. Around Christmas somebody was posting about how to log exercise for setting up their Christmas tree! I think it's a matter of personal opinion, but since all calorie amounts are estimates and many people feel that the exercise calories are WAY over-estimated, I feel it's best to only log actual exercise.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
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    Look up NEAT..next caller.

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