Log Cleaning As Exercise: Yay Or Nay ?

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donyellemoniquex3
donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I admit... I log laundry. Usually it's 2-3 weeks worth of clothes, the findings of piles in my room, or just a load of towels and bedsheets.

Today, as you can see in my diary I logged 100 minutes of cleaning (4 pomodori's) purging my closet of junk and putting things on the closet shelf. Went to walmart with mom and bought 3 25 gallon storage tubs. 1 unused, 1 for mom's medifast shiz, and 1 sitting in my bedroom closet filled and with a blanket on top.

What the pomodoro technique is:
http://pomodorotechnique.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique

Replies

  • newmom_2012
    newmom_2012 Posts: 96 Member
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    I don't log anything that isn't deliberate exercise. I figure cleaning is just a normal daily activity that my body is used to. I put that I am lightly active so I figure those calories are already accounted for.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    i only log cleaning if I'm hands and knees scrubbing- like spring cleaning.

    Otherwise- no- it doesn't get logged.

    It also doesn't get done very often so there is that.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    The only time I log cleaning these days is if I spend 2-3 hours seriously deep cleaning my home...down on the floor, scrubbing toilets, reorganizing huge closets, mopping, dusting dark little nooks and crannies, etc. And then I still underlog it a bit...like 3 solid hours I'd probably log as 30 min heavy duty cleaning and 45 min light cleaning.

    I'm set to sedentary, though, and when I was pretty far along on MFP yet still trying to lose 1.5 lb/wk I used to log anything like cleaning, errands (grocery shopping even), very short or leisurely walks, etc. I felt that I "needed" the calories because I was at something like 1270 per day and didn't always have time for actual regular exercise in my day. Now I've scaled back to 1 lb/wk as I get closer to goal, so I have over 1400 cal again w/o any logged exercise and that's always enough for me unless of course I do a crazy long hike or bike ride. Then I log and indulge.

    Whew sorry that was a long answer. But nah, if I do a bunch of dishes or five loads of laundry with breaks in between, I don't log it.
  • wendy0210
    wendy0210 Posts: 86 Member
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    I don't count the daily, small, regular cleaning things I do, but I do count the times when I spend 2-3 hours deep cleaning, since that usually includes some intense scrubbing, moving furniture to clean under things, etc. It's definitely more than my body is used to as daily activity.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    OP, what you used as an example, I'd probably log as cleaning. The normal daily/weekly stuff - no.

    Also, I always log it as light cleaning and try not to eat all the calories back. Doing stuff like that can seem like hard work but you probably aren't burning that many extra calories.
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    IF you set your calories to Sedentary then I would say log it... if you have set to lightly active... probably not.
  • tattedbarbz
    tattedbarbz Posts: 30
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    I really hate it when people log normal activities that arent deliberate exercise. Especially if they're going to eat them back. Its ridiculous.
  • ritan7471
    ritan7471 Posts: 99 Member
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    I don't log anything that isn't deliberate exercise, so anything that's a normal part of living my life is not logged as exercise, including cleaning, walking to and from public transportation (about 2 miles a day), and so on.
  • orangesmartie
    orangesmartie Posts: 1,870 Member
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    I don't log any cleaning stuff as exercise. If i do happen to be a bit more vigorous than normal I just look at it as a 'bonus burn' and don't account for it.
  • tanyaj2014
    tanyaj2014 Posts: 24 Member
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    I have a job as a cleaner so I log the hours I do cleaning. Not sure if I am supposed to lol but it can be quite hard work and its non stop cleaning for a few hours. Hoovering, mopping, cleaning windows, scrubbing, moving bits of furniture... x
  • 143tobe
    143tobe Posts: 620 Member
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    I've just started keeping a log of my cleaning schedule along with the calories burned for later analysis but for now I'm not counting it on my MFP log. A lot of friends do log cleaning but it makes me wonder, especially if you're not using a HRM. I'm finding that MFP greatly exaggerates calories burned as far as cleaning goes. Then again, if I weighed 100 pounds more than I do, I might very well be burning the calories they have listed. I think the bottom line is this. Ok, two things: First, get a HRM. At least then you know you really are burning what you think you're burning. Second: Are you losing weight? When you log cleaning as exercise, and eat at the deficit you have set for you, are you still losing weight? If yes, then by all means, continue counting your cleaning as a workout. Why not? If someone isn't losing weight however, counting cleaning as a workout doesn't seem to be doing that person any favors. Just my take on it, but I'm still doing my personal research so I can see how cleaning fits into MY plan. For example, I am highly active every day. So if I do an additional deep 2 or 3 hour cleaning, but don't bother to eat back some of those calories, I may feel worn down the next day from not eating enough. So, although I might not be logging it, I probably will eat a little more that day.
  • angf0679
    angf0679 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I don't log cleaning. However, I did log the 3 hours of gardening I did a couple of weeks ago. I felt justified in adding that. Logging cleaning as calories burned to me is desperate and is part of your normal activity in the first place.
  • jeets888
    jeets888 Posts: 2,237 Member
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    Unless its deliberate calorie killing ... I'd go with NAY .... For the long run this is not really going to help much
  • 143tobe
    143tobe Posts: 620 Member
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    I don't log cleaning. However, I did log the 3 hours of gardening I did a couple of weeks ago. I felt justified in adding that. Logging cleaning as calories burned to me is desperate and is part of your normal activity in the first place.

    I would have to disagree with your last point. I work out 6 days a week doing Insanity, and walking or jogging my dog twice a day for a total workout each day between 80 and 110 minutes. I partially do this so I can add calories to my base of 1280. On my off day, I am pretty tired and really in need of a break, even though I still have to run/walk my dog for at least 40 minutes. When I cleaned my bathroom yesterday, I was really sweaty, and after 90 minutes my HRM showed that I had burned 264 calories. After seeing that result, and realizing that yeah, that really is energy that my body has to put out, I've decided to move my heavy cleaning to my 'off' day, so I can count it towards additional calories that day. I think I am also justified in adding that.

    Every person is responsible and accountable for their own weight loss journey. What works for one, might not work for someone else. I just say, Hi fives to everyone who is getting down and dirty and is desperate enough to make some healthy changes!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    did you clean when you were overweight? If the answer is yes then no...

    I did 4 hours of heavy gardening on Sunday...hand tilling, pulling weeds, shovelling etc...I did check the burns for 3 hours...it was 864...I didn't log it. If I did that every week...maybe but I don't...
    I have a job as a cleaner so I log the hours I do cleaning. Not sure if I am supposed to lol but it can be quite hard work and its non stop cleaning for a few hours. Hoovering, mopping, cleaning windows, scrubbing, moving bits of furniture... x

    and this is a situation where your activity level should be moderate as it is your job...
  • StevenH74
    StevenH74 Posts: 129
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    No, I wouldn't. I only log stuff I have set out to do as exercise and nothing that is part of my routine. I log my walk if I go out for a walk. I don't log it if the missus drags me out shopping.

    BTW, been trying to find out, how accurate is the exercise log here anyway? I have seen posts saying halve eveything you do for more accuracy. Opinions?
  • tanyaj2014
    tanyaj2014 Posts: 24 Member
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    did you clean when you were overweight? If the answer is yes then no...

    I did 4 hours of heavy gardening on Sunday...hand tilling, pulling weeds, shovelling etc...I did check the burns for 3 hours...it was 864...I didn't log it. If I did that every week...maybe but I don't...
    I have a job as a cleaner so I log the hours I do cleaning. Not sure if I am supposed to lol but it can be quite hard work and its non stop cleaning for a few hours. Hoovering, mopping, cleaning windows, scrubbing, moving bits of furniture... x

    and this is a situation where your activity level should be moderate as it is your job...

    I work doing cleaning usually once or twice a week for 2-3 hours (sometimes varies) but not 5 days a week, does it still need to be set at moderate? x

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