Logging everything

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joolsmd
joolsmd Posts: 375 Member
in Getting Started
Now I know the best thing to do is to log all food eaten each day, but what about exercise? I have logged my long walk to work, but how would i log the two flights of stairs I ran up twice, or the 5 minbute trip to run an errand at lunchtime. Do we log EVERYTHING? Or do I need to keep a sense of proportion? :)
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  • natachan
    natachan Posts: 149
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    I'm also curious about this. I have my app set to track steps, but it doesn't track my ride onto campus and around campus. I figure since I'm using the step tracker I should add my bike ride as well.
  • gobyray
    gobyray Posts: 14 Member
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    I purchased a "Fitbit" that will track all my steps (walking the dog, walking at work, walking in the supermarket, etc...) and I use RunKeeper to track my workouts. The great thing is the Fitbit knows when to separate the workout and my everyday steps so it doesn't duplicate the effort. I do track all my calories, but with FitnessPal what I thought would be a daunting task has become quite simple and is now second nature. Like running, Runkeeper will also track bike riding via GPS so it takes the guesswork out of everything and all three apps have merged seamlessly so I don't even have to log it.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    The general consensus seems to be that if it is something you do every day (walk/ride to work, have a job that involves a lot of walking), you should include that in your base daily activity by selecting a level higher than "sedentary" and not count the calories as specific exercise since it is something you do as part of your daily routine.

    When it comes to incidental exercise (taking an unexpected walk to run an errand, etc.) it can get a little murkier... how much exercise did you really get? Is it enough to worry about? For example, if you end up walking at a decent pace (say 3 MPH) for an hour on your errands, you may decide to log it, but taking a 5 minute stroll isn't really worth it.

    I basically do the above - log specific exercise and occasional longer, unplanned activities (like the two-mile, 4 mph walk I did after dropping my car off for service the other day) but ignore things like my any walking in my daily commute, etc.

    Edited for typo.
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
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    I log the 30 mins I walk to and from the station to work each day as I walk that at a fairly quick pace.

    If I go shopping (clothes) I walk for a few hours I'll log that but as a slow pace.

    I obviously log all my workouts (via runkeeper).

    I do not however log the 3 flights of stairs up to my flat or the walk to the corner shop or the hour I spend wondering round the supermarket.

    But I would log my epic ironing/cleaning sessions 2 hours plus, but I wouldn't log ironing a pair of jeans or wiping down the kitchen surfaces.

    It's personal choice and how much difference compared to the effort of logging.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    I consider any extra activity to be gravy. I don't log it.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    I basically do the above - log specific exercise and occasional longer, unplanned activities (like the two-mile, 4 mph walk I did after dropping my car off for service the other day) but ignore things like my any walking in my daily commute, etc.


    meanwhile in my case my "daily commute" is a 7.56k run (or sometimes walk) both to and from work which, when coupled with my half hour jog at lunch time comes to about 18k total a day.... so I definitely count that.
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    I have to walk at work. I don't bother to try to log it. I just think of it as bonus exercise. I only log the miles I run/walk/jog outside of work. It works for me and gives a little cushion for my calories.

    29509743.png
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    The way I do this is put my setting at Sedentary, and then only log deliberate exercise.

    This means not all of my exercise gets logged. That's okay. It's better to under-estimate than over-estimate your activity level.

    Same with calories: if I have to eyeball something because I don't have a scale handy, I over-estimate the calories. If I actually eat fewer calories because of this, that's okay. What is not okay is under-estimating calories.

    Under-estimating calories and over-estimating exercise calories is a sure-fire way to see NO PROGRESS. And this happens all the time; you'll see it on these messages boards all the time: people wondering why they aren't seeing any progress. Well, it's because they are mis-reporting in the wrong direction.

    Always error on the side that helps you lose weight.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    I basically do the above - log specific exercise and occasional longer, unplanned activities (like the two-mile, 4 mph walk I did after dropping my car off for service the other day) but ignore things like my any walking in my daily commute, etc.


    meanwhile in my case my "daily commute" is a 7.56k run (or sometimes walk) both to and from work which, when coupled with my half hour jog at lunch time comes to about 18k total a day.... so I definitely count that.

    If that was my "daily commute" I would log it as well :happy:
  • MelAb8709
    MelAb8709 Posts: 140 Member
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    I find that Fitbit does duplicate Runkeeper - I always end up having to delete the Exercise log from Fitbit so it doesn't double up.
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    The way I do this is put my setting at Sedentary, and then only log deliberate exercise.

    This means not all of my exercise gets logged. That's okay. It's better to under-estimate than over-estimate your activity level.

    Same with calories: if I have to eyeball something because I don't have a scale handy, I over-estimate the calories. If I actually eat fewer calories because of this, that's okay. What is not okay is under-estimating calories.

    Under-estimating calories and over-estimating exercise calories is a sure-fire way to see NO PROGRESS. And this happens all the time; you'll see it on these messages boards all the time: people wondering why they aren't seeing any progress. Well, it's because they are mis-reporting in the wrong direction.

    Always error on the side that helps you lose weight.

    Amen

    29509743.png
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    For activity, some of it is part of your daily routine and would be 'logged' indirectly when you choose your activity setting. Sedentary, lightly active, etc.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    The only activity I log is the exercise I do deliberately - anything else is included in my activity level setting.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
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    Everyday activity like walking up and down stairs, grocery shopping, etc should be accounted for in your normal daily expenditure. The only exercise you should be logging in your diary is actual exercise you plan for like going to the gym, running, etc.
  • ruffnstuff
    ruffnstuff Posts: 400 Member
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    The only activity I log is the exercise I do deliberately - anything else is included in my activity level setting.

    ^^ Yep, me too. I would think all the little extras you're talking about, OP, would drive a person nuts to log. Plus, as many people have already pointed out, how would you possibly know how many calories you really burned on a two-flight walk or five minutes of errands. Count the big stuff only, and if you have a lot of little things that seem to add up, adjust your activity level.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I mostly only log deliberate exercise. There are some extras like if I do a marathon cleaning session (for instance, cleaning all the windows) vs the usual weekend chores or go shopping for hours vs the usual weekly grocery shopping. But even then, I'm conservative about the calorie burn, going with the lowest level of effort and reducing the calories by about half.

    Usually I base the judement on time. Something that only takes 5-10 minutes like taking the stairs or walking to the store is a bonus. Even the sedentary setting takes into account some minor daily activity that most of us do like a little cooking and cleaning up.
  • aarnwine2013
    aarnwine2013 Posts: 317 Member
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    I have a Garmin Viofit and I let it tell me how many calories I've burned. I don't log it in myfitnesspal. Otherwise I'd think I could eat everything!

    I try not to think about anything extra I do. I don't log my strengh training. I just consider it extra.
  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
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    That's why I have a fitbit. It tracks my steps and stairs and adds to my caloric expenditures accordingly. Some people don't like to count these extra calories, but for me, it makes a pretty big difference in how much I can eat. When I didn't have a fitbit, I found it extremely hard to stay on track and keep within my calories. When I finally started wearing my fitbit, to my astonishment, I found I was burning up to 200-400 cal in a day just with my everyday activities, NOT including purposeful exercise. Suddenly, it made sense why I was having trouble sticking with it before... I was unknowingly netting about 900-1100 cals a day! Now that I have a fitbit, it's much easier to stay on track... Still challenging-- don't get me wrong-- but doable.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I also have a Fitbit but I went 3 years without it just fine. I would choose an activity level that encompasses your daily activity. Lightly active is a good place for most people to start unless you've got a very active job. Then log your workouts separately. If in the course of a month you notice you're not losing as much weight as you should be able to do (assuming your goal is realistic) you can adjust your activity level down. If you find that you're losing more weight than you expected you can adjust it up.
  • nomorebingesgirl2014
    nomorebingesgirl2014 Posts: 378 Member
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