Work as exercise
Need2Exerc1se
Posts: 13,575 Member
Does anyone know of a site that shows general calorie burns for things like digging (in dirt), weed eating, stacking firewood, and other such outdoor 'work'?
I can't find most of this stuff in the MFP database. Someone told me how to add exercises, but that doesn't help with how many calories burned because it wants me to add that as well.
Does anyone else get 'exercise' from these types of things. If so, how do you log it?
I can't find most of this stuff in the MFP database. Someone told me how to add exercises, but that doesn't help with how many calories burned because it wants me to add that as well.
Does anyone else get 'exercise' from these types of things. If so, how do you log it?
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Replies
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You probably need a heart rate monitor. I have the Polar FT-4 and I love mine. That's really the best way to tell how much you are burning.0
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A hear rate monitor will only be accurate for steady state cardio so is pretty useless for these things.You probably need a heart rate monitor. I have the Polar FT-4 and I love mine. That's really the best way to tell how much you are burning.
Just change you activity level accordingly. When I moved house I just put my activity level up for a couple of weeks to compensate'0 -
if you have been doing these things for some time, while gaining weight, i would not count them as exercise. i would change your activity level to moderately active.0
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if you have been doing these things for some time, while gaining weight, i would not count them as exercise. i would change your activity level to moderately active.
^^^this - I made the mistake of logging all my 'housework, etc' exercise this past year - and although I rarely eat back my burned cals, I finally realized it was the same activity I had done WHILE gaining weight... I only log exercise like workouts and mowing the lawn as they give me a 'sweat on' and weren't activities I did before changing to a healthier lifestyle.
Hope that helps.. I know it's helped me..
FYI - my ticker says 0lbs lost but I've reset it - I've actually lost 25 lbs this year with a total of 60lbs the last 5 yrs.0 -
if you have been doing these things for some time, while gaining weight, i would not count them as exercise. i would change your activity level to moderately active.
I don't do them every day. I have a desk job Mon-Fri, and may do this type stuff for 30-60 min in the evening someday, and some days not at all. And once it's dark when I get home, I won't be doing much at all outside in the evenings. But on the weekends I may spend all day doing stuff like this.0 -
I guess I don't understand why I shouldn't log these activities if I did them before deciding to lose weight. I thought the idea was to log anything above your MFP activity level.0
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I never, ever, ever count things like housework or yard work, no matter what I'm doing - even if I'm ripping up carpet (which I did for three days straight in May when we replaced the bedroom carpets with wood flooring) or digging/pulling up landscaping (which I did for 3 solid weekends in a row a few years ago, because the people we bought the house from let the front beds (that go the entire length of the house) go completely wild after they had a signed contract (and it didn't help that the idiot wife planted invasive "weeds" on purpose).
Even if I am dripping with sweat after doing these things, it is NOT exercise *to me*. Others might decide to count it. But *for me*, it is just bonus calorie burn. I ONLY count actual, dedicated, intentional exercise - running, biking, swimming (laps or distance in open water), weight lifting, workout DVDs, yoga class, etc.0 -
based on your thread title, i assumed you were a landscaper or something. my mistake.0
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I never, ever, ever count things like housework or yard work, no matter what I'm doing - even if I'm ripping up carpet (which I did for three days straight in May when we replaced the bedroom carpets with wood flooring) or digging/pulling up landscaping (which I did for 3 solid weekends in a row a few years ago, because the people we bought the house from let the front beds (that go the entire length of the house) go completely wild after they had a signed contract (and it didn't help that the idiot wife planted invasive "weeds" on purpose).
Even if I am dripping with sweat after doing these things, it is NOT exercise *to me*. Others might decide to count it. But *for me*, it is just bonus calorie burn. I ONLY count actual, dedicated, intentional exercise - running, biking, swimming (laps or distance in open water), weight lifting, workout DVDs, yoga class, etc.
You're right - everyone has their own opinion about what's exercise... However if you're 'working' at something that you wouldn't normally have done while gaining the weight (ie mowing lawn, yardwork, workouts) and it makes you SWEAT and your heartrate go up - then I believe you should log it... Housework, no...
Exercise is a strenuous activity that raises your heart rate and causes you to perspire.. no??0 -
HRM's aren't meant to accurately count calories from exercise or physical work that's anaerobic in nature.You probably need a heart rate monitor. I have the Polar FT-4 and I love mine. That's really the best way to tell how much you are burning.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
IMO you should log them as strength training. And under cardio strength training if you're gasping for air. You could probably translate some of what your doing into things like curls, lunges and squats.0
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if you have been doing these things for some time, while gaining weight, i would not count them as exercise. i would change your activity level to moderately active.
^^^this - I made the mistake of logging all my 'housework, etc' exercise this past year - and although I rarely eat back my burned cals, I finally realized it was the same activity I had done WHILE gaining weight... I only log exercise like workouts and mowing the lawn as they give me a 'sweat on' and weren't activities I did before changing to a healthier lifestyle.
Hope that helps.. I know it's helped me..
FYI - my ticker says 0lbs lost but I've reset it - I've actually lost 25 lbs this year with a total of 60lbs the last 5 yrs.
Congrats on the weight loss, I reset my ticker as well as to quit living on my past successes. I was called out the other day by someone for only losing 2 lbs. and giving out advice/my opinion. lol.0 -
I guess I don't understand why I shouldn't log these activities if I did them before deciding to lose weight. I thought the idea was to log anything above your MFP activity level.
Well, to a point.
Calorie burns are estimates, very often difficult to determine. So when you log everything (you deem) above sedentary there is LOTS of room for error. Sometimes people will log shopping, housework, driving.....sedentary is not dead.....it does include some things. But those people are then surprised when they don't lose weight.
I'm not saying yard work doesn't burn calories.....bump up you activity level and you will get more.....just not hundreds more.0 -
I never, ever, ever count things like housework or yard work, no matter what I'm doing - even if I'm ripping up carpet (which I did for three days straight in May when we replaced the bedroom carpets with wood flooring) or digging/pulling up landscaping (which I did for 3 solid weekends in a row a few years ago, because the people we bought the house from let the front beds (that go the entire length of the house) go completely wild after they had a signed contract (and it didn't help that the idiot wife planted invasive "weeds" on purpose).
Even if I am dripping with sweat after doing these things, it is NOT exercise *to me*. Others might decide to count it. But *for me*, it is just bonus calorie burn. I ONLY count actual, dedicated, intentional exercise - running, biking, swimming (laps or distance in open water), weight lifting, workout DVDs, yoga class, etc.
You're right - everyone has their own opinion about what's exercise... However if you're 'working' at something that you wouldn't normally have done while gaining the weight (ie mowing lawn, yardwork, workouts) and it makes you SWEAT and your heartrate go up - then I believe you should log it... Housework, no...
Exercise is a strenuous activity that raises your heart rate and causes you to perspire.. no??
For me, no, exercise is a PLANNED and SCHEDULED activity done with the INTENTION of being a workout - like I said, running, biking, swimming (laps or distance in open water), weight lifting, workout DVDs, yoga class. I don't count going for a walk (even if the purpose is to just get up and move).
Case in point - sex is a strenuous activity that raises your heart rate and causes you to perspire (at least, it is, if you're doing it right
), but I sure as heck don't count as exercise. 0 -
based on your thread title, i assumed you were a landscaper or something. my mistake.
No, but we live on a farm (not for profit) and there is a lot of outdoor work, especially in the Spring and Fall. I was hoping to get some idea of how many calories I burned. I couldn't find much in the MFP database so I hoped maybe someone knew of another place online.0 -
Gosh, I didn't mean to start a debate on what is or is not 'exercise'.
Many days this is only exercise I get, because after working outside all day I'm too sore and tired to pop in a DVD. But, I would imagine that I burn more calories on these days, than when I do a DVD or walk on the treadmill. All are planned activities. I don't accidentally dig a hole and plant a tree. 0 -
OP, I use this calculator to estimate the calories and then add them to MFP as a user created exercise.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm0 -
OP, I use this calculator to estimate the calories and then add them to MFP as a user created exercise.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm
This is perfect!! Thanks so much!0
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