Does burning calories cleaning really count?

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Mrz_Rich
Mrz_Rich Posts: 90
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just curious how many of you log the calories you burn cleaning the house? I never have before because I figure it's not above and beyond my "normal activity" so I'm not sure I should be logging them in. However, this morning while cleaning my house I worked up quite a sweat...Maybe if I cleaned more often it wouldn't be such a workout! LOL :ohwell: ) Even if I log those calories in as "cleaning - moderate effort" it says I would burn about 300 calories. To log or not to log??
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Replies

  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
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    It depends on how you set your regular activity level. Since I set mine for "lightly active," I only count cleaning if I'm doing a lot more than usual.

    I think some people set their regular activity level as "sedentary" just so they can count cleaning, etc., every time.
  • dian1227
    dian1227 Posts: 122 Member
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    I log everything, and I have 3 kids and grandkids so I am always cleaning...lol...but seriously, I don't use the burning of calories as a reason to eat more. I just try to stay active, and keep my exercises up and go for it.

    Blessings,

    Diane
  • iraidatheseeker
    iraidatheseeker Posts: 48
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    I log it in cause I work up a sweat when I clean :wink:
  • denitraross
    denitraross Posts: 325 Member
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    in my opinion - cleaning, shopping, cooking, etc are part of your regular daily activities...you did them before MFP and you will keep doing them...I wouldn't log them - if you got a burn from it then that is a bonus....

    the only activity like that that I have logged is shovelling snow - this really gets your heart rate up and works alot of muscles...similiar once it gets nice out I will log gardening and mowing the lawn as well....
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
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    I wouldn't log them. Just consider them a bonus. Some people count everything they do as exercise, such as grocery shopping, cleaning, and so on. I think it's already counted in your activity level. If you start counting everything you do as exercise, you probably won't be seeing a loss. Hope that helps. :smile:
  • corrinnebrown
    corrinnebrown Posts: 345 Member
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    I log when I do heavy cleaning like spring cleaning
  • kittychick1978
    kittychick1978 Posts: 9
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    I vote 'to log'. :) However when I do it I cut my time in half just to be on the safe side. (1hr of house work, I log 30min)
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
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    I agree I don't count cleaning, yard work or anything that is requires to keep a home, but if i was building a brick wall I would count that
  • TonyaJ83
    TonyaJ83 Posts: 155
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    I don't because when I first set it up I put that I am very very active during the day or whatever (run a child care and am a foster parent). So it already calculated that for my daily allowed calories.
  • christinal83
    christinal83 Posts: 84 Member
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    I think that if your breaking a sweat you should count it. If your doing more than your norm definitely log that also.
  • xLaurenex
    xLaurenex Posts: 27 Member
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    I wouldn't count cleaning my house as an exercise, unless I was spring cleaning. The only reason I have logged cleaning as an exercise, is because I have just started a new job in a kitchen, and for the last week we have had to deep clean almost everyday after the tradesmen had been in.
    I despise cleaning!
  • Becky1971
    Becky1971 Posts: 979 Member
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    I never log for normal stuff, cleaning, shopping, sex. It's all a part of life. I just log for when I set out to work my butt off for the purpose of burning calories and fat.
  • justahorsen
    justahorsen Posts: 234
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    I just logged my "vigorous effor" cleaning because I wore my HRM and was "spring cleaning"....I washed the ceiling, walls, and windows inside and out in the living room..oh and I have part of the carpet done, I have to do the rest after it dries and I can put the couch back....I burned 1144 calories and yes I was sweating....
    But if I am just doing the daily stuff, I don't log it.
  • sonjavon
    sonjavon Posts: 1,019 Member
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    For me it depends on what I'm doing, Basic dusting? No. Vaccuming and moving furniture out of the way? Yes. I have 5 dogs living in my home and a 13 year old boy - "cleaning" for me involves more than general household maintenance... it means carpet cleaning, moving furniture, hand scrubbing floors, scouring walls.... I wear my HRM and gauge what it says vs. what I normally burn in a workout - if it's similar - then yes, I count it!!!
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
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    No No and NO. to me, its a way to sugar coat your numbers, dont eat them back . dont log them . NOPE
  • Gargoyle69
    Gargoyle69 Posts: 87 Member
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    I would say it depends on how you setup your profile, like a couple others have stated.

    If you are Sedentary, I would log cleaning. If I was Very Active, I would not log it.

    Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)
    Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. nurse, salesman)
    Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. waitress, mailman)
    Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)
  • jamiesgotagun
    jamiesgotagun Posts: 670 Member
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    Only time I add cleaning is when I clean my Grandma's house, because usually clean it from top to bottom and am there for several hours. When it comes to my own house I never keep track of those calories :)
  • Shamrock40
    Shamrock40 Posts: 264
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    I don't usually log cleaning unless it's above and beyond my daily straightening, toy pick-up, dishes, etc. However, I posted this before, I usually DO log shopping because I don't shop every day. When I do, 99% of the time I end up bringing both my kids (almost 40 lbs each) and put them in a Target shopping cart with one of those double-seats added to the front, and I push it all over creation in the store, adding to it various items (large box of diapers/pull-ups, 2 gallons of milk, box of canned cat food, 20-40 lbs of dog food, etc, etc.) I walk pretty quickly to start with, so pushing all that stuff around the store for 90 minutes is definitely a workout if you ask me.

    And, for those who doubt you can lose weight by logging cleaning and shopping as "exercise" on occasion, I submit this: I stopped "exercising" due to the flu and an achilles tendon injury on 1/26/11. I was doing EA Sports Active 3-4x per week, but my Dr. said to stop high-impact exercise. It took me about 2 weeks to recover from the flu, and when I started feeling better, rather than join a gym to get access to an elliptical or recumbant bike, we decided to buy a piece of equipment for our home. We just ordered it and should get it this week. Without any exercise other than my daily routine, walking, (I did run/walk a 5k in there,) and occasionally logging my shopping and heavy-duty cleaning, I weighed myself this morning, and I weigh 14.6 lbs less than I did on 1/26. I don't normally eat all my exercise calories, regardless of what type of exertion it is, but there were days when I ate back my cleaning and/or shopping calories, and I still managed to lose.

    The thing is, you have to be honest with yourself because, in the end, you're only cheating yourself. If it felt like a workout, log it. If it didn't, don't.

    JMO.
  • egoplast
    egoplast Posts: 41 Member
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    I'm not going to comment on cleaning, but I agree that I won't count daily activity as exercise.
    Some days my job is very physically demanding; other days- not so much. I believe that the daily calories will balance out.
    The only numbers I log are periods of intentional workouts- because I am focused and steady in effort.
  • lyndsloo
    lyndsloo Posts: 242
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    No No and NO. to me, its a way to sugar coat your numbers, dont eat them back . dont log them . NOPE

    I agree with Tami! She is a fitness guru. She knows her stuff. :)

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