Normal daily activity verse exercise

I think all people have a definitive idea of what exercise is and what it isn't. The problem of conflict arises when we don't share similar views.

The dictionary was created so that all of mankind could subscribe to a commonly held belief about meaning and interpretation. And yet, if you look at the dictionary, there can be several meanings for one word.

My husband and I debated over the word "inertia" for almost 2 hours before we pulled out the dictionary only to discover we were both right in its meaning, in spite of the fact that our meanings opposed each other.

How frustrating is that?!

Turning to the dictionary now to help better understand the differences and similarities between activity and exercise, the dictionary defines EXERCISE as, "an 'activity' requiring physical effort, carried out esp. to sustain or improve health and fitness," and ACTIVITY as, "the condition in which things are happening or being done; busy or vigorous action or movement; a thing that a person or group does or has done; a recreational pursuit or pastime."

Thus, exercise encompasses the word activity and daily activities such as mowing the grass, raking leaves, gardening and house work are exercise because they are activities most people do on a regular basis, and much like a daily exercise program, they build up a sweat, burn calories, and help sustain or improve not only physical health and fitness, but mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial fitness too.

One of the first things medical professionals tell obese people is, "move around". Using your example, housework is most definitely a form of moving around.

When I watched Dr. Oz a few days ago, he had a woman who was over 700 lbs on his show. In order to help her lose weight, he requested she do simple things such as making her own toast in the morning & cleaning her own dishes. A few weeks later she was then requested to do her own grocery shopping, laundry and small increments of housework, like cleaning the bathroom. Consequently, she lost 37 lbs.

Now this might not be exercise in your eyes or mine because it's something we do on a regular basis and we take it for granted as normal activity. However, regardless of how we perceive it, it still does our bodies good. The barrier lies not in the physical activity, but in our attitudes and perceptions of it.

To further emphasize this point, if you asked that obese 700 lb woman if house work and moving around was exercise, she would reply with a resounding, "YES!" while you and I most likely would not.

The 1,200 (for most women) and 1,800 (for most men) basil calories required to sustain daily life does not include activities like gardening and housework, but rather bodily functions like breathing, digestion, organ and muscle movement, elimination, resting, etc. So technically, ALL activity beyond basic bodily functions is EXERCISE, providing it requires physical effort and is carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.

From what you've written about yourself, it sounds like you hold the perception that daily household activities are not necessarily exercise (for you) because you have a preconceived idea of what exercise means to you.

So be it. That is how you perceive your world. Consequently, you don't record everyday life activities as part of exercise because of this belief.

I guess the key is to be mindful that not all people share your view, just as not all people will share mine about this. Furthermore, just because we hold a strong opinion of something does not give us the right to negate the views of others. This is not a contest of who's right and who's wrong, but merely a simple difference in perceptions and opinions.

My suggestion (should anyone care) is this; believe what you want to believe and let others believe what they want to believe about exercise. So long as others benefit from daily activities in a positive way and aren't harming themselves or others, and so long as they find enjoyment and satisfaction in their daily activities, let them enjoy their activity in peace even if you don't necessarily agree. The truth is, you don't have to agree with someone to be able to support them in their decisions and activities (again, providing their activities aren't harmful to themselves or others). All you need do is be happy for them, encourage them, and wish them nothing but vibrant health. And for yourself, do the same.

Much peace to all of you

I think all people have a definitive idea of what exercise is and what it isn't. The problem of conflict arises when we don't share similar views.

The dictionary was created so that all of mankind could subscribe to a commonly held belief about meaning and interpretation. And yet, if you look at the dictionary, there can be several meanings for one word.

My husband and I debated over the word "inertia" for almost 2 hours before we pulled out the dictionary only to discover we were both right in its meaning, in spite of the fact that our meanings opposed each other.

How frustrating is that?!

Turning to the dictionary now to help better understand the differences and similarities between activity and exercise, the dictionary defines EXERCISE as, "an 'activity' requiring physical effort, carried out esp. to sustain or improve health and fitness," and ACTIVITY as, "the condition in which things are happening or being done; busy or vigorous action or movement; a thing that a person or group does or has done; a recreational pursuit or pastime."

Thus, exercise encompasses the word activity and daily activities such as mowing the grass, raking leaves, gardening and house work are exercise because they are activities most people do on a regular basis, and much like a daily exercise program, they build up a sweat, burn calories, and help sustain or improve not only physical health and fitness, but mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial fitness too.

One of the first things medical professionals tell obese people is, "move around". Using your example, housework is most definitely a form of moving around.

When I watched Dr. Oz a few days ago, he had a woman who was over 700 lbs on his show. In order to help her lose weight, he requested she do simple things such as making her own toast in the morning & cleaning her own dishes. A few weeks later she was then requested to do her own grocery shopping, laundry and small increments of housework, like cleaning the bathroom. Consequently, she lost 37 lbs.

Now this might not be exercise in your eyes or mine because it's something we do on a regular basis and we take it for granted as normal activity. However, regardless of how we perceive it, it still does our bodies good. The barrier lies not in the physical activity, but in our attitudes and perceptions of it.

To further emphasize this point, if you asked that obese 700 lb woman if house work and moving around was exercise, she would reply with a resounding, "YES!" while you and I most likely would not.

The 1,200 (for most women) and 1,800 (for most men) basil calories required to sustain daily life does not include activities like gardening and housework, but rather bodily functions like breathing, digestion, organ and muscle movement, elimination, resting, etc. So technically, ALL activity beyond basic bodily functions is EXERCISE, providing it requires physical effort and is carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.

From what you've written about yourself, it sounds like you hold the perception that daily household activities are not necessarily exercise (for you) because you have a preconceived idea of what exercise means to you.

So be it. That is how you perceive your world. Consequently, you don't record everyday life activities as part of exercise because of this belief.

I guess the key is to be mindful that not all people share your view, just as not all people will share mine about this. Furthermore, just because we hold a strong opinion of something does not give us the right to negate the views of others. This is not a contest of who's right and who's wrong, but merely a simple difference in perceptions and opinions.

My suggestion (should anyone care) is this; believe what you want to believe and let others believe what they want to believe about exercise. So long as others benefit from daily activities in a positive way and aren't harming themselves or others, and so long as they find enjoyment and satisfaction in their daily activities, let them enjoy their activity in peace even if you don't necessarily agree. The truth is, you don't have to agree with someone to be able to support them in their decisions and activities (again, providing their activities aren't harmful to themselves or others). All you need do is be happy for them, encourage them, and wish them nothing but vibrant health. And for yourself, do the same.

Much peace to all of you

I think all people have a definitive idea of what exercise is and what it isn't. The problem of conflict arises when we don't share similar views.

The dictionary was created so that all of mankind could subscribe to a commonly held belief about meaning and interpretation. And yet, if you look at the dictionary, there can be several meanings for one word.

My husband and I debated over the word "inertia" for almost 2 hours before we pulled out the dictionary only to discover we were both right in its meaning, in spite of the fact that our meanings opposed each other.

How frustrating is that?!

Turning to the dictionary now to help better understand the differences and similarities between activity and exercise, the dictionary defines EXERCISE as, "an 'activity' requiring physical effort, carried out esp. to sustain or improve health and fitness," and ACTIVITY as, "the condition in which things are happening or being done; busy or vigorous action or movement; a thing that a person or group does or has done; a recreational pursuit or pastime."

Thus, exercise encompasses the word activity and daily activities such as mowing the grass, raking leaves, gardening and house work are exercise because they are activities most people do on a regular basis, and much like a daily exercise program, they build up a sweat, burn calories, and help sustain or improve not only physical health and fitness, but mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial fitness too.

One of the first things medical professionals tell obese people is, "move around". Using your example, housework is most definitely a form of moving around.

When I watched Dr. Oz a few days ago, he had a woman who was over 700 lbs on his show. In order to help her lose weight, he requested she do simple things such as making her own toast in the morning & cleaning her own dishes. A few weeks later she was then requested to do her own grocery shopping, laundry and small increments of housework, like cleaning the bathroom. Consequently, she lost 37 lbs.

Now this might not be exercise in your eyes or mine because it's something we do on a regular basis and we take it for granted as normal activity. However, regardless of how we perceive it, it still does our bodies good. The barrier lies not in the physical activity, but in our attitudes and perceptions of it.

To further emphasize this point, if you asked that obese 700 lb woman if house work and moving around was exercise, she would reply with a resounding, "YES!" while you and I most likely would not.

The 1,200 (for most women) and 1,800 (for most men) basil calories required to sustain daily life does not include activities like gardening and housework, but rather bodily functions like breathing, digestion, organ and muscle movement, elimination, resting, etc. So technically, ALL activity beyond basic bodily functions is EXERCISE, providing it requires physical effort and is carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.

From what you've written about yourself, it sounds like you hold the perception that daily household activities are not necessarily exercise (for you) because you have a preconceived idea of what exercise means to you.

So be it. That is how you perceive your world. Consequently, you don't record everyday life activities as part of exercise because of this belief.

I guess the key is to be mindful that not all people share your view, just as not all people will share mine about this. Furthermore, just because we hold a strong opinion of something does not give us the right to negate the views of others. This is not a contest of who's right and who's wrong, but merely a simple difference in perceptions and opinions.

My suggestion (should anyone care) is this; believe what you want to believe and let others believe what they want to believe about exercise. So long as others benefit from daily activities in a positive way and aren't harming themselves or others, and so long as they find enjoyment and satisfaction in their daily activities, let them enjoy their activity in peace even if you don't necessarily agree. The truth is, you don't have to agree with someone to be able to support them in their decisions and activities (again, providing their activities aren't harmful to themselves or others). All you need do is be happy for them, encourage them, and wish them nothing but vibrant health. And for yourself, do the same.

Much peace to all of you