Why I log my cleaning calories

deeharley
deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
edited September 26 in Chit-Chat
I know it drives a lot of you crazy to see "cleaning, moderate effort" in someone's exercise journal and I have absolutely NO idea why everyone else includes that in their diaries, but I thought I'd share why I do it.

When I joined MFP, I listed myself as sedentary. I'm normally a homeschooling SAHM who spends a lot of time sitting with my children while they do their school. I do house work, but I have a small house and don't consider it much of a workout.

BUT after I joined MFP, I took a part-time job at a laundromat. I spend eight hours, one to four days a week, on my feet, folding laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, cleaning showers, etc. I claim an hour to two hours per day that I work just to help me figure out my calorie usage.

So, I could change my activity level, but that doesn't work for the weeks I don't work many days, and I could say I went for a walk at two miles an hour, but I didn't. So, I log my cleaning.

Replies

  • gidjet11
    gidjet11 Posts: 86
    I think that's a great idea! And working in a laundromat is hard work!
  • ohiomom2
    ohiomom2 Posts: 13
    I log mine too. I have a 2 story-home and cart laundry, sweepers, cleaning supplies up and down the stairs a lot. Also, I have an office job. I don't sit a lot, but it's not active. I clean my house once a week for the big clean. I also have my 2 sons do their part. Even with their help, it still takes 1.5 hours and I move the entire time. I also turn on music to keep the pace. :D
  • rmmattox34
    rmmattox34 Posts: 25
    I understand. I also log cleaning a couple days a week. And the reason why is, I clean MY church ( two buildings, up stairs and down). I do this once at the begining of the week and once at the end and It is alot more work than I usually do at home.
  • cbonuz
    cbonuz Posts: 63
    I think that's a great idea. When I do my cleaning, I can spend a good 4 hours on detailed cleaning, and then one thing leads to another....closets, cabinets, carpet shampooing, etc. I don't log the full time but I do log at least half of it too. I sit behind a desk all day, 5 days a week and I believe logging "cleaning, moderate effort" is allowed. There's a lot of exercise and sweating in bending, squatting, leaning, and scrubbing! LOL
  • jreese5226
    jreese5226 Posts: 328 Member
    Posting my cleaning calories is my reward to myself for actually doing the cleaning. It's motivation! :laugh:
  • DeBlue
    DeBlue Posts: 254 Member
    Of course I log the cleaning days -- heavens this activity just doesn't happen that often! :blushing:
  • TLC1975
    TLC1975 Posts: 146 Member
    I log my cleaning calories too!
  • zenchik115
    zenchik115 Posts: 19 Member
    I dont think you should have to explain your choices to anyone....you do what works for you and keep it up! Screw what anyone else thinks... I say congrats on being more active and yippee on the weight loss!
  • Time2BSkinny
    Time2BSkinny Posts: 91
    I think that is fine! And I actually don't think you have to explain yourself =] whatever is working for you, keep with it!
  • Lilangel67
    Lilangel67 Posts: 20
    Hi,
    I also log my cleaning. The days that I move furniture, overhaul walk in closets, clean fridge and stove...I consider that to be exercise. I am sure some people don't see it as exercising, but if you are doing something constant for a long period of time and it gets your heart rate up...then I think of it as exercise. I work out at a gym as well, and sometimes I just don't get as much enjoyment out of that as I do cleaning, and sometimes I burn more calories doing the cleaning. So I say...keep loggin your chores...:)
  • suzooz
    suzooz Posts: 720 Member
    Do you think if I logged this as exercise, I would clean my house more? It really need it!

    I don't typically log mine, but I ususally clean during commercial breaks (the only way that I stay motivated!)

    I think you're doing the right thing by logging the cleaning as exercise on the days that you clean, and not increasing your activity level on an overall basis. It's probably more correct.
  • GonnaDoItJenn
    GonnaDoItJenn Posts: 131 Member
    I just logged Cleaning for the first time yesterday and I will tell you that seeing how many calories I burned during that time was more than enough motivation to keep me going and doing it more often. In fact, I need to go swap out laundry and empty the trash. :smile:
  • kroyalty
    kroyalty Posts: 22
    I too log my cleaning calories. I know a lot of people think that is stretching, but here's why I do it. I work 5 days a week sitting behind a desk. Heck I don't even have to get up to get to the fax or copy machine. So, when I clean on the weekend it is definitely more--much more--than my daily routine that I am going by to burn calories. Quite a bit more physical than I am the other 5 or 6 days of the week. Makes perfect sense to me to count them. :smile:
  • nomoremuffintop42
    nomoremuffintop42 Posts: 129 Member
    there are somdays that i just do my regular jobs around the house and then there are other days that i am cleaning,ect non stop all day long...that is when i log those calorie burn days in..otherwise it's what i do everyday....and boy it sure is nice to log them like killing two birds with one stone..i felt that way yesterday when i raked for a milllion hours and logged it...good luck and take care
  • mok33
    mok33 Posts: 46 Member
    I think it's a great idea.... I didn't even know about it [only being on MFP for a week now!] but I will log my cleaning calories too! thanks!
  • KimBob249
    KimBob249 Posts: 2
    If it gets me sweaty and my heart pumping... it's exercise. I don't count day-to-day cleaning chores, but yesterday I went all out cleaning my car (in a hurried fashion as it was about to storm) I logged 30 mins. It's all about you and what you normally would do for activities!
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
    I know it drives a lot of you crazy to see "cleaning, moderate effort" in someone's exercise journal and I have absolutely NO idea why everyone else includes that in their diaries, but I thought I'd share why I do it.

    When I joined MFP, I listed myself as sedentary. I'm normally a homeschooling SAHM who spends a lot of time sitting with my children while they do their school. I do house work, but I have a small house and don't consider it much of a workout.

    BUT after I joined MFP, I took a part-time job at a laundromat. I spend eight hours, one to four days a week, on my feet, folding laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, cleaning showers, etc. I claim an hour to two hours per day that I work just to help me figure out my calorie usage.

    So, I could change my activity level, but that doesn't work for the weeks I don't work many days, and I could say I went for a walk at two miles an hour, but I didn't. So, I log my cleaning.

    Edit: DUH! I realized that I forgot to get to the point. I'm HUNGRIER on the days I work. And logging cleaning calories gives me a little leeway with a definite limit to how much more I can eat.

    And I'm VERY aware that I don't have to explain why I do it, I just felt like it - and I'm actually glad I did, because it's been fun to read why others post their cleaning calories, too.
  • iamhealingmyself
    iamhealingmyself Posts: 579 Member
    I have been very sedentary and really have a limited range of motion due to back/neck problems so for me I figure I log anything I do outside of my normal activity until I start to do it 3 times a week. At that point, it's pretty much raising your activity level and not an occasional thing. When I go to the store and I'm out for an hour or more I will certainly remember to wear my HRM and log that time because for me that is way more walking than I normally would/could do even if it's at a slow pace.

    If you're logging exercises and eating back calories and you notice a gain - then maybe you should rethink what you're logging, but if you continue to lose then go for it because at least this way you know you're feeding your body. If you ever think something seems extremely high calories for what you do, you can always log half the time to make sure you don't go over.
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