Let's make a pact: Cleaning house IS NOT AN EXERCISE

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Azuleelan
Azuleelan Posts: 218
in Fitness and Exercise
So people are reaching 600 calorie "workouts" in part because they "cleaned the house"... wtf??? Should I add "Run to catch the bus" or "jump to reach the mustard"?? We are tryin to lose weight here, let's be honest! Who's in?
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Replies

  • LacieLamp
    LacieLamp Posts: 109 Member
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    I disagree there are times when I bust my butt cleaning house so yes I do add it as part of my exercise log for the fact that I know I'm working up a sweat and it's out of my normal day routine. Now I'm not talking about everyday household chores I'm talking spring cleaning/ deep cleaning. I don't add them in for the fact I can eat more but I know that yes I am burning calories and on a 1200 calorie limit those are cLories that are going to need to be replaced.
  • angisnee
    angisnee Posts: 236 Member
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    Not me! I don't do a lot of strenuous cleaning on a daily basis, and my activity level is set to sedentary. If I work up a good sweat, you bet I'm gonna log it! My HRM agrees I did indeed burn extra calories that day, so I'm going to enjoy eating back at least some of those well-deserved calories!

    If some choose not to, that's their choice. For me, after losing 40 pounds, I realized my daily calorie deficit was too big and hindering my weight loss. I need to eat extra on days I clean hard! :)
  • Azuleelan
    Azuleelan Posts: 218
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    Argh! You guys make me want to eat a PB sandwich. I did vacuum today, after all...
  • LacieLamp
    LacieLamp Posts: 109 Member
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    Then do it. You are an adult and we are all responsible for our own weight loss/gain. We all don't have to agree on what is considered exercise but I know when I'm burning calories and when I'm not.
  • Boladefuego326
    Boladefuego326 Posts: 143 Member
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    nicely said :3
  • Tammysueless
    Tammysueless Posts: 166
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    I totally agree with amcheney and lacielamp!!! If I work up a sweat I count it! If you are really cleaning you do alot of bending and arm work and twisting and squating and lifting, what about this dosen't sound like exercise? I mowed with a push mower for 40 minutes and was sweating and breathing more rapidly as well as my heartrate was elevated, yes I logged it in my exercise diary. Just because its called mowing doesn't mean that it's not exercise. If it elevates your heartrate for a lengh of time it's exercise!:smile:
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    agreed.

    if I don't sweat, i don't count it.
  • forever28
    forever28 Posts: 374 Member
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    Even if I sweat....I don't consider cleaning house working out (in my opinion). I feel better about logging in quality exercise that I'm using my HRM to monitor. Anything extra like cleaning house (while sweating) is just a bonus. I took a 15-20 min leisurely stroll while pushing my daughter in her stroller and walking the dog & did not count that either. To each is their own, I guess. :smile:
  • ifrog3n1
    ifrog3n1 Posts: 29 Member
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    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But as for me, i was VERY INACTIVE due pain. When i finally found a Dr. who would listen to me & work with me to manage my pain, i am able to move better AND clean house. This was something that i rarely did before. Does this mean that walking at a slow speed should not be considered exercise either? Well, my Dr. would disagree considering i've lost 39 pounds by being able to do housework again AND walking at a slow pace. (31 lbs. before i joined MFP) The best part is that by losing the weight, i'm able to do more. at a faster rate & for longer periods of time. And isn't that what exercise is all about?

    Just one plus size mama's opinion.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    agreed.

    if I don't sweat, i don't count it.

    do you account for the weather in this? :P
  • theresnoeggs
    theresnoeggs Posts: 188 Member
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    I don't usually count it, because I do a pretty deep cleaning daily, including mopping sweeping and scrubbing, oh and trying to get my fat behind UP the ladder to my sons bunk bed to clear off his shelf of dirty dishes, and to make his bed that I can't reach otherwise.

    BUT I do count it, if it's a day I am literally on my hands and knees or tip toes scrubbing the tile grout lines of my floor and backsplash with a tooth brush. Only because my heart rate averages around the same as it does when I am doing a brisk walk.

    I also don't usually add playing with the kids, but I did yesterday for the first time. I was out there running up and down my hill playing soccer with them. You bet I added that, of course come mid june -ish, I won't be bc I'll be doing it more, but for yesterday-I included it!
  • Maztastic
    Maztastic Posts: 43
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    I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning :tongue:
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning :tongue:

    Here here! :drinker:
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
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    I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning :tongue:

    Et moi!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    It's all about striving for accuracy. I almost never ever clean, so if I burned 600 calories "cleaning", I would and should log it. Whereas, if I was a stay at home mom or something and looked after my kids and kept the house in order, etc, I would roll that into my activity level.

    Whoever can get the numbers as close to reality as possible wins in terms of record keeping.

    By the way, this was awesome: "I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning "
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    haha, house cleaning as exericse? Never seen that before. No, I wouldn't log it, it's a daily activity (NOT that I do it daily, I def don't but it is an everyday, ordinary sort of task). If you're a big cleaner it just means yous have a reasonably active lifestyle no? I don't see a problem with recording it if somebody wants to but surely if you start letting yourself eat calories burned in ordinary activities you're going to run into trouble.
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
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    agreed.

    if I don't sweat, i don't count it.
    if i can hold a conversation without huffing and puffing im not logging it.
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
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    I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning :tongue:
    haha i wish i could do that.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    Getting dirty should be an option to log as negative cardio...that way, if they get dirty while cleaning, it negates each other and therefore it never counted.
  • Kjarlune
    Kjarlune Posts: 178
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    I avoid this problem by not doing any cleaning :tongue:


    bump....I have kids..
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