Calories burned in retail

ProperFlower
ProperFlower Posts: 5 Member
edited October 10 in Fitness and Exercise
It might be a bit obsessive to be thinking about this, but I work a 7 hour shift at a bookstore where I am standing behind the cash register or moving heavy textbooks around the store. I know that I am definitely burning some cals while at the job and wanted to log them on mfp, but when I typed in standing, the only option that looked good to me was "fishing from river bank, standing." Doing that for seven hours apparently burns 1,723 calories... which seems wayyyy too high for me. Then, I thought maybe I'd log it as "cooking or food preparation" because that seemed to have a similar amount of work to what I do. Even that came up as 984 calories for 7 hours. Am I really burning this many calories??? Does anyone have any advice as to what I can log this work as?
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Replies

  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
    I'm curious about this too. I have a similar job and I never log my hours worked, I just consider them to be "extra calories"... But I am curious about how many calories I burn on the job.
  • phitme
    phitme Posts: 124
    I don't currently work retail but when I did, I never worried abou it. I only count actual exercise as calorie burning. Your body is used to what you do for a living. It's fine to count but don't get in the habit of eating extra because you burned calories doing what you do every day.

    I would consider anything you burn while working as good for your heart, your lungs, your muscles etc.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    It might be a bit obsessive to be thinking about this, but I work a 7 hour shift at a bookstore where I am standing behind the cash register or moving heavy textbooks around the store. I know that I am definitely burning some cals while at the job and wanted to log them on mfp, but when I typed in standing, the only option that looked good to me was "fishing from river bank, standing." Doing that for seven hours apparently burns 1,723 calories... which seems wayyyy too high for me. Then, I thought maybe I'd log it as "cooking or food preparation" because that seemed to have a similar amount of work to what I do. Even that came up as 984 calories for 7 hours. Am I really burning this many calories??? Does anyone have any advice as to what I can log this work as?

    Don't bother--that's the best advice I can give.

    It's part of your daily activity. Be thankful that you might have a job that provides a little extra movement. You are burning far fewer calories than you think.

    Rule of thumb: have you been losing weight since you worked at this job? If not, then it is already part of your energy balance.
  • faithstephenson
    faithstephenson Posts: 280 Member
    I believe this is the kind of thing that should be reflected in your "activity level" when you are setting your goals. You work for a large part of your day, and it's most days, so it's not like extra exercise.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    If it is something you do on an every day basis your body is used to it and it would not all count as exercise. If you do something out of the ordinary on a day that would be counted. When I worked in retail I didn't count the time standing or stocking shelves, but I did count the 2 hours unloading the delivery truck by hand once a week. I kind of used the amount of sweat to equate to exercise. No sweat or minimal sweat didn't count. Moderate to heavy sweat for a SUSTAINED time counted. If I got my heart rate up for more than 15 minutes straight I counted it.

    The whole idea of exercise in weight loss is to extend yourself above the norm. Good Luck!
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
    I, too, would consider it when setting my daily activity level and not count it as exercise.

    MFP defines "lightly active" as "Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. nurse, salesman)".

    If you think the BMR they calculate for you is accurate, then selecting "Lightly Active" instead of "Sedentary" would account for the standing. OTOH, if you think the BMR they use is high, you'll need to put your activity level lower than what it normally is. (Likewise, if it's low, then you need to pick a higher level.)
  • lehuagirl
    lehuagirl Posts: 40 Member
    I understand the logic of both sides of this argument. My dad walked all day at his job and always rationalized that he got enough exercise that way. He developed type 2 diabetes. I agree that if it is a part of your workday, set your settings accordingly. However I wanted to report that I just started a retail job that involves running for customers and carrying boxes at a pretty nice clip. It is hot in there right now as it is summer and a huge sale. We are constantly sweating. So I decided on a compromise and put in 15 minutes of fast paced walking and 15 minutes at a slower pace. This gives me a little leeway with food to account for more calories burned. I have been losing weight! Partly because I think I have this exercise to food ratio at a good pace and partly because I'm too busy to eat :) If this becomes more than a seasonal job, or after a couple months I will reset my original settings to a more active job status, but since it is new to me now, it really is exercise!
  • BranDiesel_27
    BranDiesel_27 Posts: 46
    Depending on how much effort your putting into your job, your looking at 150-170 cals burned every half hour. also depending on your body weight and stuff
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    The correct answer to "how many calories did i burn in retail (or any other profession) is zero. Because we don't log our jobs. If you want to make an adjustment in your activity level, go right ahead. But if you try to log your job you're never going to get your daily calories into a proper deficit
  • Leighannabone
    Leighannabone Posts: 2
    For those who say it doesn't count if you do it every day, does this mean you believe if you go to the gym everyday then that also wouldn't count as "your body will be used to this activity level"?

    The way i see it, walking is walking, whether or not you are doing it in a shop working or in the countryside walking the dog.

    If you are moving about, you are burning some amount of calories... simple as that!
  • acidosaur
    acidosaur Posts: 295 Member
    For those who say it doesn't count if you do it every day, does this mean you believe if you go to the gym everyday then that also wouldn't count as "your body will be used to this activity level"?

    The way i see it, walking is walking, whether or not you are doing it in a shop working or in the countryside walking the dog.

    If you are moving about, you are burning some amount of calories... simple as that!

    But you already take account of this when you set your activity level on MFP.
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    I'm a manager at an Italian restaurant and spend 7-8 hours on my feet constantly moving. I wear a pedometer and usually log about 4½-6½ miles. I do count those calories that I burn (I figure about 100 calories per mile). Why would I not? When I set up MFP, I set my activity for my EXERCISE, not taking into consideration my WORK. Whether my body is used to doing the routine or not, I am STILL burning calories. Are people trying to say because you do it frquently you stop burning calories? I find that really hard to believe.
  • SurfyFriend
    SurfyFriend Posts: 362 Member
    I work as a waitress and its so hard to log. Some days I work 3 hours, some days 9hours and some not at all. It gets difficult especially when getting up at sporadic times like 5:30am or 8am. And finishing at 12pm or 9pm.
    I choose the "sedentary" setting and log 1calorie a minute and try to not to eat any back but if I do, thats okay.
    But I am never sure if I'm on target or not, I have to use my instincts.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    Mathematically, it does not matter whether one logs it as part of your lifestyle or prefers to log it as exercise. It's the same thing.

    You can log it as lightly active (easiest) OR you can log it as sedentary and add in the extra calories. It works out to be the same--mathematically. All this hoopla about your body getting used to it, etc. doesn't matter as much as one might guess. Your body needs fuel. Personally, although I know it is fun to play with numbers, since I don't have good data for you, I would just up your activity level and move on.

    I always think it is funny when people get upset about logging it as exercise but then they turn around and suggest upping the activity level. Again, mathematically, it is the same thing. I know the actual numbers may vary slightly but since it is all an estimate anyway, I still call it like I see it--mathematically equivalent. "I don't eat back my work calories. I was doing that before I tried to lose weight." Many of you actually do eat these calories because you chose a higher activity level. It's the SAME THING.

    As for those that work sporadic hours, that may be a different case, however, I wonder if generally speaking it comes out to be about the same number of hours per month. If so, again, it is the same thing. PIck an average and you'll be good. Weight loss is not linear and it happens as a function over time. (I am not saying anything about how the one person that mentioned this logs her work. I'm just making a general comment because a good point about sporadic hours was on the table for discussion).

    Your body gets efficient over time, but that doesn't preclude you from having a more active lifestyle than say someone sitting on a couch at home. It all counts towards figuring out your TDEE. Yes, you need to create a deficit but you also need proper fueling too.
  • Yooperm35
    Yooperm35 Posts: 787 Member
    as mentioned, I don't up my activity level because of my employment - my activity level is based on my exercise. This is why I count my calories burned at work. I know people say over and over again, "your body is used to it, so it doesn't count" - really? REALLY??? So if someone bikes 25 miles a day 5 days a week - after a set period, they should no longer log that activity because their body got used to it? It's still activity, your body just becomes more efficient at doing it. You won't burn as many calories as you did to begin, but you still burn calories.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
    I work in a bookstore, too! And I worked there when I was overweight as well. I wouldn't bother logging it as exercise, it is part of your daily life. Like I mentioned, I worked at the bookstore when I was 252 lbs and nothing I did there contributed to my weight loss. You definitely burn calories at work! But you burn calories breathing and sleeping, too, and we don't log that :)
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    I believe this is the kind of thing that should be reflected in your "activity level" when you are setting your goals. You work for a large part of your day, and it's most days, so it's not like extra exercise.

    This. Just change your activity level.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Don't log it as exercise. Set your activity level above sedentary and it will give you more calories for the day. But this kind of work doesn't replace exercise.
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    You shouldn't count them.

    First the number in MFP will be overinflated and you definitely risk eating too much.
    Second, that's your job, it's already built in into your activity level.
    3rd, you might get a false sense of accomplishment and not workout because after all " you already burned all those calories working!"
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
    I never counted them when I worked in a hotel - I wore a pedometer and would clock about 3 miles a day running up and down stairs and different rooms and the restaurant bar etc etc. I just thought of it as extra exercise - but I did like the data it showed!
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    It's all in the semantics.

    Again, whether you add them as an activity level OR as exercise, mathematically it works out to be approximately the same.


    I get that people don't want you to call work, "exercise" for the sake of semantics because exercise is related to a specific concept people have, but when the OP just wants to figure out the TDEE, it all counts.

    You ARE eating your work calories when you add it in your activity level. Mathematically though, it would not be any different than the OP plugging in as sedentary and assigning an "exercise" number. It's semantically different but not mathematically different.

    The OP just wanted to play with the numbers and do a little math. I don't think anyone has any actual figures for you. Well played math nerd. Well played.

    (Yes, I am being repetitive in my post).
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    When you choose you activity level - low, medium, active, etc - you assume some level of work activity too. So that is accounted for. True exercise is for workouts BEYOND your every day work.
  • sabolfitwife
    sabolfitwife Posts: 423 Member
    I wouldn't log it as it's something you do regardless of whether you're counting calories or not. This should be included in your activity level when you enter it on MFP. It takes into consideration how many calories you burn on a day to day basis, PLUS what you burn when working out. Thats how I see it, anyways. Good luck.
  • donnaleighh
    donnaleighh Posts: 178 Member
    I agree that whatever you record this as on MFP exercise options is likely to be somewhat over estimated ... so yeah your preset activity level would be a better baseline.

    You might want to think about investing in a fitbit which will measure your steps (walking activity). You can also synch it with MFP and it will give you an adjustment to MFP. I found this to be a great investment for not a lot of cash.

    Good luck
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    I agree that whatever you record this as on MFP exercise options is likely to be somewhat over estimated ... so yeah your preset activity level would be a better baseline.

    Thank you!

    While is the same thing, it is easier to do it via activity level because it is more accurate than the MFP exercise database.

    (We all know that standing at work is not the same thing as a cross fit class but the OP was not asking that. The Op was asking us to think about math not a definition of TRUE exercise).

    If everything you did didn't count towards your TDEE, then fitbit and the other devices would not be so popular. It doesn't mean every step I took with fitbit is truly exercise. It is just a measurement of overall TDEE. I agree that for fitness sake, people should include TRUE exercise on top of that.

    The bottom line answer though is what donna said. I like the pedometer suggestion as well.
  • tripdip
    tripdip Posts: 1 Member
    I work part time (3 days per week).
    So in my case I leave my activity level alone and log the calories burned walking at work.
    I work in "big box retail' and move around quite a bit. A typical day I'll walk around 8 miles at work.
    If I changed my activity level it would skew the results since I don't work 4 days of the week.
    On my off days, I walk 2 to 3 days, but I walk a shorter distance and at a much faster pace to get my cardio up.
  • neveragain84
    neveragain84 Posts: 534 Member
    It might be a bit obsessive to be thinking about this, but I work a 7 hour shift at a bookstore where I am standing behind the cash register or moving heavy textbooks around the store. I know that I am definitely burning some cals while at the job and wanted to log them on mfp, but when I typed in standing, the only option that looked good to me was "fishing from river bank, standing." Doing that for seven hours apparently burns 1,723 calories... which seems wayyyy too high for me. Then, I thought maybe I'd log it as "cooking or food preparation" because that seemed to have a similar amount of work to what I do. Even that came up as 984 calories for 7 hours. Am I really burning this many calories??? Does anyone have any advice as to what I can log this work as?

    Don't bother--that's the best advice I can give.

    It's part of your daily activity. Be thankful that you might have a job that provides a little extra movement. You are burning far fewer calories than you think.

    Rule of thumb: have you been losing weight since you worked at this job? If not, then it is already part of your energy balance.

    Go me for replying to a 3 year old post! I work in retail and, once I made the effort to eat better and put a bigger effort into my job, I realized that I could lose close to a pound just by working on the weekend. That didn't surprise me that much because of all I have to do (walking, lifting everything from furniture to bikes, pushing carts, pushing carts in the snow, etc.) It all adds up.

    It just depends on how strenuous it is. Take a day and not exercise and only go to work... do you notice any weight loss? At the end of the day do you feel like you do when you've worked out? I agree with the pedometer suggestions as well. It'll tell you how close to your daily 10,000 steps you are!
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    For those who say it doesn't count if you do it every day, does this mean you believe if you go to the gym everyday then that also wouldn't count as "your body will be used to this activity level"?

    The way i see it, walking is walking, whether or not you are doing it in a shop working or in the countryside walking the dog.

    If you are moving about, you are burning some amount of calories... simple as that!

    Right it's called "living" and already built in, not extra.
  • MrMrMan
    MrMrMan Posts: 1
    I too was looking to put it in the exercise section just to be disappointed. A little search on the web got me this website:
    http://calorielab.com/burned/?mo=se&gr=11&ti=Occupation&wt=150&un=lb&kg=68

    And it does count as exercise when I walk anywhere between 7 and 9 miles a day while lifting and carrying objects of up to 35 lbs. It doesn't matter if my body is used to it or not. And it is calories that I burn.
    By setting the activity level in the app I only adjust the base calorie setting. But I don't record what is burned by doing this. This only happens when I'm following the the app with its presets, I don't need to record calories burnt by the set activity level. But if I've decided to set my daily calorie goal lower I need to enter work as exercise.
    By the way surprisingly the app offers the activity of moving objects in the household as exercise.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    ProperFlower wrote: »
    Does anyone have any advice as to what I can log this work as?
    As nothing. Work isn't doing much for you. Sorry Charlie.
This discussion has been closed.

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