do I count my morning/afternoon walk?

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beccasaurus83
beccasaurus83 Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,

this might seem like a no-brainer buuuuuut - I lead a fairly sedentary life, but I do live in NYC which means walking galore.

For example, it takes me ten vigorous minutes of walking to the train in the morning (vigorous since I'm usually late) and ten even more vigorous minutes of walking from said train stop to said office.

But if I do this everyday have my body become used to it? Do I count this towards my exercise for the day?

Replies

  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
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    I count my 10 min walk to the bus stop I make almost everyday but many people will debate it.
  • katelyn002
    katelyn002 Posts: 260 Member
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    i dont do this cause im in pa, but i would say count it... your walking, sometimes running haha.... your moving, and your body is heating up and working out so id count it.
  • suecq09
    suecq09 Posts: 36 Member
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    If its a part of your daily life - I wouldn't count it. Its part of your lifestyle - so you need to burn above and beyond that to count it.

    For example, I have a friend who leads a sedentary life as well, but she walks her dog twice a day. She doesn't count that - because its part of her daily routine.
  • Driagnor
    Driagnor Posts: 323 Member
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    If it's part of your day to day lifestyle, I'd be more inclined to change your profile from sedentary to lightly active, and not log this. It becomes a pain to log every little walk that you do as part of your exercise calories, and just changing your activity profile should cover this.
  • waster196
    waster196 Posts: 138 Member
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    Personally, I'd count it. I have a pretty sedentary lifestyle but walk 3miles each day to work and back. I count it, but then I don't eat my exersize calories back for it. I count it just to show myself that, yeah at least I got off my butt that day!
  • MrsSmith2010
    MrsSmith2010 Posts: 225 Member
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    I think if it gets your heart rate up and you don't get it up on your daily work activity, then count it. I sit at a desk all day, but on days when I'm running errands for the office I know I'm burning more calories so I usually track half of what I did. That's just me.. but I think it counts!
  • MrsSmith2010
    MrsSmith2010 Posts: 225 Member
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    Ahh, this is a good idea too. Because you do it twice a day, it kind of ups your lifestyle. Try this for a week or two and see how it changes things. Might just be a pleasent suprise...
    If it's part of your day to day lifestyle, I'd be more inclined to change your profile from sedentary to lightly active, and not log this. It becomes a pain to log every little walk that you do as part of your exercise calories, and just changing your activity profile should cover this.
  • RCharmaine_M
    RCharmaine_M Posts: 1
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    I guess do what makes you feel comfortable? I walk to and from work - it's about a 25 minute walk each way so I do feel a burn... others will say it's part of your daily routine so don't count it. The way I see it, it's exercise, it's making your heart healthy so I count it :)
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
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    I think that if it's ALWAYS been a part of your daily routine, before you started MFP I personally would not count it. You were doing it allready & you gained weight.

    Same thing, I think, if you are a waitress or someone else who is moving around alot on a daily basis, I wouldnt count it.

    I only count the exercise (whatever it is) that your doing thats "new" or "extra"

    I DO count my weekly Saturday "BIG" housecleaning, I do it AFTER an hour at the gym. I know alot of people scoff at adding cleaning, but If I spend 3 or 4 hours, working out, unloading groceries, moving furniture to vacumn, I'm going to count it since my heart rate IS up and I'm working my butt off.

    I dont actually eat the calories back per se, but I do it so I can have my
    "I'm done, now I'm putting my feet up relaxing, & admire (for about a day lol) my nice clean house cup of coffee"..........and maybe a cookie
  • JacqsP72
    JacqsP72 Posts: 19 Member
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    I would! I sit at a desk all day - and the days I need to go shopping in my lunch hour (a mad dash round town) I count the calories I've used! It may have been exercise I was doing before MFP, but before MFP I was eating way too much!!
  • beccasaurus83
    beccasaurus83 Posts: 9
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    Thanks for all the feedback guys! It's definitely made me ponderous to be sure. At the moment my gut says (ha, my gut says a lot, mostly things involving cookies and or wine) not add it and see how this first week goes, if I feel like maybe adjusting my calories has given the walk more ommph, I'll consider adjusting my lifestyle from sedentary to lightly, barely, active.

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