Doing a Physical Job

KLL1985
KLL1985 Posts: 24 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there,

I am just looking for some opinions on whether doing a physical job is enough to aid weight loss or whether I need to add in other forms of exercise as well. I work 40 hours a week as a dog trainer at a kennels so my day is predominantly spent walking dogs and scrubbing kennels. On average I'm walking dogs at a steady pace for around 5 hours a day and then spend an hour or so cleaning and then the rest of the time doing other bits and bobs. It i a tiring job and by the end of it I'm pretty exhausted so adding in additional exercise would be a bit of a challenge! I've lost 10 lbs since the beginning of January and already my waist and hips are shrinking. I struggle to lose inches off my arms and thighs and want to lose another 7-14 lbs depending on how I feel so I was just wondering on whether this is enough exercise or whether I could add in other things as well.

Replies

  • jdstathopoulos
    jdstathopoulos Posts: 32 Member
    I landscape and still find the need to go to the gym 5-6 times a week. Landscaping is a very physical job, but I need different kinds of workouts to see real results. I have a weekly workout routine (5 days/week scheduled) outside of my normal job.
  • WednesdayJanuary07th2015
    WednesdayJanuary07th2015 Posts: 163
    edited February 2015
    Because your job is apart of your lifestyle, it shouldn't be counted as exercise & with exercise, you should either change or increase, what you do; so that it doesn't become apart of your lifestyle after about 2 weeks. Once the exercise/duration becomes easy to achieve, that's your signal; that your body has become use to it & thus won't continue to provide, exercise benefits.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Up to you

    I'd say your activity level was active to very active

    If you want to add purposeful exercise do so, but it's not necessary (if you have specific fitness goals it might be in which case log them).. but if you don't maintaining a calorie defecit as per MFP will be more than enough to lose weight
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I worked in a parcel warehouse on nights before Christmas and wore my HRM clocking 1600 calories of activity per night and doing 28,000 - 35,000 steps. Exercise was off the agenda during that period.
  • kbsangel1986
    kbsangel1986 Posts: 153 Member
    I work at an equine hospital barn as a tech/stable hand. I spend 2 1/2 hrs mucking stalls, an hr bringing horses in/out, pushing 60# wheelbarrows, carrying 75# hay bales and other tasks daily. I average 17k "steps" a day at work, but recently i still jump on the elliptical twice a day (10 mins in morning and evening, slowly working stamina up) and just downloaded the app 8fit (no gym equpment at home, and no time to be drive to the gym). I feel like my body is "used" to my job, so extra exercise in addition to my calorie deficit is a good thing, especially since I have had this job for a year and a half (and still a blob).
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    You are seeing results. So your active job is working! I suggest getting a step counter so you can get a sense of how active you have become. You will also know how active you will have to maintain if you ever move in to a less active job.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    The weight loss part comes from a caloric deficit. You exercise for your health and to help that deficit alone.
  • KLL1985
    KLL1985 Posts: 24 Member
    I'm averaging between 18,000 and 23,000 steps a day so a fair amount. Thanks for you replies, I'm going to try and incorporate doing a little extra in to my daily routine :)
  • lynndot1
    lynndot1 Posts: 114 Member
    edited February 2015
    For a while I worked full time as an animal technician...8-10 hour shifts on your feet scrubbing, cleaning, walking, talking to people, lifting, etc. I lost a lot of weight from that job, on accident - I actually got a little underweight from it. But that was also because I didn't watch my diet much, I tended not to eat much on work days and didn't drink enough water so I was always dehydrated. If I were going to re-do that job I would make a point to eat more.

    I also used to bale hay over the summer for extra cash...want to "crash diet" and lose a ton of water weight? Bale hay from sun up until sun down in the middle of July, hah.

    But in all seriousness if you have a really labor intensive job yes you would need to factor that into your caloric intake. You wouldn't be in the sedentary category. Just remember that MFP adds calories in on its own for your lifestyle category...you only add and eat back calories from exercise that is OUTSIDE of your normal daily life (for example, going on a jog on the weekend, or something)

    It sounds like I used to have a job similar to yours, and I also didn't do ANY sort of cardio when I worked that shelter job. I didn't need it. I don't know if you weightlift or not but I think adding some strength training would be good exercise for you to work on...you've already got the cardio/aerobic exercise down just from your daily lifestyle. Only do extra if you really want to.
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    I think it is fine as long as you are eating in a deficit. Although, if you have time for more, it wouldn't hurt.
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