What constitutes as "light" and "heavy"?

jenncates
jenncates Posts: 9
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I was trying to calculate the amount of calories I burn daily doing regular things like work, errands, etc. so I could kind of get a feel for my amount of activity before I start adding in my exercise routine, and I'm really wondering what constitutes as "heavy" and "light" in regards to daily activity. For example, I work as a housekeeper for a resort and spend about 4-6 hours a day scrubbing things, making beds, vacuuming, and carrying linen and trash. I used the myfitnesspal cardio tracker to get an approximation of what my work day would entail as far as calories went, but I was unsure as to whether I was doing light or heavy work. Typically, when I exercise, I go by the general rule that if you are still able to sing while exercising, it's light work, if you can talk, it's moderate, and so on, but I mean, it's cleaning... I can do a lot of things while cleaning. I didn't want to over exaggerate my activity, so I chose light cleaning. But what do you think?

Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Hi:
    The calories burned during daily activities are minimal. They will not make a difference in your calorie deficit unless you work involves physical activity like a construction.
    I measure my calories burned while I was shoveling snow in the winter with a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). One continuous hour of shoveling snow was 330 calories. We got 12 inches that day.
    I suggest you get yourself a Heart Rate Monitor and you can measure yourself your burned calories. I use Polar FT7.
    Good luck in your healthy journey
  • LovelyIvy466
    LovelyIvy466 Posts: 387 Member
    socioseguro wrote: »
    Hi:
    The calories burned during daily activities are minimal. They will not make a difference in your calorie deficit unless you work involves physical activity like a construction.
    I measure my calories burned while I was shoveling snow in the winter with a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM). One continuous hour of shoveling snow was 330 calories. We got 12 inches that day.
    I suggest you get yourself a Heart Rate Monitor and you can measure yourself your burned calories. I use Polar FT7.
    Good luck in your healthy journey

    Now I want a HRM!
  • jenncates
    jenncates Posts: 9
    Thanks I guess!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I agree, an activity tracker will give you a much better idea. There's charts available that you can compare steps etc to, to determine if your active or slightly active or manic :tongue:
  • jenncates
    jenncates Posts: 9
    I really would like to invest in a Jawbone, but as of right this second, it's a little out of my price range, so I'm doing things the hard way. What kind of activity tracker do you use?
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    edited April 2015
    jenncates wrote: »
    I was trying to calculate the amount of calories I burn daily doing regular things like work, errands, etc. so I could kind of get a feel for my amount of activity before I start adding in my exercise routine, and I'm really wondering what constitutes as "heavy" and "light" in regards to daily activity. For example, I work as a housekeeper for a resort and spend about 4-6 hours a day scrubbing things, making beds, vacuuming, and carrying linen and trash. I used the myfitnesspal cardio tracker to get an approximation of what my work day would entail as far as calories went, but I was unsure as to whether I was doing light or heavy work. Typically, when I exercise, I go by the general rule that if you are still able to sing while exercising, it's light work, if you can talk, it's moderate, and so on, but I mean, it's cleaning... I can do a lot of things while cleaning. I didn't want to over exaggerate my activity, so I chose light cleaning. But what do you think?

    I would say that you are probably in the moderate to heavy category. Your job is pretty demanding, even though you are accustomed to it so it feels easy.

    I can carry on a conversation while being thrown bodily , 15 feet across the dojo floor with a weapon in my hands. That does not make it any less energetic, it just means that I don't have to devote that much of my brain to the subject. If you can still sing or talk while working it just means that you are breathing properly.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    jenncates wrote: »
    I really would like to invest in a Jawbone, but as of right this second, it's a little out of my price range, so I'm doing things the hard way. What kind of activity tracker do you use?

    I've got a $60 fitbit zip. One of those will do until you get the one you really want. I've had no problems at all with mine, it counts my steps and tells me how many calories I've burned. Which is all i wanted it for anyways. I don't do cardio or walk flights of steps etc etc
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Here's that activity link I mentioned.

    http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/rate-your-activity-level-based-on-steps-per-day/
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