I walk all day at work...should I be logging those calories?

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jennnny
jennnny Posts: 65
in Fitness and Exercise
So today I've been reading threads on here about eating back all of your exercise calories, which I do. But then I got to thinking.....I'm a waitress and I am literally walking (sometimes extremely fast :)) all day while I'm at work. If I work a double sometimes I'm on my feet for 12 hours just walking non stop. Right now I'm only logging it as exercise if I'm literally going for a run, or rowing, or even a work out video. I'm not counting anything else I might do during the day like cleaning or walking at work or anything else. Should I be?

I think it might also be helpful for me to note that MFP does know I'm active :) You know when you first get started it makes you choose if you're sedentary, active, or highly active, etc? Well I chose the option that had waitress as an example.

Replies

  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
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    as long as your activity level is set to active mfp should aleady be alloting you extra calories to make up your work day burn.
    That being said if you have a SUPER busy out of the ordinary day it would hurt to log the equivalent of an extra 50-100 cals or so,especially if your hungry and out of cals.
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
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    Nope, if your set as active being on your feet all day at work doesnt count :) But I also wouldnt be suprised if you seem more hungry after an extremely hard/long/busy day, let yourself eat if you find the need to those days
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I don't log work as exercise. I do have my activity level set higher because I work on my feet too, but I don't use it as exercise. Basically because my body is used to doing it as I've done this same job for the last 5 yrs. I will say though... I've learned recently that just because I don't log it as exercise or count it towards that I DO need to remember that I'm burning a lot of calories doing it. I wasn't losing any weight until I upp'ed my calories and everyone has mentioned that I don't give my job enough credit for calorie burning.
  • melsat
    melsat Posts: 14
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    I waitress as my second job, so I don't count those extra steps, but my best friend works as a server full time and she wears a pedometer and tracks how many miles she walked during her shift. I think you should be able to count that because you are moving the majority of the day whether it is slow or fast paced...you are still moving and buring calories!
  • IamBrande
    IamBrande Posts: 237
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    I think as long as you have your MFP set as active then it is already counted. Being as your job is an activity level that your body is accustomed to, you are not pushing yourself any harder then you do on a daily basis at work... Work outs that go above your "normal" heart rate ,and above your normal daily routine (ie, sweating, deep breathing thru nose & mouth, etc) are what is calculated in addition to your "normal" daily activity...

    I hope that made sense
  • makmyra
    makmyra Posts: 121 Member
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    Im in nursing at a hospital...we are not always crazy busy...but there is days where I feel like I'm moving this big body a lot more than I would if I were at home in 12hrs....I don't give myself credit for the entire 12hrs..somehow I go with either 6hrs or 4hrs...depending on my day. I've worn a pedometer and it literally said I walked the equivalent of 4miles at work. Only you know really if you're busting a sweat at work and if its actually raising your heartrate...and what you shuld credit urself with...its all an honesty and accountability thing here at MFP! :happy:

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