Logging Everything

Kiwi_09
Kiwi_09 Posts: 65
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
What do you log?
I only log what I consider actual exercise. I've seen people log things like cleaning, gardening, even playing an instrument.
It seems like maybe people are logging as much as possible in hope to have more available calories for the day?

What are your thoughts?

Replies

  • MaryKatU
    MaryKatU Posts: 146
    I only log my exercise.
  • erisfreenici
    erisfreenici Posts: 277 Member
    If I'm doing a marathon cleaning session (whole house top to bottom in 3 hours), I'll log it. If I'm doing my spring cleanup outside and it takes 4+ hours, I'll log about half of the time. My "activity level" is sedentary on MFP, so these things really do count.
  • jsam1121
    jsam1121 Posts: 5
    I only log real exercise. Like time at the gym, walking the dog, riding my bike. And even at the gym I don't include weights, or if I walk the dog I only count it if it's longer than half an hour.
  • 512cheangela
    512cheangela Posts: 133
    I think logging a proper scrub down is being a little obsessive :-)
  • lynnmarie60
    lynnmarie60 Posts: 325
    I log everything I think is reasonable.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Some people are logging too much. Daily life activities are accounted for when you choose your activity level in your settings. You should only log purposeful EXERCISE. Otherwise, MFP is going to give you too high a calorie allowance and you're gonna overeat. I would rather underestimate my exercise than overestimate it. It's not a contest to see who burns the most calories...:huh:
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I log only my cardio & strength training. Housework & chores are just bonus burn but, I don't log it.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I've only two things that weren't actual exercise a few times. One being cleaning, but only if it is way above and beyond my normal every day stuff, like cleaning out the basement or garage or something like that...like today I am logging about an hour of cleaning because I am working on a very late spring cleaning, but I have actually been at it since 10 am with just one break for lunch. I'd never log all the time. And once when I stood for like 6 hours straight preparing for and having my son's birthday party I logged an hour of standing because I was exhausted afterwards :) I felt like a dork doing it, but honestly, it's only a couple times of year when I spend a whole Saturday standing!!!
  • joannbuist23
    joannbuist23 Posts: 127 Member
    I only log exercise done at the gym. Infact I actually only log my cardio, not even weights.
  • lsd007
    lsd007 Posts: 435
    Playing the drums probably burns a lot of calories. Scrubbing floors and cleaning out a garage is work. Have you ever weeded a vegetable garden? If people have their activity level set to sedentary, or even lightly active all of those would definitely count.
  • silveryflutterby
    silveryflutterby Posts: 335
    I mostly log only exercise...I count mowing the lawn because I have a really large yard and I wear my HRM and burn over 700 calories and it's not a daily thing. Today I am doing my spring cleaning and am cleaning my whole house, vacuuming (including walls, curtains, pillows, etc), sweeping, mopping, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, moving stuff around, etc...so I am thinking of counting a little of that, but I will be majorly underestimating on time. :) I think if people have their profile set on sedentary, they should count everything that has them up and moving...to each their own.
  • petchonka82
    petchonka82 Posts: 156
    If I'm doing a marathon cleaning session (whole house top to bottom in 3 hours), I'll log it. If I'm doing my spring cleanup outside and it takes 4+ hours, I'll log about half of the time. My "activity level" is sedentary on MFP, so these things really do count.

    I'm a SAHM so my activity level is sedentary. I log house cleaning/yard work that makes me break a sweat or my heart pump, especially if I'm doing a lot of bending or lifting.
  • Kiwi_09
    Kiwi_09 Posts: 65
    Some people are logging too much. Daily life activities are accounted for when you choose your activity level in your settings. You should only log purposeful EXERCISE. Otherwise, MFP is going to give you too high a calorie allowance and you're gonna overeat. I would rather underestimate my exercise than overestimate it. It's not a contest to see who burns the most calories...:huh:

    Thats the thing that stuns me is the amount of calories some people burn in a day. I wonder if I should be logging more, or maybe it's better to under estimate it.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    I log showering, standing, tying my shoes, eating and breathing.
  • Jodasi
    Jodasi Posts: 9 Member
    I just joined a couple of days ago and so far I've only logged cardio. I'm going to try to NOT to use the extra calories I get anyway. I'm sure I'll use them somedays though. Wink-wink.
  • ccaym
    ccaym Posts: 86
    I only log in walks or workouts. Going to the playground or zoo with my kids, housework, gardening, etc are part of my normal lifestyle so I don't count them. I suppose if I did a big cleaning/ project that had me moving for hours I might count that. I have my settings set "sedentary". At work, I mostly am sedentary but at home I rarely sit down!
  • lsd007
    lsd007 Posts: 435
    I log showering, standing, tying my shoes, eating and breathing.

    Not brushing your teeth? You are really missing out there.
  • Heather75
    Heather75 Posts: 3,386 Member
    I log showering, standing, tying my shoes, eating and breathing.

    Not brushing your teeth? You are really missing out there.

    I also log judging.
  • momtozmc
    momtozmc Posts: 418 Member
    I usually only log my cardio - which inlcudes JIllian 30 day shred... BUT on those days that I do an extraordinary amount of extra - like 3 hours of gardening, raking, etc... I will add that!!!! but it's extraordinary and not my usual.... House cleaning... I do not log... that's just an added bonus!!! All the way around!!!
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
    Playing the drums probably burns a lot of calories. Scrubbing floors and cleaning out a garage is work. Have you ever weeded a vegetable garden? If people have their activity level set to sedentary, or even lightly active all of those would definitely count.

    Agreed! It all depends on what people have their activity level set to in their profile. If someone is a stay-at-home mom for example, chasing and cleaning up after kids 8 hours a day, I would consider that at least "Lightly active" in which case logging cleaning and such would be "double logging".

    But someone who has a Mon-Fri office job, would be considered Sedentary, so if they go home and clean the car, that's out of the norm of their usual day, as would be doing top to bottom house cleaning on weekends and such.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I'm a SAHM so my activity level is sedentary. I log house cleaning/yard work that makes me break a sweat or my heart pump, especially if I'm doing a lot of bending or lifting.

    If you are an active SAHM, you should not have your activity level set to sedentary - especially if you are chasing little kids around all day. Then you wouldn't have to log cleaning. SAHM moms are generally more active than the average working adult. The only SAHM who should set her activity level to sedentary is the TV-watching, bon bon eating kind! (which you are NOT!) :laugh:
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    I only log things which raise my heart rate or make me sweat. Gardening (depends on how strenuous; shoveling = yes for sure; weeding = maybe depends on how much), cleaning (depends on how much, how long and how hard I'm working), etc.
  • kmalex
    kmalex Posts: 39 Member
    I log things that are above and beyond. For instace, I would not log cleaning the kitchen (dishes, stove, counters, etc...), but I would log pulling the fridge and stove out and then crawling on my hands and knees to scrub the floors clean around and under them. The former is normal activity, the latter is heavy lifting and hard work that will raise my heart rate and labor my breathing. And I would log it for whatever amount time was "stressful" on my body. :)

    P.S. I am listed as lightly active in MFP.
  • dawnw30
    dawnw30 Posts: 270
    I only log exercise that I set out to do on purpose...like the elliptical or an exercise DVD. I do not consider cleaning to be exercise (for me) because it is part of my daily routine and should fall into my activity level on my settings. I also see people logging walking while at work or other work related exercise and I think that is supposed to go with your activity level as well. Only my opinion - so no hate mail, lol!! :laugh:
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    I generally try to follow the rule "If I did it before and still gained weight, then it doesn't count" I don't usually log cleaning, because I have always done that. However I have also been painting my house and I logged that under 'cleaning' because it is not something that I do on a regular basis (but I only put in about 1/2 the time I actually spent doing it).

    My activity level is sedentary, but I assume that that includes doing the dishes, laundry, vacuuming. But I don't think it includes things like painting.
  • newsarahd
    newsarahd Posts: 15
    I log running,walks,bike rides, things that are out of my normal routine. Cleaning the house is in my normal routine. Therefore I dont think it should count. I think people are logging housework to get extra food calories. It's only going to hurt them in the end when it takes them longer to make their goal. It will be a sad weigh in day.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    I log food mostly and exercise only for amusment. I don't eat more because of exercise.
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