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MyFitnessPal Community

Does walking my dog count as exercise? We walk slowly

midlifesally

I walk him 4 times a day for 15 minutes approximately, but we don't walk fast and we stop to sniff a lot. (he's sniffing, not me. )
I certainly do not break a sweat or get exerted, so I'm wondering if it counts as exercise?

Replies

opalle

If you have your activity level set for sedentary then I see no problem with logging it. Just be sure you log at the slow pace and be honest. If your dog spends half then time sniffing, only log 30 minutes.

All logging does is give you an idea of how much energy you consume and how much you expend. Personally I have no problem with anyone logging cleaning, pushing a grocery cart, etc if it helps them get a better idea of the energy they are expending.

nadiabooboo

I have a border collie who needs 45 minutes twice a day of exercise. I walk and have a chuck it ball thrower and we cover anywhere from 2 miles to 4.5 miles a day - walking. Sometimes I jog or run and jog. He keeps it fun and interesting. Am out with him by 8:30 every morning - well almost every morning. He is my exercise buddy!

Rdsgoal16

moving is moving in my book, when I take my baby out (whenever it warms up from this frozen hell of the Midwest) I log it!

kportwood85

I walk my dog about 1.5 miles a day. I don't log is as exercise, but I don't log anything as exercise. I have my activity level set at either sedentary of the one just above, and I let my fitbit add in the calories throughout the day. (if you don't have a fitbit but do have an iPhone, you can sync MFP with the health kit and it will do the same thing, I've found the fitbit and the phone give me about the same info as far as activity) I eat at my 1,350 a day. If I earn enough, then I get a snack when I put the kids to bed.

Osiris275

I have 3 dogs, we walk twice a day for an hour each time. I've always counted it as exercise. It's all I do and it's definitely helped as I've lost 70lbs!

I've since got a Fitbit so it counts my walking and adds it to MFP. I've found as I lost weight I walk a lot quicker.

cwolfman13

For me personally, I would look at it as general activity, and it's good to be generally active. I wouldn't personally count it as exercise because a stroll with my dog is going to do next to nothing for my fitness level. For someone who was otherwise sedentary, that might be a different story...there was a time when a walk around the block left me winded...now I can go ride 50 miles + and then come home and mow the lawn, pull some weeds, do some house work, and cook dinner and still feel great.

I do lots of things for general activity that I really don't consider exercise...I take family recreational rides on the bike, family hikes, we frequent the zoo and botanical gardens and aquarium and walk around a lot, etc...but like I said, I look at that as general activity...exercise for me is something I'm deliberately doing to increase and/or maintain my current fitness level.

rml_16

midlifesally wrote: »

I walk him 4 times a day for 15 minutes approximately, but we don't walk fast and we stop to sniff a lot. (he's sniffing, not me. )
I certainly do not break a sweat or get exerted, so I'm wondering if it counts as exercise?

All movement counts as exercise, but you might want to work up to getting your heart rate up eventually, maybe without the sniffy pup. :-)

Ibeachlover

Being up and off your butt is always better than sitting or laying around. However, for that short of period, and with all the sniffing stops, probably not worth counting :-)