what do you count as "exercise" what do you log????

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  • Higglyjiggly64
    Higglyjiggly64 Posts: 136
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    I count anything over and above. Like if I clean vigorously for two hours before I go to work, I'll credit myself with an hour of cleaning. I do not count cleaning on my days off as I feel it takes the place of the 8 hours I put in at work, UNLESS, for whatever reason, I've been going at it for more than 8 hours...Clean house, cut grass, weed garden, etc. Some days are actually like that. I will then give myself credit for two-three hours of labor. I always count our long bike rides. That is exercise I picked up specifically b/c I am trying to lose weight. If I don't count that, what's the point? Anyway, I may not be losing weight fast (28.4 in 130 days) but I don't restrict my foods, so the method must be working OK.
  • littlecaponey2
    littlecaponey2 Posts: 143 Member
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    i only count things that i actually set out to do as exercise...ie walking, running, strength training. Im not a fan of counting house/cleaning as exercise. for me it feels like im "making up" exercises. but to each his own!

    I agree!!! It makes me laugh when people put "cleaning" as their excercise for the day. We all have to clean (well most of us) and I too feel like it is a "make up as you go" excercise. Unless of course that was part of your job...ie a house cleaner.....but then that would be built into your profile so you couldn't count it. Like a landscaper would put his meowing lawns all day as his excercise. I put whatever I have gone above and beyond to do. But to each his own, and I am not here to judge anyone.....it just makes me chuckle a little =). Everyone has to do what is right for them and work at their own pace. If it makes you happy, keep on doing it!
  • hummzz
    hummzz Posts: 384 Member
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    I only count house cleaning as exercise if I do above and beyond my regular cleaning. I also use the moving boxes up and down stairs because I have an Ebay store and I carry large amounts of inventory up and down the stairs about once a week. Not a regular routine thing. I log gardening when I'm turning dirt because its such a chore, but I don't do it for pulling weeds. So I guess you just have to determine what is normal activity and what is not and log what is not. Oh I also log washing my Jeep when I do it by hand. Now that's a chore and half!!!!! I guess its good for those that really don't get much exercise, but for those of us that exercise often it really isn't a good burn.
  • Aileen46
    Aileen46 Posts: 176 Member
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    The only time I count cleaning is if I am REALLY cleaning scrubbing and moving heavy furniture. Because lets face it when your doing that kind of cleaning your exhausted by the end of it. Every week/day cleaning I do not count.

    I do the same.
  • AlanYee
    AlanYee Posts: 4
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    The only time I counted cleaning/scrubbing and moving heavy boxes as exercise was on the day I moved out of my dorm room two weeks ago. It was well above my usual activity level because I probably spent a combined total of about two hours constantly moving: packing, carrying very heavy bins down the stairs to the car (my dorm room was on the third floor), vacuuming, and lots of scrubbing. I was working up a pretty good sweat by the end of it.

    I normally don't do this, though. I usually only log my planned exercise, which typically consists of speed-walking and/or stationary bike.
  • Hourglass25
    Hourglass25 Posts: 340 Member
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    Actual exersice, running, weights, jogging walking. ect,I do not log house work or anything that my body is used to doing in the regular basis
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    As a rule, the only thing I count as exercise is true exercise. I don't count ANYTHING that I do on a daily basis towards my exercise - I figure if I'm doing it everyday, it is counted in my activity level. However, I WILL count scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, steam cleaning or whatever intense as exercise. If I'm sweating like I've been at the gym and the a/c is running full blast -- I count it. Today I closed up our camper, carried a canoe, and a handful of other out of the ordinary activities. They aren't logged because I'm not sure HOW to log them.
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
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    Normally I only count "extra" stuff... running, gym days, power walks... but there have been times I count shopping (like being at the mall for 8 hours, but I put down like 3 just to make me feel like I can eat a little more). I don't count grocery shopping or light cleaning or running errands, but if I were moving furniture or painting all weekend, I may count that. It's just more physical than my "everyday" workload. I'm set to "lightly active" because I'm on my feet some at work and that's about it other than my new love of running.

    Whatever, it's working for now, but if it weren't, I'd be reassessing.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    Anything I set out to do as exercise, plus I add a little for my work if I dance at all or walk into town. I try to underestimate though.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    It depends on your activity level and body type. Certain things will take more exertion for some people. I am sedentary and have very bad knees. I count mall walking when I run errands because being on my feet for long periods of time requires effort on my part. I also only count house cleaning when I am doing serious scrubbing. Washing dishes or cleaning the litter box don't require the same effort as mopping floors.
  • myukniewicz
    myukniewicz Posts: 906 Member
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    i only log actual exercise... like when i put on my exercise cloths, and go work out :)
    i don't log cleaning, or cooking, or sex
    those are normal, every day things that i don't feel should be considered exercise.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Sex
  • blynnarnold
    blynnarnold Posts: 31 Member
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    I count my gym exercises. I also work 2 nights a week in a kitchen for my second job. I count that as well because I work my *kitten* off and I dont see a difference in the gym and working in a kitchen. Why shouldn't I log it as exercise?? I like those days because I can normally endulge a little more than usual.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    I only count planned workouts like walking, jogging, weights, rock climbing, swimming, biking, etc. Things like cleaning I do not count because it's really hard to know exactly how much you burn doing that kind of thing unless you have a HRM, in my opinion. Maybe if I had a HRM and could see exactly how much I was burning, I'd feel different!
  • BJPCraig
    BJPCraig Posts: 417 Member
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    I haven't done a lot of cleaning or yard work lately (and it looks it), but I think if I was to do some intense housework or yard work for an hour or so, I'd count it.

    Other than that, I count my traditional "workouts" and my kung fu class. The only normal daily activity that I log is the 20 minutes I spend walking the dog. But to make sure it counts, when he's stopped (sniffing, looking, doing his business, whatever), i march in place to keep the burn going.

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