can being a waitress count as exercise?

rgrubba91
rgrubba91 Posts: 6
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
I am a waitress and I heard that on average, servers can walk 6 miles during a shift, and I believe it! Most of my 5 hour shifts is walking around, sometimes at a very fast pace. Should I count this as exercise? And if so, what should I categorize it as?

Replies

  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    change your 'lifestyle' to active.

    I kind of miss those days! I used to waitress, I'd work a double and be exhausted. I had no idea that it added up to that many miles though!
  • SeasideOasis
    SeasideOasis Posts: 1,057 Member
    Agreed. Set your lifestyle to active here to account for how fast paced your job is (and keeps you moving frequently).
  • tararocks
    tararocks Posts: 287 Member
    Agree that you should make sure you don't have sedentary or light listed as your daily activity level, make it active and then MFP will account for that in your calorie allocation. Then you would not want to recount it as exercise because MFP already took it into account.
  • talysshade
    talysshade Posts: 273 Member
    I agree with the above, however, if it's only a sidejob that you do like two days a week. Then count some walking calories only for those days.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
    I would suggest getting a step-counter, that way you know for SURE how far you go in a shift!

    You can take it a step farther and even figure out how fast you were moving :) Just distance walked/shift length.
  • michelletyler38
    michelletyler38 Posts: 469 Member
    I agree with changing your lifestyle to active. But I'd probably still try to get a small workout in.
  • BeccyBerry
    BeccyBerry Posts: 312
    I waitress a couple of nights a week and on a sunday i do a straight though (12pm-10pm) I wore a pedometer on one of them and I clocked up over 12 miles!! Not to mention the majority of these miles covered are carying a load!

    I enter it as exercise but my normal activity is low and as i dont waitress on a daily basis it'd be too much chopping and changing!

    Apparently the average waitress burns about 200 calories an hour!

    I dont eat the calories back but i definately wouldnt feel bad going over on these days!

    http://twentyonedayhabit.blogspot.com/2006/04/waitressing-for-weight-loss.html

    This made me lol when I got to the part about the customers complaining the aircon is too cold! I get that all the time!!
  • rgrubba91
    rgrubba91 Posts: 6
    Oh yeah, I have it set to active. I didn't know it accounted for that. But it is more than a side job, I usually work close to 40 hours. Thanks for all your suggestions!
  • rgrubba91
    rgrubba91 Posts: 6
    Haha Yeah that blog points out a lot of good points. Hell, I sweat even when I am just sweeping the floor at work!
  • kylee_marie
    kylee_marie Posts: 299 Member
    I waitress a couple of nights a week and on a sunday i do a straight though (12pm-10pm) I wore a pedometer on one of them and I clocked up over 12 miles!! Not to mention the majority of these miles covered are carying a load!

    I enter it as exercise but my normal activity is low and as i dont waitress on a daily basis it'd be too much chopping and changing!

    Apparently the average waitress burns about 200 calories an hour!

    I dont eat the calories back but i definately wouldnt feel bad going over on these days!

    http://twentyonedayhabit.blogspot.com/2006/04/waitressing-for-weight-loss.html

    This made me lol when I got to the part about the customers complaining the aircon is too cold! I get that all the time!!

    i count mine too because i only waitress on thursday night... 5pm-1am. my regular job is an office job, sitting at a desk, on the computer ALL DAY i didnt want to change my lifestyle just for one day but boy let me tell you, in that one shift, i know i get a workout! it is non stop, thursdays are very busy!
  • BeccyBerry
    BeccyBerry Posts: 312
    I waitress a couple of nights a week and on a sunday i do a straight though (12pm-10pm) I wore a pedometer on one of them and I clocked up over 12 miles!! Not to mention the majority of these miles covered are carying a load!

    I enter it as exercise but my normal activity is low and as i dont waitress on a daily basis it'd be too much chopping and changing!

    Apparently the average waitress burns about 200 calories an hour!

    I dont eat the calories back but i definately wouldnt feel bad going over on these days!

    http://twentyonedayhabit.blogspot.com/2006/04/waitressing-for-weight-loss.html

    This made me lol when I got to the part about the customers complaining the aircon is too cold! I get that all the time!!

    i count mine too because i only waitress on thursday night... 5pm-1am. my regular job is an office job, sitting at a desk, on the computer ALL DAY i didnt want to change my lifestyle just for one day but boy let me tell you, in that one shift, i know i get a workout! it is non stop, thursdays are very busy!

    Haha I know what you mean I work thursday nights too and thursdays are equally as busy as friday nights where I work but they have less staff on. I feel like ive done a proper workout by the end of it!
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