To count as exercise or not?

laurad8911 · July 2011

Ok so when I set up my account I chose the sedentary or whatever the lowest setting is for my daily activity level because I'm a student so when I'm in class or studying I am sitting. And I chose the option that reflects that I go to the gym 5-6 days a week, but that is separate. Anyway, I bike EVERYWHERE. To class, work (teaching swim lessons, which I also don't count, but its only for about 2 hrs a week and I don't have to swim all that much so its pretty insignificant), out for fun, anything...and in a pretty hilly town. I often end up sweating or warm by the time I get where I'm going (even in the winter, and we have COLD winters here). But I don't count this as exercise because its an everyday thing and its not deliberate exercise. For example, yesterday I biked more than 40 minutes just getting around, usually in about 10 minute trips at a time, I looked up how many calories that burns at MFP said 365.

Because of this I've thought about upping my daily activity level from sedentary to "light" or whatever the next one up is, but the description for that is "standing most of the time"....which I'm not doing either.

On days I don't work out I feel like the 1340 calories is not enough for me (my BMR is 1427 but for some reason MFP says I should be eating 1340 without exercise). It would be enough for me I think, however, when i go home to visit family and stay at my paretns' house where I have no bike but do have a car and sometimes go to the gym but get no activity besides that.

In other words, when I'm at school, I am sedentary in that my "occupation" of being a student leads to me sitting a lot. But, I'm not sedentary in the same way those who drive to work and then sit all day and then drive home are (except for when at my parents' house).

So, should I up my activity level to the one that says standing a lot since i don't stand a lot but I do bike? or count biking minutes each day as exercise? (that way when I'm at my parents house and not biking I won't eat up biking calories that arent there, although I think counting those minutes might be a pain each day since biking is just something I do, not an intentional "activity" usually). Or should I continue not counting them at all?

any suggestions appreciated

Laura

FaugHorn · July 2011

I'd count biking as exercise, easier than changing your lifestyle every time you go home and then it gives you a nice boost to your morale when all your MFP friends say "Great Burn" on your daily bike ride

ronda_gettinghealthy · July 2011

in my opinion since it is something you do everyday...I would up my activity level on those days...when you go visit your folks you can back your level to sedentary....then when you add intentional exercise you count that in....

anyway that is what I would do.....

Dornroschen · July 2011

1) If you can, I would buy a heart rate monitor so you know for sure how many calories you're burning riding your bike.
2) I'd stick to sedentary and add the biking as exercise.

Finally, why don't you do one for a week or two and see how you do...if it doesn't work, try the other for a week or two? Everyone's so different so I'm not sure that there is a definitive answer!

misscfe · July 2011

I would probably leave it sedentary and count the biking time as exercise. That way on a day you don't bike anywhere (if that happens) your calorie intake will not be too high for that day.

heididw · July 2011

Either way, you have to count them in as if you don't your body may go into starvation mode, meaning you will stop losing weight. Personally I set my setting to the Sedentary setting and count everything, including walking to work, cleaning and cooking, as exercise.

Hope that helps, Heidi

RissaDean · July 2011

I would try both options for exactly two weeks, and see which one works for you.

For two weeks: leave your settings alone, and log your biking as excercise.

Go back to what you have things set at now, exactly, for a week (or two).

For two weeks: change your settings to light and NOT log your biking as excercise.

Track your weight and your measurements once a week on the same day (say Wed or Fri or whatever works) during all of that time, and see what happens. I suggest the 1-2 rest period between the two experiments as a sort of control....I've noticed that if I work out and eat REALLY healthy and such, I will see the loss on the scale the following week more so than the "healthy" week.

FearAnLoathing · July 2011

This might help

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/291071-activity-level-and-logging-exercise?page=1#posts-3845881

Qarol · July 2011

I would think that if you bike that often as a form of transportation, that qualifies as "light" over "sedentary."

I like the suggestion to try it differently for a couple weeks. What can it hurt?

Jade_Butterfly · July 2011

Since you are biking a lot I would set it at light. . try it out for a couple of weeks. . and see how that goes. ..

I would also get an HRM so that you have an accurate calorie count on your biking time as well as being able to monitor your heartrate. .. Obviously if it is something that you do on a regular basis. . you are not going to be getting as much of an increase in your heart rate as someone who is just starting to exercise. .

Whether you are a student or not that shows that you are being active as compared to someone that just goes to school and doesn't exercise. . hope this makes sense. . I think if you set it at lightly active and get a HRM for your exercise time you will be pleasantly pleased with the results. . . .That way you can make sure that when you do other forms of exercise you are within your target heart rate. Doing exercises that elevate your heartrate to the target zone are where you are going to build muscle and shed pound. . Good Luck and God bless.

PS. . .Most people use the polar HRM's. . Don't know what your budget is. ..but I got mine at Walmart it is a Sportline with a chest strap and it cost a Whopping $47.00. . Just a thought

To count as exercise or not?

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