Housework/Cooking etc

kclewis416
kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
edited November 20 in Getting Started
I have a pretty sedentary office job so to lose the final 5-10 lbs I am at 1200 calories per day, but the minute I am at home with my 2 kids it is go go go go go.... So, for at least 3 hours a day (minimum) I am always on my feet, cooking, cleaning, laundry, bathing kids, up and down the stairs etc..

I noticed under exercise they actually have general house work as an option... does anyone else log this? I am generally always around 200-300 calories above my goal on the days that I do not go to the gym/workout. For accurate readings should I be logging this.. even if its an under estimate of 2 hours of cleaning or housework?

Thanks.

Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    I don't log it... I'm a SAHM of 5. I just let my sports watch count the steps, but I don't log it as separate exercise.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    lol - am i reaching hard for this one? :D:D
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    I don't loge them I know some that do, but I Find that they get absorbed in the general walking/steps and overestimate of sporty exercise on MFP. When I don't log them my fitbit and MFP tend to be within 10% of each other Logging them woud have me overestimate my deficit
  • tobehappy2017
    tobehappy2017 Posts: 41 Member
    From what i read,going lower than 1200 per day is also not a good choice(including the exercise calories).If you have the time,may be do trial and error.Log the calories for 2-3 weeks and see if you are losing/gaining? Depending on the outcome,you can decide whether to skip them/add them to the log.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Those types of things are accounted for in your daily activity. Do not log housework and such as exercise. If you're losing weight too rapidly then you might want to consider upping your activity level.
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  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    You might consider changing your setting from "sedentary" to "lightly active."
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    I'm a housewife, so housework is a big chumk of my daily activity. I find it much easier to wear a fitness tracker.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
    alwaysbloated wrote: »
    Maybe just wear a fitness tracker? My fitbit charge has a heartrate monitor and pedometer.

    Or, let your smart phone do it. Not 100% accurate, but it lets you have a clue as to how active you were each day.
    Lots of free apps that will count steps, track workouts, etc.

    Meanwhile, I want to get a fitbit again. Destroyed my last one when I smacked it on something while on a river. Broke a seal and it got water in it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    That kind of stuff is included in my activity level. Even though I have a desk job, I set my activity level to light active to account for the fact that when I get home I'm doing lots of stuff...chasing kids...yard work...fixing this or that, etc.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    thanks everyone - I will not add it!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I agree, fitness tracker or lightly active will give you a better idea.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    You were sedentary, now you're not - so change your activity setting.

    Beware if you set an aggressive weight loss goal it may not be completely reflected in your total if you have been hitting the 1200 minimum.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    I have always had an office job, and have always been going going going at home in the morning and after work... I think I will just leave it at sedentary and 1200 and not log the daily housework.

    Out of curiosity - If I did change my status to being more active.. would that mean MFP would recommend 1300 calories per day (or so) to get my weight loss vs 1200 that it currently recommends??
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    kclewis416 wrote: »
    I have always had an office job, and have always been going going going at home in the morning and after work... I think I will just leave it at sedentary and 1200 and not log the daily housework.

    Out of curiosity - If I did change my status to being more active.. would that mean MFP would recommend 1300 calories per day (or so) to get my weight loss vs 1200 that it currently recommends??

    Yes, your activity level setting is figured into the calorie target.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    Thank you.
  • ChristopherLimoges
    ChristopherLimoges Posts: 298 Member
    Calculate the differences then add that together towards your rmr/bmr(base line physical fitness activities aren't usually included in most rmr/bmr calculations.) This will most likely lead to a more desirable outcome. The initial result is also always adjustable, if you feel that you're consuming too much or not enough you can add or subtract the carbohydrates, and fats.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    ^^ any way to dumb that down for me.. ? :)
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    I have an office job and do a lot less at home then you have described and walk to work which is a mile from my house, I've made my settings lightly active and am losing at the rate I set. We have the same amount to lose (only a few pounds) so remember to not put your weight loss settings any higher than a pound a week or ideally half a pound a week, (I try to stick to half a pound as I'm trying to retain muscle) :)

    If you're struggling on 1200 I say bump it up to a comfortable amount no need to punish yourself, personally I find if I restrict too much I end up yo-yoing and giving up because it's too difficult to keep it up. Good luck x
  • ChristopherLimoges
    ChristopherLimoges Posts: 298 Member
    edited July 2017
    kclewis416 wrote: »
    ^^ any way to dumb that down for me.. ? :)

    Starting with a basic rmr/bmr, whatever yours may be(1,200, 1,300, 1,500 calories per day), add or don't add additional macros to obtain your desired physique or maintain your dietary plan. If you're deprived of energy, feel like you're not eating enough or too much, add or subtract 50 - 200 calories of your needed macros. Baseline physical activities such as cleaning, caring for kids, etc. aren't calculated into most rmr/bmr dietary plans and are hardly regarded in beginner's physical fitness. Although you could just track the activity as an exercise, adjusting the calories used back into your diet could be more suitable.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,993 Member
    You can't count regular day activities you do every day as exercise. That's just your activity level. Now if you cleaned or gardened once a week, then yes. But a walking mailman walks everyday for work. I wouldn't count that as exercise, but just as his regular physical activity level.

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  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    Why don't you go by your rate of loss instead? You've obviously been at this some time if you're on the last 10lbs. What is your weekly average weight loss?
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    Okay - so not counting regular daily activities makes sense to me when you put it that way - since it is just my activity level. Got it!

    My current weight loss is around 1-1.5 lbs per month - slowing down the closer I am getting to my goal and also since I am doing weights 4 days a week and gaining more muscle (just an assumption from how I look/feel).
  • clcrawford1
    clcrawford1 Posts: 15 Member
    kclewis416 wrote: »
    Okay - so not counting regular daily activities makes sense to me when you put it that way - since it is just my activity level. Got it!

    That's it! It's amazing how quickly our bodies adjust to our daily baseline level of activity
  • MrsMcLaughlin2013
    MrsMcLaughlin2013 Posts: 43 Member
    I usually only add it if I do something above and beyond my norm. Like When I cook Thanksgiving dinner...or when I do my big monthly clean and I am scrubbing everything in sight for a good 2-3 hours straight.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    kclewis416 wrote: »
    Okay - so not counting regular daily activities makes sense to me when you put it that way - since it is just my activity level. Got it!

    My current weight loss is around 1-1.5 lbs per month - slowing down the closer I am getting to my goal and also since I am doing weights 4 days a week and gaining more muscle (just an assumption from how I look/feel).

    If you're losing that little (which is fine, don't get me wrong... it is like that close to goal) adding more exercise calories in the form of housework sounds like a bad call, haven't you been doing this housework in the previous months too? I'd keep things as is, you're losing at a more than healthy rate but the margin for error is small. Even if you don't log weekly huge cleans and lets assume you burn 150 cals doing them, that's 150x4 weeks (or 1 if you clean like me lol) that's only 600 calories. I wouldn't care to be under that much over the course of a month but I suspect you've been cleaning in the past as well so I'd not bother.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited July 2017
    I wouldn't log working around the house. I only log actual exercise like walking on the treadmill or anything else I don't ordinarily do for house work.
  • kclewis416
    kclewis416 Posts: 79 Member
    Mrsnatty - this go go going I do everyday has been going on forever. I will not be logging it since it makes total sense to me now that it is my typical day to day activity. Thanks for your input.

    Thanks everyone.

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