Incidental exercise; sneaking it in. And how to track that?

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maryadavies4667
maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
edited July 2018 in Health and Weight Loss
I thought I'd ask about this. As I mentioned in my intro when I answered, right now we got a bit of a minor problem. ^^

The toilet upstairs is being wacko and really needs a new flapper, (it won't flush for hours after you flush it unless you jiggle the handle) but since the valve's busted to the toilet, we can't fix it until the valve's fixed. I am all "No I'm NOT using that potteh!" and heading downstairs when I need to go do my business. It may be a while before it gets fixed since the brother who usually takes care of that can take months to get anything fixed.

Now, I figure since it's basically a flight of stairs +a set of two stairs and back up them, that's a bit of snuck in exercise. I'm not sure how to track that. Especially since I don't own a fitbit and can't afford one. If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears. I'm thinking about keeping that up AFTER the toilet gets fixed because stairs are good for you!

Also, does anyone do that kinda thing on purpose? Do something like use the stairs over the elevator to force yourself to get some extra exercise?
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  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    I think it's about 3-6 times a day, I'd have to keep track. Maybe not worth logging but any moving does count I think.

    Proly my walks count more; I've been doing 3 times up and down our little street; I'm hoping to up that to 6 and then to the park instead. ^^ Slow and easy since I've been sitting around on my bum for years..

    I'm also planning on doing a college thing; I'm going to find the heaviest books in the house after I hit 6 times up and down the road and haul them around in my old backpack on my walks. I used to be a pre-nursing student for a while in college; that means HEAVY BOOKS. (Unfortunately I never made nurse.) One site I saw mentioned you should use a weight vest, but they suggested a backpack with heavy books in it will do as well. ^^
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    maryadavies4667 wrote: »
    I think it's about 3-6 times a day, I'd have to keep track. Maybe not worth logging but any moving does count I think.

    It does count, but it's also accounted for in your activity level
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    Why don’t you set yourself a challenge, today go up and down stairs 3 times, tomorrow 5 times, day after 7 etc etc - not for the toilet and not for extra calories to eat - just to build up activity. Ok it’s not a lot, really, but everyone has to start somewhere - you do you!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    You may find this thread interesting.

    Adding a few flights of stairs into your daily movement won't give you much of a calorie burn. I would just look at it as part of my NEAT as a sedentary person and not track it.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

    Cheers, h.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    That's a idea too kdp. Tho yeah, I'm dragging out a few old books I didn't sell back after I graduated and try carrying those on my walks once I get the goal of 6 times up and down our street. (Ironically, it's called Granny Lane..)

    Basically make it kick my butt more, even as I start walking to the nearby park. I'm hoping I can walk a hour every evening or morning depending. Pref morning, but it depends how long I sleep. ^^
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    maryadavies4667 wrote: »
    I think it's about 3-6 times a day, I'd have to keep track. Maybe not worth logging but any moving does count I think.

    You have to keep in mind that even an activity level setting of sedentary is going to account for about 5,000 steps per day. The best way to go about it would be to get a fitness tracker to see how many steps overall you get and have that sync to MFP.

    And yes, I deliberately take the stairs, park further away from my office building and other establishments, etc to increase my overall activity.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    Cwolfman; at this point I don't have a fitness tracker that I can sync. A 3DS does not count, neither does Personal Trainer Walking! (Both track steps; with the 3DS, it tracks steps as long as you have it on your person, the Personal Trainer walking tracks when you have the sensor on you.). Neither are sync-able.)

    I'll think about it though if I can scrounge up the money. But right now, I'll use what I have around. ^^

    Also after I read that thing about the weight vest, made me realize maybe the fact I WAS carrying around heavy books in college (and having to dash to class + bicycle ride everywhere) was why I was in a lot better shape then and dodged the Freshman 15. Unfortunately it got me AFTER college, with friends ><
  • BZAH10
    BZAH10 Posts: 5,710 Member
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    maryadavies4667 wrote: »
    That's a idea too kdp. Tho yeah, I'm dragging out a few old books I didn't sell back after I graduated and try carrying those on my walks once I get the goal of 6 times up and down our street. (Ironically, it's called Granny Lane..)

    Basically make it kick my butt more, even as I start walking to the nearby park. I'm hoping I can walk a hour every evening or morning depending. Pref morning, but it depends how long I sleep. ^^

    Make sure that the backpack you use for walking with these heavy books fits really well and the weight is distributed evenly. You certainly don't want to overdo it and risk injury to your back and then not be able to walk at all.

    I'd say just keep adding flights of stairs each day and walk a little farther each day. For now, that's much easier on your joints.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    Bzah, it's a old and VERY beat up LL Bean one (it's my old college backpack). Since it IS beat up I might think about getting a new one first; was going to anyway for something else. (Love LL Bean; I do try to save up for quality stuff b/c that saves me money in the long run)

    And that's what I'll do for now until I get my goal of 6 times up and down the road. Figure start slow. ^^
  • buffinlovin
    buffinlovin Posts: 100 Member
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    I like to sneak these little extra things into my day when I can, and it's surprising how much it adds up. I don't log it separately (I use a fitbit which monitors my activity).

    -When I get coffee/heat food in the breakroom I do 15-20 "pushups" leaning against the counter, I do this 2-4 times a day
    -I go upstairs to use the restroom, about 4-5 times a day
    -I make multiple trips to start/put away laundry
    -I go outside with the dogs and walk around instead of just letting the out and watching them from the door (we have a fenced backyard)
    -I chase my cats around to wear them out, mostly because they are *kittens* and like to wake me up at 3am, so I like to wake them up while they are sleeping =P

    Now these little things aren't giving me crazy deficits, but I figure at the end of the month I can get an extra scoop of ice cream or something lol!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Although a lot of people enjoy using a tracker, I have never used one. Movement around the house, garden, shopping, work is just part of my NEAT.
    A purposeful walk I will time and log it on MFP, estimating my speed, or use the (weight x 0.3) x distance =cals burnt equation.

    Don't worry if you don't have one. Use a best guess and log your walks using time in MFP.

    Cheers, h.
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
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    I treat any extra activity in my day, such as extra flights of steps or parking further away, as a bonus to my deficit. I do not log it, so then I can't overeat due to higher "goal".

    I would recommend you find what type of exercise you enjoy and work your way up in it. My hubby can ride a stationary bike for 3 hrs and is happy to stick to that, while I find it monotonous and more likely to slack (despite being able to play console games while spinning). Instead I prefer structured workout videos, so that I can mimic the trainer's speed and motions, keeps me honest =)

    Others prefer going to a gym and using the weight machines or taking different classes. Still others can read up on types of exercises and just do reps of those on their own schedule.

    Once you find what makes you want to exercise (a phrase I never thought I would utter) it will be easier to get into a routine and shed the pounds.

    On a side note, if you have a Wii and have Wii fit, the balance board is pretty accurate for logging weight changes. And you can set a goal and view a graph too =) Only mentioning as you said you had 3DS and Personal Trainer =)
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    Emmies; I don't have a wii, but I'll check and see if Wii Fit is compatible with the Wii U (My brother has that (the older one) and I don't think he'd mind if I went in his room to use it.)

    He also has a Wii he isn't using since he got the Wii U. A wii fit with balance board might be something to keep a eye out for when I troll thrift stores if I'm under the weight limit. ^^ I'm already planning on doing that b/c I do like quite a few retro games (need to feed the PS3 and my PS2; I figure games are better treats than noshing in the fridge) and was making arrangements with a friend to finally do that when she feels like it.

    Also with the books; I mean to start gradually with those. Like, my old Anatomy book first, then add the Nursing books I didn't sell, then that psych book that I don't know where the frick came from, and then go from there. Would rather be carrying books that people aren't looking for and that I won't be tempted to read!
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
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    The Wii Fit has a good selection of exercise "games" as well, I haven't tried them back out since getting into exercise but they might be worth a shot if you pick up the game.

    Oh yes feeding the games =) That is my major hobby, love most types. I think I currently have 3 on the go... If you would like to add me as a friend you are welcome =)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    Are you paying rent? You mentioned a brother taking months to fix things. I don't care if you are paying cheap rent to a family member - taking months to fix a toilet is unacceptable.

    While the extra exercise is a good thing, allowing landlords to shirk responsibility because they are family is not.
  • mmebouchon
    mmebouchon Posts: 855 Member
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    Log the the trips up and down stairs as 1 or 2 minutes of stairs. If you make 10 trips that is exercise and is not only providing a bit of a calorie burn but some added fitness. Even if you count each trip up and down as 10 calories it gives you a bit of extra motivation to keep moving.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    mmebouchon wrote: »
    Log the the trips up and down stairs as 1 or 2 minutes of stairs. If you make 10 trips that is exercise and is not only providing a bit of a calorie burn but some added fitness. Even if you count each trip up and down as 10 calories it gives you a bit of extra motivation to keep moving.

    OP is going up and down a flight if stairs... that's 30 seconds max per trip.
  • maryadavies4667
    maryadavies4667 Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2018
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    Kshama; We are all living together. Me and my sister pay the house note with SSI; the other two pay bills for their share; when my mom died we inherited Mom's house but it came with a mortgage. Said brother has major depression and I'd say HE needs to lose about 200 pounds, but I won't yell at him. He has to get his own wake up call. He also is the one that manages the "family money".

    You can kinda say I pay rent that way; I have to look for other ways to make spending money but I'm surviving at least. No one's really a landlord; the older brother does try to get stuff fixed when he can, but with that toilet, he can't when the valve's broken. (He tried, it wouldn't turn off and squirted him in the face when he was trying to rep the toilet guts.) We are going to have to get a contractor to fix that valve before we can do anything about that toilet, and I don't know when the second brother will since he's the one who makes more money... It isn't fair..Anyway this isn't the first time the second brother has delayed fixing something. Last time it was the oven; took him from Thanksgiving before last to last January to get us a new one when it turned out to be unrepairable. (Made Thanksgiving and Christmas fun. NOT.) Believe me, we've tried when this stuff happens; he just gets more stubborn and he just got a shattered tooth out, so he really feels poor at the moment.

    All I can do on that account is ask him if he'd like help finding a GOOD contractor and just deal with it for now.

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