Fake Activity Calories?

I count on the treadmill exercises 99.9% of the time only..I might throw in a 2 mile hike in the snow with the dog. But I try not to count that. I did that anyways before I started this exercise routine and it didn't keep the weight off. So why inflate my calorie burn now with things I already did..

If you look at the page where you can manually change your goals, it adds in the calories burned from daily activities, that your body just naturally burns off. You won't burn any extra calories from doing activities like watching TV, sewing, etc. your body DOES burn calories, just not any more than it would if you were sitting normally.

I have a 5 bedroom 3 bath house and when I bleach the kitchen cabinets and sweep, mop,and vacuum I usually log that under cleaning " lightly" other then that if I'm just picking up around the house I don't log it.

ohnoez people are going to freak out because this thread was inactive for a long time and it somehow harms them when this occurs.

I've noticed that quite a few people add "sitting, sewing" and other activities like "food preparation" into their activity log ad some people rack up a few hundred extra calories from "cleaning, light effort."

Honestly, do these activities, especially the sitting ones, actually rack up an extra burnt calories because to me it's sedentary.... If its worked for you and you're losing weight- please let me know!

Basically, any extra calories to add to my total would be welcomed!

sewing =/= food prep

I log food prepping, but because I don't do small, basic things when I cook. Everything is from scratch and done by hand, so I usually end up actually breaking a sweat (hey, you try kneading dough for four different things for like an hour and a half total). But if it's like, making some eggs and toast, that isn't worth logging.

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

This is an extremely old discussion.

How many calories does bumping old threads burn?

Personally, I’d say anything that gets your heart rate elevated and leaves you with tired muscles is exercise.

Bear in mind that we’re not all twenty-somethings, doing gym classes and running marathons. Some of us are getting on a bit.

I have entered sedentary in my stats as I am retired and, unless well motivated will quite happily sit all day. Hence my cal allowance is 1200. I log all of my activity including my 'weekly clean' and walking as a way of getting myself to move about more. I woudn't log any sitting or fairly stationary activity (ironing etc) and only count my weekly clean as that is the real furniture moving, skirting board cleaning, bed making type clean and I have a large house. Waving a duster about or doing the washing up/laundry does not get counted! I count window washing if I do inside and out of a lot of windows - it's great for the arms! I also count hand washing the cars. Similarly with gardening - I don't include it if I'm just tickling a few weeds but if it is the sort of work that I would previously have persuaded hubby was his domain I count it - usually involving large branches, wheelbarrows etc. Don't include mowing as we have a ride on. By doing this I recognise the calories quoted by mfp are probably greatly exaggerated and hence I aim to eat back no more than half (unless I have been really vigorous for an extended period - I may eat a little more then). By doing this I have lost just over 45 lbs and continue to do so in a way which I see as sustainable going into maintenance.

I also think it's important to remember that, for people with mobility issues, doing any form of activity may represent a real breakthrough for them; if you cannot walk far/outside, a walk around the house is an achievement and they may log it to give themselves some recognition, They may not (probably shouldn't) eat many of the calories back unless they have severely restricted their calorie intake.

I think the only way you see it is if your on their friend list correct?

If it bugs you, the solution is simple.

You never know where someone else is starting from. I had multiple surgeries in a short period and was bed bound for a very long time. I came here when I was first recovering. Activities like cleaning and food prepping were hard for me and required effort. Now, I don't log those activities because they no longer require the effort they did then. in fact, I don't log any activities...I just let my heart rate monitor do that for me and don't always eat those calories back.