What do you count as exercise vs. daily activities?

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Whitneylol
Whitneylol Posts: 244
in Fitness and Exercise
I see people counting 'cleaning' and such, and that's fine, not bashing it at all- but I personally don't do that. To me, my exercise is when I set out to do something in the gym. OR- if I break a sweat.

For example, at work I walk around a ton but I don't count it- should I be?? Just wanting to see what you all do!

Thanks :)
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  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
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    Counting workout and walks I usually don't do. When I started on MFP, I was taking the bus to work. Now, I'm walking there and counting it as exercise. (I put my activity level on sedentary)
  • elmsallmissile
    elmsallmissile Posts: 86
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    I see people counting 'cleaning' and such, and that's fine, not bashing it at all- but I personally don't do that. To me, my exercise is when I set out to do something in the gym. OR- if I break a sweat.

    For example, at work I walk around a ton but I don't count it- should I be?? Just wanting to see what you all do!

    Thanks :)

    Depends what you have your activity level set at
  • healthy_KT
    healthy_KT Posts: 57 Member
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    I guess it depends. I worked at Disney for 8 months mostly working the glow carts. I had to push the cart up and down hills sometimes all the way to the other side of the park but I never thought about how much exercise I was getting. That paired with the fact I barely had enough time to eat made me lose 20 pounds while I was there. I'm like you. I only count it when I go out of my way to do it.
  • millionsofpeaches
    millionsofpeaches Posts: 372
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    Well, since I only clean twice a year... I log it.

    Haha. Just kidding... I clean once a week and I do not log it unless it is crazy OCD down on the floors cleaning all of the base boards with a tooth brush kind of stuff.
  • ameyc2002
    ameyc2002 Posts: 247 Member
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    well im a stay at home mom and i spend at least 2 hours a day cleaning doing laundry and all that home stuff. i do not add that in.. i only add excercise i set out to do like going for a walk, a workout video or swimming something i dont do on a regular basis
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,157 Member
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    If I don't normally do it as part of my sedentary lifestyle I log it. For example my wife usually mows the lawn because she likes doing so, occasionally I will mow it when I know she has a lot of other things to do. In that case I log it.
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
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    Definitely only log stuff that I intend as exercise..
  • jerryboydjr
    jerryboydjr Posts: 2
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    I believe exercise si only soemthing that you generally DO NOT do on an average day and raises your heart rate at least 20 beats per hour abvoe you restign rate for an extended priod of time (at least 10 minutes)
  • sandy2006
    sandy2006 Posts: 483 Member
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    well im a stay at home mom and i spend at least 2 hours a day cleaning doing laundry and all that home stuff. i do not add that in.. i only add excercise i set out to do like going for a walk, a workout video or swimming something i dont do on a regular basis
    Same here!
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 783 Member
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    I only count it if I have to wear cycling or running attire.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    I too only log actual exercise. But if I were shoveling a lot of snow, or digging lots of weeds, then I might consider logging it as exercise.

    Yes - I do walk to the copy machine, vacuum, and shop, .... big whoop .... I don't really see those activites as exercise. Those are just part of daily life. If I did log them, I might be tempted to say ...... Oh I don't need to exercise because I vacuumed the house!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I only log things I do specifically for exercise.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
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    i count dog walks and lunch break walks but others I don't. cleaning should absolutely count, but I don't count it.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    i don't log cleaning, yard work, washing the car, walking around doing errands, or any of that.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
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    My rule is two-fold. I ask myself:

    1) Do I do this activity regularly, is it a normal part of my lifestyle, y or n?

    If yes, then its normal activity. For example, mowing the lawn - I did it before and after I joined MFP and worked toward a healthier lifestyle, so no it doesn't count as exercise. Same with cleaning.

    However, something like chopping/splitting firewood I would log. Because its only done a couple weekends a year and its a killer workout - not normal activity.

    2) Do I break a sweat or get my heart rate elevated for a measurable period of time, y or n?
  • bethdris
    bethdris Posts: 1,090 Member
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    well im a stay at home mom and i spend at least 2 hours a day cleaning doing laundry and all that home stuff. i do not add that in.. i only add excercise i set out to do like going for a walk, a workout video or swimming something i dont do on a regular basis

    Yup same here!
  • magicmama
    magicmama Posts: 19
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    I only log it if the purpose is for exercise. If I'm doing something active for another purpose, I just consider it a bonus.
  • Shawn_Marie
    Shawn_Marie Posts: 312
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    My daily is on sedentary because I have a job that requires me to sit 90% of the time so when I walk, go to the gym or do heavy cleaning and garening I log it
  • cfreema
    cfreema Posts: 30 Member
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    I don't log normal everyday cleaning or cooking. But whenever I borrowed the carpet shampooer and broke a sweat for an hour I thought that counted!
  • kathyhaf1
    kathyhaf1 Posts: 80
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    I'm a nurse and sometimes I'm on my feet for my whole 8hr shift, without sitting down, running around non-stop. In that case, I do count it as walking/exercise but not the whole 8 hrs. It is different than going to the gym, but I am still walking up and down the halls for hours at a time.

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