Don't forget to add up your daily chores as exercise!

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bigbugboo
bigbugboo Posts: 161
in Fitness and Exercise
I know that many of you 'old hands' will already be doing this, but I am only on day 2, and it dawned on me that i should be totting up the cleaning and other chores as part of my exercise routine. I have swept through the kitchen/diner, mopped the floor and washed the car which added up to a whopping 250+ cals used. I would have completely ignored this before, but now am looking for opportunities to clean things just to use up calories! Who knows, I should soon be fit and lean with the cleanest place in town. I can't lose (except weight and flab of course)! :laugh:
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Replies

  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    What are you going to do with all those extra calories?
  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
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    I never count chores as exercise. I feel that they fall into my daily burn, even if I don't clean hardcore everyday.

    Edit: I'm set to sedentary as I'm a student and spend most of my time reading and studying.
  • DKev
    DKev Posts: 266 Member
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    Yes, especially if you have your activity set to 'sedentary' cleaning and such makes a big difference in your calories.
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
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    I never count daily chores as exercise, unless it goes above and beyond what I'd been doing. I'd need to break a serious sweat to ever include it.
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
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    Your daily chores should already be considered in your calorie goal for the day - you choose an "activity level" when you set up your goals. I wouldn't log them.
  • wutamunkee
    wutamunkee Posts: 440 Member
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    If you log them, at least don't eat them back.
  • avsingleton
    avsingleton Posts: 98 Member
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    counting ur daily chores as exercise almost seems like cheating...just doesn't seem right :noway:
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
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    I know that many of you 'old hands' will already be doing this, but I am only on day 2, and it dawned on me that i should be totting up the cleaning and other chores as part of my exercise routine. I have swept through the kitchen/diner, mopped the floor and washed the car which added up to a whopping 250+ cals used. I would have completely ignored this before, but now am looking for opportunities to clean things just to use up calories! Who knows, I should soon be fit and lean with the cleanest place in town. I can't lose (except weight and flab of course)! :laugh:

    Please tell me you're making fun of people who actually count cleaning as exercise calories. Please..
  • Kalrez
    Kalrez Posts: 655 Member
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    Your daily activities are already added into your activity level. If you count daily chores, then you're adding those calories twice.

    Now if you're doing some seriously heavy cleaning where you're moving furniture, scrubbing, climbing, lifting, etc, then add it. That's not normal, everyday cleaning.

    But if you're talking about doing a load of laundry, washing dishes, and sweeping the floors .... no. Just no.
  • clarech82
    clarech82 Posts: 244 Member
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    I don't log it as that's what I do all day being a stay at home mum. I just set my activity level to lightly active.
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
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    What are you going to do with all those extra calories?

    store them for winter.
  • vintx
    vintx Posts: 34
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    I would only count them if you chose "sedentary" as you lifestyle. i'm a recovering facebook-aholic and would sit on the couch most of the day, so i chose sedentary when filling out my profile. so i do enter cleaning and chores since normally, i wouldn't do them before.

    and for me, if i get to log something, it is motivation for me to get stuff done.

    good luck and do what works for you! :)
  • chrissym78
    chrissym78 Posts: 628 Member
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    I never log them! I clean everyday, therefore it's already figured into my daily activity level. If I ate every calorie I'd earned cleaning I'd be huge.
  • bigbugboo
    bigbugboo Posts: 161
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    I have decided to log my chores as I have my activity level set to sedentary. I work from home with an online business, so I sit for quite a bit of the day. I don't intend eating more because I have used more calories, but keep well within my allowance. I'm trying to do more activity by doing something productive, rather than exercise for exercise sake, therefore my home and family benefit from my activity as well as myself.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I don't clean often, and my activity level is sedentary, so I definitely count it as calories when I clean. And I eat them. AND I'm still losing weight. Oh, snap.
  • chelekaz
    chelekaz Posts: 871 Member
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    I agree, I don't put daily chores in because it is part of daily routine. Now, that said Sunday I will be logging them. Fall housecleaning along w/ moving out all my youngest's stuff from his room and setting up bunk beds and moving our oldest in with him... so not our idea but they want to share a room so....
  • sexforjaffacakes
    sexforjaffacakes Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I would say daily chores come under your profile anyway....I mean my bmr is like 1600 cals but my overall cals used are 2000, those 400 calories ave to come from somewhere...like housework....
  • rettab773
    rettab773 Posts: 15 Member
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    I log them i just don't use them to eat more.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I never count chores as exercise. I feel that they fall into my daily burn, even if I don't clean hardcore everyday.

    This.

    I also skip calories burned lifting weights, and walking I do that's part of my day and not specifically for exercise. I personally then feel better about eating back my exercise calories and I don't feel quite as bad if I go over by a little bit on some days.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    It's part of my activity level, so it's not counted, unless it's something beyond like painting a room, or heavy snow shoveling.

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