"Daily Activity" Exercises

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  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    thank you both rubybelle and roannered because you made me think about this in a different way. i really didn't understand what setting your activity level in your profile did to your overall plan. it makes sense. i do expos sometimes myself, so moving all those boxes and stuff would probably be something to count. and same thing about doing a bigger housecleaning or gardening hard or what not. :)

    I'm glad it helped. I see this question a lot and I think it is usually because people don't understand the point of the activity level - it covers regular day to day stuff and then you log (and eat) extra activity that burns extra calories.

    Personally I don't think it matters if it is "real exercise" or not - your body just knows that it is burning more calories and doesn't add any extra merit for calories burnt in front of an exercise DVD or calories burnt cleaning the house.
    The important thing is only to count them once. And to adjust your strategy if what you're doing isn't working for you, we are all different and have to find the right system for each of us personally.
  • jolinemariem
    jolinemariem Posts: 462 Member
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    and i think as long as you are keeping active and not lazing on the couch it doesnt really matter what you do
  • Greg127
    Greg127 Posts: 100 Member
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    Counting calories and scoring golf, you're only cheating yourself. keep doing what you're doing. So long as we're not palying for money I don't worry about what the other guys score is. Good luck. :smile:
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    I don't add general house cleaning to my days.. but times like this weekend... hauling boxes of Christmas decorations up and downstairs for an hour or more... and washing walls in every room in the house, scrubbing floors by hand, etc.. I do. Mail and Sex... nope lol

    I do this too, if I am having just a horrible cleaning day because relatives came over or something then I am posting it. I must say I do encourage people who post these things though, and I will tell you why.
    I remember being so big that exercise was too hard, and cleaning was hard too. I would rather encourage them to do something and post in hopes that it will encourage them to do more. I hope it is taken that way :flowerforyou:
  • bellaitalia603
    bellaitalia603 Posts: 43 Member
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    I only post it if I otherwise have gone over calories. Anything to avoid seeing the red numbers...

    I know it's dumb, and I don't post it unless I've done legitimate physical work. I've never logged 300 calories of cleaning. Keep in mind that when the little status update says "so-and-so burned 452 calories from cardio activity, including cleaning" it also includes other activities. If I logged 300 calories from running and 100 from cleaning, the post might look that way.

    it's not dumb....i hate those red numbers!
  • gorgeouss9
    gorgeouss9 Posts: 221
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    I keep my pedometer on me at all times and I log in my calories burned to this site based on what it says. That way i know its very accurate.
  • bellaitalia603
    bellaitalia603 Posts: 43 Member
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    I remember being so big that exercise was too hard, and cleaning was hard too. I would rather encourage them to do something and post in hopes that it will encourage them to do more. I hope it is taken that way :flowerforyou:

    this is where i am at. 30 min on the treadmill at like 2.3 is hell. i know i'll get better. so when i do a full on house cleaning i am probably burning calories too. i'm glad to get all the insight from everyone on this topic. so thank you all!!!
  • BobbyClerici
    BobbyClerici Posts: 813 Member
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    In general I do 90 minuted of cardio with 30 minutes of resistance 6 days a week.

    I rest resistance Tuesday and cardio every 10 days or so.
    My resistance is lower weights but high reps, then heavy every 3rd workout.

    And I split my body into 3 muscle groups:
    1. Legs
    2. Chest- triceps - shoulders
    3. Arms - back

    I do a lot of weird things for cardio like military march, boxing type training,
    dancing, floor rolls, squat thrust intervals and the good ole jumping jack.
    And I jog, swim, play tennis, fast walk and bike.

    Lost 64lbs and nearly 20% body fat - it works for me.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    When I first started, I logged everything... like going shopping for groceries I'd log as walking 2mph. It got me into the habit of moving more, and kept me out of the habit of depriving myself.

    Sometimes I'll still log cleaning, if it's a marathon "going to have company over" type of cleaning, where I move furniture to vacuum under it and stuff like that. The time I didn't log it, I lost two pounds that week, while aiming for a half pound.

    And I'll still log shoveling snow and mowing the lawn. If it's something I only do every two weeks or so (hopefully only every two weeks or so), it's not part of my normal routine.
  • tjpinch
    tjpinch Posts: 87 Member
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    I have my activity level set to sedentary, so I log some of those things. Mopping the floor with a 12lb baby on your hip is hard work ;)
  • LuLuRunner1
    LuLuRunner1 Posts: 329 Member
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    As a rule, even if I do my vigorous cleaning and work up a sweat, I don't log cleaning. I look at those extra burned calories from cleaning the same as the calories from the taste test of food while I'm cooking or a bite of the kids snacks that I'm not logging....and if I lose weight while cleaning and not logging the calories burned, I still win!
  • karenhs2
    karenhs2 Posts: 197
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    I remember first seeing those cleaning posts and thinking, wow, I can log that? I am not the greatest housekeeper so it has actually been motivating me to get stuff done and in a very aerobic fashion. (and my activity level is set to sedentary and I am very conservative on logging time for it).

    So my house is getting cleaner and I am getting smaller at the same time. Talk about your win win!

    Maybe eventually my husband will notice and join me (in losing weight) and eventually I might even get to make a decision about whether or not to log "long, vigorous sex." :love: One can dream...
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I keep my pedometer on me at all times and I log in my calories burned to this site based on what it says. That way i know its very accurate.

    As long as you aren't counting those calories twice - remember that MFP has already calculated "daily activities" in your calorie allowance, which would include a bit of walking around even at a sedentary setting.
    But, if what you are doing it working, keep it up!
  • yogamom16
    yogamom16 Posts: 114
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    Wait... how do we log sex? :tongue:
  • kp_88
    kp_88 Posts: 53 Member
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    I only log it when I'm doing more than my activity level. Like the other day I seriously deep cleaned my house moving everything organizing for three hours. I logged two hours and exercised that night as well.
  • savage22hp
    savage22hp Posts: 278 Member
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    The closer you are to your goals the less some of the more unorthodox or mundane activities will be of benefit , but just as you should log every tablespoon of margarine you should log the activities that will benefit you by burning calories . It's all about cause and affect and training yourself to recognize what your output on a normal day is so you can moderate your caloric intake . Diets come and go with differing results but changing your lifestyle in the real world has to include what you will do when you no longer are " dieting " . ( my opinion , you are welcome to make it yours )
  • savage22hp
    savage22hp Posts: 278 Member
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    When I first started, I logged everything... like going shopping for groceries I'd log as walking 2mph. It got me into the habit of moving more, and kept me out of the habit of depriving myself.

    Sometimes I'll still log cleaning, if it's a marathon "going to have company over" type of cleaning, where I move furniture to vacuum under it and stuff like that. The time I didn't log it, I lost two pounds that week, while aiming for a half pound.

    And I'll still log shoveling snow and mowing the lawn. If it's something I only do every two weeks or so (hopefully only every two weeks or so), it's not part of my normal routine.






    Yes , exactly . It is a matter of where you are in your weight loss .
  • tya2007
    tya2007 Posts: 6 Member
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    You should not knock what poeple do on here. You don't know there reason. There are poeple I know so big that everthing they do counts. Any good Dr. will till you the same. I wish you all the best in your workouts. But please respect what poeple put. We are here to help each other.
  • tya2007
    tya2007 Posts: 6 Member
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    Where can I get a good pedometer at a low cost?
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    I am obese. I was living a sedentary life. When I first started I needed to "just get my body moving" so I logged and still log anything that is "out of the ordinary" for me. The more I move the easier life gets!! It works for me!!!

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