do you track small amounts of exercise

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  • cℓaire1185
    cℓaire1185 Posts: 6
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    I would not ask questions if I were you, everybody disagrees with EVERYTHING.
  • enigrebua
    enigrebua Posts: 113 Member
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    I tend to track anything 30 minutes or more...or if it's more intense exercise such as running instead of walking, I'll always track it. I lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle on the whole so I find tracking activity helps motivate me to keep turning it up a notch as my fitness gradually improves. Whatever you find more useful, I'd say. If you do a lot of exercise it might prove hard to remember what small amounts of exercise you've done.
  • branflake5
    branflake5 Posts: 332
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    My lifestyle is also set at sedentary and I do not log every move I make. I don't log cleaning because I have been cleaning an entire house and up after kids and a man for 17 yrs and I still managed to gain 30 lbs. So unless it is extreme cleaning such as moving furniture etc I don't log it. I don't log shopping or my daily neighborhood walk which is like 20 min because again these are things I have done for years. When I 1st started MFP I logged everything because it gave me some encouragement but now I only log my actual scheduled exercise such as my zumba, p90x, etc I log a walk if it is out of the ordinary sometimes my kids and I will walk to the park which is about 2 miles away and we walk back so I log that because it is not the norm. Or if we play basketball or race each other. But I think it is up to you really what you consider to be working out. If you walked you dog this distance everyday before you decided on your lifestyle change then I wouldn't count it, but if you started doing that afterwards then count it. Good luck either way!!!!!
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I would not ask questions if I were you, everybody disagrees with EVERYTHING.

    As a rebuttal, people often disagree with statements. Questions are open to yes or no answers.

    IE:

    Statement - "I log daily routines as exercise."

    Response - "You shouldn't since it's a routine."

    Question - "Should I log daily routines as exercise?"

    Response - "No."
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I'm sure "sedentary" does not take into account 30 minute walks with the dog. It's exercise -- even if you do it every day.
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    Wait what if my dog runs out the front door and i spend 5 min chasing him around should i log that, cause i really want to cheat more on my diet.

    Seriously people?
  • pinkribbons4hope
    pinkribbons4hope Posts: 56
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    @kennethmgreen - that is the most adorable pic ever! Just had to tell you :)
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Hey, the great thing about MFP is that you can always make changes if what you're doing isn't working. Log it, and if you don't see results, make adjustments.

    Yet again, people, there's no one formula that works for everyone. Maybe the sedentary-setting calorie allotment is too low for some, maybe it's too high for others. It's all trial and error.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
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    Yes! Unless you've incorporated that activity into your activity level. I have mine set on sedentry so I log all exercise. If I changed it to light, I wouldn't log the small everyday stuff.
  • cjpg
    cjpg Posts: 433 Member
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    There are a lot of haters posting on this thread (and many others) about logging what they deem as insignificant.

    People need to understand that we are constantly burning calories. When you run for 30 mins your burn more. When you walk for 10 mins you burn significantly less, but you still burn.

    It's just what would you rather? Run for 30 mins or walk for three hours?

    Don't discount the small accomplishments. But as a rule of thumb I wouldn't log anything that you are not able to find in MFP's database, for example:

    When I run I can't see any pace slower than 2.5 mph (leisurely pace), so I wouldn't log any exercise that is slower than that where walking exercising is concerned.
    Wait what if my dog runs out the front door and i spend 5 min chasing him around should i log that, cause i really want to cheat more on my diet.

    Sorry, this really is bugging me. It's not cheating on your diet to log ACTUAL ACTIVITY. And even if they had the mindset to 'cheat' on their diet, they would only be able to 'cheat' the exercise calories of the 'very small' exercise. So what exactly do they gain?? Another slice of tomato? Stop whining.
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    Wait what if my dog runs out the front door and i spend 5 min chasing him around should i log that, cause i really want to cheat more on my diet.
    Sorry, this really is bugging me. It's not cheating on your diet to log ACTUAL ACTIVITY. And even if they had the mindset to 'cheat' on their diet, they would only be able to 'cheat' the exercise calories of the 'very small' exercise. So what exactly do they gain?? Another slice of tomato? Stop whining.

    Right ACTUAL ACTIVITY, walking to work, doing the dishes, and running after to dog for half a block IS NOT exercise. I was being sarcastic.
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
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    Right ACTUAL ACTIVITY, walking to work, doing the dishes, and running after to dog for half a block IS NOT exercise. I was being sarcastic.

    In what universe does walking to work NOT burn more calories than sitting? Certainly not the one I've been studying.
  • missjelika
    missjelika Posts: 115 Member
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    My lifestyle is also set at sedentary and I do not log every move I make. I don't log cleaning because I have been cleaning an entire house and up after kids and a man for 17 yrs and I still managed to gain 30 lbs. So unless it is extreme cleaning such as moving furniture etc I don't log it. I don't log shopping or my daily neighborhood walk which is like 20 min because again these are things I have done for years. When I 1st started MFP I logged everything because it gave me some encouragement but now I only log my actual scheduled exercise such as my zumba, p90x, etc I log a walk if it is out of the ordinary sometimes my kids and I will walk to the park which is about 2 miles away and we walk back so I log that because it is not the norm. Or if we play basketball or race each other. But I think it is up to you really what you consider to be working out. If you walked you dog this distance everyday before you decided on your lifestyle change then I wouldn't count it, but if you started doing that afterwards then count it. Good luck either way!!!!!
    ^^^^^ this
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    It depends on your activity level setting.
    I originally has mine set at sedentary and logged all my walks, but then I changed it to lightly active so that already accounts for those everyday walks (ie. to and from the bus stop and train station) and only log walks or other exercise if they are over and above my daily routine.
  • EQHanks
    EQHanks Posts: 170 Member
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    I walk my dog every morning sometimes more depending on weather. I used to strap on my HRM and log everything, every little exercise. I don't do that anymore because walking is part of our daily routine, even if its 15-20 mins long. Now I view it as a bonus exercise. Unless we go for a hike or some other more strenuous exercise


    Loved reading all the feedback!
  • Gt3ch
    Gt3ch Posts: 212 Member
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    Think about it. If your goal is to loose weight then you want a calorie deficit every day. Most people tend to overestimate their calorie expenditure and underestimate how much they’ve eaten. So your better off trying to do the opposite and not try to eat every calorie you’ve burnt off with exercise. It would only help you reach your goal weight if you didn’t log a light walk or housework (or even a full blown workout) and saw your max allowed calories as a MAX.
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    Walking can be an exercise, walking to work (unless you are walking through an obsticle course) would not be counted. The other day I spent 3 hours working in a grape vinyard, but I'm not going to log that Because although yes it was hard, and yes I had an elevated heart rate, it's just working, not working out. I also have the self control to not have to eat back every single calorie expended.

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