Logging exercise for absurd things

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  • Debbisue52
    Debbisue52 Posts: 87 Member
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    It really depends what you have your activity level set at. Your average calories burned each day is set by what your activity level is. If you consider yourself "sedentary", then any activity you do that burns extra calories, aside from what you burn by being sedentary, is a burn of extra calories. And I agree...baby steps. A lot of people have never exercised and are pretty lazy...I have been guilty of that all winter....so I am set at "sedentary". I was walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes and worked my way up to walking and running for an hour. It didn't happen overnight...it took weeks. I increased my effort a little more each day. Then I lost motivation and haven't been working out at all for a few months. I'll have to start all over again, I'm sure. So....When I do something that takes extra effort I log it. When I shop, I "Power shop"...I walk fast and I don't park close...I leave my HRM on while walking in, shopping, leaving the store and loading up the car, and after I get home, carry the groceries in, and unpack them. I also wear it when I do a good few hours of cleaning...or cleaning the fish tank, which involves emptying water out and carrying it to the solarium...up and down steps...to water all my plants, then carrying 5 gallon buckets of water back and forth to refill the aquarium. I even wore it while undecorating Christmas. I decorate every room and have 5 trees...so there are a lot of boxes to pack up and carry down the stairs to put in the spare room....after carrying them all up the stairs, empty, to pack them up. And yes, people are here to try to make an effort to change their lives...they are here for support and should be encouraged not judged. They are here to learn. I don't think anyone here is an expert, so who are they to say what is right for another? What one person might consider a good workout might be considered extreme and undoable to another. So, who are we to judge? It's not a competition here...we are all here to try to help ourselves to live a healthier lifestyle, and possibly to support and encourage others to do the same. If someone wants to log the calories it took them to get up out of the chair from in front of the computer and walk out to get the mail...who are we to judge? What's it to anyone but the person doing it? I say to each his own! Now, lets get back to supporting each other....and good luck to all on their journey!
  • Debbisue52
    Debbisue52 Posts: 87 Member
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    My thing is, household chores are extremely difficult for me because of a disability. Doing dishes takes a lot of ab tension; it's been known to make me sweat! Same thing happens with taking out trash or doing laundry.
    The issue isn't so much the type of activity, but how long you do it and how high your heart rate gets. If you are achieving cardio/aerobic workouts with these activities, I think you SHOULD log it. At my house, taking out the "bin" means you are also breaking down cardboard, washing jars and cans, sorting, lifting, carrying, and climbing stairs.

    I guess what I'm saying is just because something is easy for one person doesn't mean it's not difficult for another person. If you are going to "dog" on someone for logging it, you should first ask them.

    Oh, and the comment about standing not being exercise? It may not be for someone that is 180 pounds but if you're 600 pounds, standing IS exercise. Look it up. Singing is also a very good ab workout if you do it properly.

    I mean, household chores, gardening, leisurely walks... These are all recommended exercise activities for the elderly and the extremely obese to keep them active. I think it really sucks that people are reading the efforts of others on here and being so negative.

    Now, if they logged "Shaking my foot for 45 minutes" I might agree... Though that still burns more calories than sitting still, and if that's all you can do, it's better than nothing!


    AMEN!
  • getfitdiva
    getfitdiva Posts: 1,148 Member
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    getfitdiva burned 3 calories doing 8 minutes of "Clicking through this message board topic (Logging exercise for absurd things)".
  • Debbisue52
    Debbisue52 Posts: 87 Member
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    I agree whole heartedly! OK..I thought this was going somewhere else in reply to someone else's post. Oh well...no way to delete once it's posted?
  • Tenoreo90
    Tenoreo90 Posts: 329 Member
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    And the reason you've lost 12 pounds while I've lost 29 is because why?


    ...seriously? Since when did MFP turn into a competition?
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
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    In my opinion, this is about the last place on earth people should be so quick to judge. Most of us are here because we have been doing things we shouldn't do. As a result, many of us have been on the receiving end of judgement. If you recall, it doesn't feel very good. Give people the benefit of the doubt.

    I think a lot of people who log cleaning don't realize that MFP had taken their daily activity into account. Even if you are registered as Sedentary MFP has multiplied your BMR by 1.2 . That 20% more calories MFP has included to make up for your everyday stuff. That is probably going to cover the 30 minutes you spent washing the dishes and 20 minutes folding laundry.

    At the same time, I don't think it's my place to judge someone for that. If they run into problems and ask for feedback I'll suggest that they try to leave everyday activities out of their log. You don't have to be nasty about things or delete people from your lists.
  • cherigurl
    cherigurl Posts: 184 Member
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    Baby steps! People are on here for support not judgment on their activities so what you did 2 hours in the gym, to some people any exercise is a step in the right direction so good on them!!!

    I totally agree, i log my house cleaning, because when i clean i break a sweat, i have 3 young girls a dog and a cat, along with the house to take care of by myself after working 40 hours a week, so i bust my *kitten* when i clean and i only log it if it is 30 min or more, it is still moving and getting your metabolism going, why not, this is My Fitness Pal , Not My fitness Judge. Knitting i saw that is ridiculous, but clean, mowing the lawn yes log it.
  • FORIANN
    FORIANN Posts: 273 Member
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    To each their own. That said I will be selective about who I want in my 'motivational corner'.
  • twoscimitars
    twoscimitars Posts: 272 Member
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    I have to say I agree with all of those who have voiced the "exercise is different for each person" responses. For me, I never did much activity at all. Maybe some light housecleaning, but not nearly as much as I have done since learning that maybe if I just got up off my fat *kitten* and started doing SOMETHING, it would be better than not doing ANYTHING. I have severe asthma. So walking up 2 flights of steps is difficult for me, never mind going to the gym or running. So if I can do an hour of cleaning closets, moving heavy boxes, and scrubbing my floor, and that will burn a few calories, plus not make me suffocate, then I am darn well going to log it. Once my body is used to that, and my breathing is used to that, then I will move on to more intensive exercise. And the larger you are, the less movement it takes to burn calories. For instance - 2 pounds ago I burned more calories taking a walk than I do now. It's a very personal thing, and everyone is different. The point is - be supportive, not critical, of even the small accomplishments. The small accomplishments will only lead to bigger accomplishments. How would you feel if someone was having a really rough day with their diet and fitness, and then they read your post and it made them think "Jeez, I guess I'm being silly and annoying for posting my activity, and I guess what I'm doing isn't enough anyway, so why bother?" What if they stopped coming here because of it? This is a tough journey, and people can be in fragile places. So don't judge someone for how small their accomplishment is. Support the fact that there was an accomplishment.

    And yes, I know that some people will post asinine things just to give themselves extra calories. But really, that's their problem. For others, even small activities are big victories. Cheer them, don't chide them.
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
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    I delete people that overlog, may sound harsh but I just come from the gym for a hour where I only burned 300 calories working my *kitten* off I dont want to come log it and see "so and so had burned 678 calories cleaning- light-moderate for 30 mins" ect... Bums me out lol


    exactly!!!
    to me the main problem is that if someone overestimates their activity level and then EATS BACK those calories... they are going to have problems.
  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
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    getfitdiva burned 3 calories doing 8 minutes of "Clicking through this message board topic (Logging exercise for absurd things)".

    LOL
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    i just leave people be
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    I set myself to sedentary and any movement i make out side of changing the tv channel and being lazy i log.

    addisondisease has burnt 14 calories going to get the mail, GREAT BURN!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    People log in absurd things, because they're too lazy to engage in real exercise, and they want those calories to eat back.

    And then you'll notice something strange after a few weeks.
    They're GONE!

    Good riddance.
  • exacerbe
    exacerbe Posts: 447 Member
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    Who cares... if it makes them happy, it makes them happy. When did MFP become a place for shallow, judgmental people?

    I'll log heavy cleaning now and then because I break a sweat scrubing the shower, mopping/sweeping... etc...
  • celticmuse
    celticmuse Posts: 492 Member
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    I haven't read all the pages, but I do wonder why you care what other people log for exercise. The purpose of this board is to be supportive, not critical or competitive. This is a journey for all of us. Each of us needs to find what works and what doesn't work for us. I would say stay focused on your own goals, and don't worry about your neighbors, and lend encouragement when you can.
  • kattygirl0499
    kattygirl0499 Posts: 41 Member
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    I don't routinely log things like cooking or cleaning if it is at my "normal" level. I do have my activity level set at sedentary - because I have a desk job and sit a LOT all day. Over Christmas, when I spent an ENTIRE two days baking and on my feet, I did log PART of that time because it interfered with my ability to get a real workout in. Last weekend, I did an extensive cleaning run through my house - much heavier cleaning than normal and I did not stop moving for over 2 hours. So if its out of the ordinary - yes...I do log it.

    I guess I subscribe to the theory that I don't want to judge unless I've walked a mile in their shoes. All of us are here on our own personal journey...and when you are overweight, being judged is a common occurence. I work on myself first. If I can support others along the way, then great. : )
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
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    I delete people that overlog, may sound harsh but I just come from the gym for a hour where I only burned 300 calories working my *kitten* off I dont want to come log it and see "so and so had burned 678 calories cleaning- light-moderate for 30 mins" ect... Bums me out lol


    I agree with you!! I had a few of these ppl as friends. I'd just get back from bustin my buns at spinning, burning 450-500 calories. Id get on to log my workout to find so and so just did the eliptical trainer for 30 mins and burned 658 calories.... Ummm ya right.... however, I did agree with the first post until I read some of the replies and who am I to judge? so, I'll leave it at that and keep to myself!! :laugh:


    My husband burns nearly 800 calories doing 40 minutes on the elliptical. He's a very big guy. He's on the elliptical in hill mode at level 13 going 70+RPM with a HR of 170ish. If you ever watched him do it you'd understand how he could burn so much. I feel faint just watching him. And, he drops 3-4 pounds a week, so obviously his estimates are pretty accurate.

    When you ASSume you make yourself out to be a total *kitten* .
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    When ever i sing i break into a sweat so i log it, of course i am extremely over weight.
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