exercise calories???

Options
ChristineMarie89
ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,142 Member
in Food and Nutrition
didnt know where to post this or what exactly to name it so hope this is good enough.

i have heard that its not appropriate to log cleaning etc if u do it every day and its things u normally do.

ive also heard tht if u dont eat back your exercise calories then that could possibly go against you.

my activity is set to seditary
i dnt feel safe changing it to lightly active even though i literally am chasing my children around all day and clean a lot. average at least 3 hours a day cleaning

should i or should i not log cleaning and cooking?

thanks lots :) also sorry for the spelling am using mobil :/

Replies

  • Nitachi
    Nitachi Posts: 142
    Options
    If you are losing 1lb a week then no don't change it, if you don't then yes change it.

    Do whatever you have to, to keep losing 1lb a week.
  • teagan911
    teagan911 Posts: 36
    Options
    As a parent with small children you should have your level set to lightly active. Because, well, you are. Even with no exercise. Chasing after kids and cleaning a house everyday is not sedintary.

    No, you shouldn't log your everyday cleaning, especially since MFP tends to over exaggerate calorie expendures. Log things that you go out of your way to do, and don't happen in your daily life. I have 4 kids, am a full time student, stay at home mom, and my husband is deployed. I stay busy. I normally only ever log my actual workouts, but today I logged "moving household" since I spent 3 hours helping a friend move. It was strenuous and I am sore all over lol. Do I log vacuuming? No. Do I log scrubbing a bathtub? No.
  • niknak2308
    niknak2308 Posts: 315 Member
    Options
    MFP recommends that mothers of young children are set to at least lightly active, as we are on our feet most of the day! :laugh:

    There's a lot of debate over exactly what to log, but I think if you are starting out, as long as it gets your heart rate up for at least 15mins or so - log it! Personally I am set at lightly active as I have two little ones I chase after. I log any walking longer than 30mins (school run/walking into town), any work outs I do via DVD, and any time on my Stationary Bike. If I suddenly get a mad urge to deep clean or redecorate I'd probably log that too. Things like normal household tidying and washing etc I don't tend to bother with.

    As for eating the exercise calories back.... Short answer is Yes, eat them lol. MFP adjusts your goals to include a deficit of calories to help you lose weight, and if you then don't eat the calories back, you are putting yourself at an even lower net daily amount. This can slow your metabolism and prevent you losing weight. Personally this happened to me throughout December when I wasn't eating my exercise cals back - I had no losses for a whole month. Since Jan 1st I've been making sure I eat pretty much every single one back and I've had some great losses, not just on the scale, but inchloss due to the extra exercise. :flowerforyou:
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Options
    It's entirely up to you. Remember, no matter what MFP says about your caloric deficit, you and only you will lose or not lose the weight. I would fiddle around with your settings slowly and carefully to figure out what works for you. I have heard that stay at home parents should set their activity level to lightly active. I think it'd be much easier to do this than log everything you are doing.

Categories