Cleaning? Exercise?

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  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I feel like it's cheating to count cleaning/housework =\
    It's what some people do who don't want to get out and do real exercise.
  • jdhosier
    jdhosier Posts: 315 Member
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    What is "cleaning"?
  • thershey
    thershey Posts: 57 Member
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    I count it on Saturday and Sunday when I am really cleaning my whole house and going up and down the steps doing laundry. During the week I have a sit down job so my activity level is set at mostly sitting. If I am just picking up during the week I do not count it. I definately count running the sweeper or sweeping and mopping floors because that takes extra energy and you are using muscles you do not usually use.
  • emergencytennis
    emergencytennis Posts: 864 Member
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    Do you guys count cleaning as exercise?
    Usually, no.
    Exercise is exercise, and house cleaning to some is nothing but an excuse not to do real cardio.
    Just evaluate your own motives, because it's different for each person.

    I consider it a part of my daily activity except when I mop, wearing an 80 pound vest.

    You better believe I am logging that in!

    You sound like a sour sort of person, maximal.

    I set my activity level to "sedentary" and then logged anything I did for 30 minutes that raised my heartrate, and then I ate it. 45 minutes cleaning, I ate it. I ate mowing the verge - man, how I ate anything in the garden; pruning, weeding, anything.

    What matters is that you set your activity level to what is appropriate and then you log your exercise accordingly. If I had set mine to "moderate" I would not have logged those things.
  • elizabeth1222
    elizabeth1222 Posts: 51
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    Does Housekeeping count? I usually work six hour five days a week and I feel like I had a total workout.:drinker:
  • netsirk12
    netsirk12 Posts: 220 Member
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    I do. But I also play music, dance and do squats ect while cleaning. Theres no reason why we cant do squats while folding laundry and putting away dishes.
  • LooseWheel
    LooseWheel Posts: 211 Member
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    Yes. Put my heart rate monitor on to do vacuuming, washing and mowing and each one of those burns different cals that can be added :)
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Great explanation here.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/291071-activity-level-and-logging-exercise
  • laineylynnfit
    laineylynnfit Posts: 369 Member
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    IMO, I don't consider 'regular' cleaning as exercise. Yes, you burn calories but when I think about logging exercise, I think about intense exercising that you doing to lose weight, not an everyday activity. I'm not sure that the calories burned when you type in like "light-duty cleaning" etc. is accurate but again, that's just my opinion!
  • netsirk12
    netsirk12 Posts: 220 Member
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    Does Housekeeping count? I usually work six hour five days a week and I feel like I had a total workout.:drinker:


    yes I have my own cleaning buisness but I put that I have more of an active life style and rarely log it. If its my own house I do because I do much more!
  • ZoAnnAlexis
    ZoAnnAlexis Posts: 34
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    If it gets your heart rate up, then its exercise. If you are standing in one place washing dishes, probably not going to get that heart pumping. BUT, going up and down the stairs with a laundry basket in tow or sling a vaccum around the house for and extended time, for sure!
  • sms1986
    sms1986 Posts: 113 Member
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    No, I only log specific exercise as even being alive burns calories.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I do. Because I am single and childless, I live by myself and I am relatively good about cleaning up after myself, so I only need to clean/do laundry once/wk. Saturday mornings I do my cleaning/scrubbing/laundry for about two or three hours and I do break a sweat. Cleaning is usually the majority of my exercise on Saturdays. In the summertime I also add yardwork (lawnmowing, weeding flower beds, etc...) to my Saturday routine.
  • alienblonde1
    alienblonde1 Posts: 749 Member
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    Hey if someone logs cleaning as exercise and they are losing what difference does it make?


    Again I don't log it but have buddies who do and they are losing.
  • Luvlynamazing
    Luvlynamazing Posts: 58
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    I count it when I due heavy duty cleaning. I cleaned for two hours and only logged it in as one, so that when I do my cardio later in the day it is added in. I only due it about once a week, when I am doing a deep clean of the house, otherwise I don't add it.
  • mab33
    mab33 Posts: 242 Member
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    I wish I had time to clean every day. With only two hours awake at home weekdays it's not likely. I may consider adding a thorough cleaning/gardening session on the weekend. But not likely.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
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    NO!!!!! When you make your profile it asks about your lifestyle! If you clean everyday it should already be added toward your calories. Sorry but this is a pet peeve of mine! I feel like people are just trying to get extra calories or something. * This is my opinion.*

    Different people have different reasons for logging it...for example, I don't count my everyday cleaning but do clean for an elderly couple for an entire morning once every week and it's constant 3 hrs of scrubbing and moving so I count just that morning, b/c it's not my "usual" daily activity. Although I never count the full 3 hrs, more like 2 to 2.5 so I don't over-estimate on calories.
  • vanilla81
    vanilla81 Posts: 37
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    i think it depends on the size of house - if you spend 30 minutes dusting the furniture in a room it does not really mean you exercise... but in exchange if you rub the floors for like the same time i think its a different kind of story - you got my point
  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
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    I do if it's steady deep cleaning for more than an hour. But I have a BodyMediaFit that tells me how much I've burned during that time, so I know I'm fairly accurate.

    ETA: And it's on top of my other exercise, I don't JUST clean and call it my cardio for the day.
  • nikolaim5
    nikolaim5 Posts: 233
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    If your goal is weight loss then definitely do NOT count it. It should be accounted for in your initial "activity level" anyways.

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