Does this get logged in for excercise?

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  • theshoefairy
    theshoefairy Posts: 23
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    Ah right now I get it!!! Thanks a lot for your help. Not tiny at 4ft 11 though lol Reason for doing this is that my clothes no longer fit me and it's starting to get rather annoying. You look great in your profile pic too! Well done!!
  • dsciarrino
    dsciarrino Posts: 2
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    I put myself down as sedentary, although I have four kids and feel like I never rest. But changing diapers, driving, and folding laundry are not really exercise. So personally I would log the walking, to keep my calorie counter accurate. Good luck.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I make it a point to park in the farthest possible place from my destination. Round trip from car to class then to work and back to car is a mile and some change. I'm carrying a few books too. So my question is, should I count this in my exercise log since I'm going out of my way to make this walk?

    If this is a daily thing, then i would suggest that you change your activity setting to "lightly active", then it is already accounted for and you don't have to add it as exercise each day. I started out with my level at "sedentary" but found that it was easier to change it up to "lightly active" to account for a number of short walks and other activity during the day.

    The key here is to make sure you are only counting the activity once
    - you can set your activity level at "sedentary" and add your 1 mile walk (which probably burns about 100 cals so I think it's worth adding).
    - or you can change your activity level to "light active" and don't log the walk separately. This way you get extra cals anyway to cover the extra activity.

    Try it out and see what works for you!
  • skyeashlee
    skyeashlee Posts: 108 Member
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    if you are making a point of it being exercise then id say yes - providing your heart rate goes up whilst doing the walk - exercise is accumulative ... but personally speaking, i wouldnt add it ....
    best of luck deciding !! :O)
    Why dont you log it for a month and then see if you want to continue doing so ??
    xxx
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
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    I think it all depends on how you have your settings set. If you have your self set at sedentary, then yes, I would count that, but if you don't, then I wouldn't. Heck, I sit at my dest at work all day, I would definitely count it as exercise, because it is, especially when you add on the weight of books. That alone should burn a few extra calories. :wink:

    And I have to disagree on not eating the exercise calories... As a former WW member, I've learned that you need to eat those calories because your body needs the fuel. Now would I eat ALL of them??? Probalby not, but you would have to figure out how your body burns the calories before making that decision. Each person is different. What works for me may not work for you.

    Just my two cents worth... Good luck on your weight loss journey!!! :smile:
  • runwithmike
    runwithmike Posts: 173
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    I walk between 1.5 to 4 miles each day at work, but never count them as calories burned. If I head to the track on my lunch break I will log them.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
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    It depends on your fitness level, too. When I started this journey, that would have counted for exercise, because it likely would have raised my heart rate. Now, I'm in much better shape (and a lot lighter), so I have to walk really hard to get my heart rate up where it counts. It all depends on the individual.

    That being said, being active is always good. I'd just be wise about the calories.
  • MyFeistyEvolution
    MyFeistyEvolution Posts: 1,015 Member
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    I personally wouldn't. If I have to do it in order to get through my daily routine, it's not "exercise".
  • ejohndrow
    ejohndrow Posts: 1,399 Member
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    I wouldn't.
  • emmfullness
    emmfullness Posts: 13
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    I went out of my way to sneak in a 10 minute walk with the dog. That was only about a 1/2 mile. I counted that. It's an extra 50-ish calories for me. Given that I sneak this stuff in periodically in the day, it builds up. I have my activity level set at sedentary because if I'm not looking for ways to get it in, I'm not going to get it. To get the most accurate idea of what my daily caloric torch is, I count everything that I went out of my way to do. Among a walk around the block in the morning, walking 15 minutes at lunch, and walking the dog in the evening, I've gotten in a solid 35 minutes of walking workout by the end of the day that ISN'T factored into my lifestyle calories.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I personally wouldn't. If I have to do it in order to get through my daily routine, it's not "exercise".

    It may not be "exercise" but it is activity. Activity burns calories even if you aren't at the gym!

    It's a personal thing where you have your activity levels set and what you log, and whether you eat the extra cals, but the reality is that you are burning more calories than you would be if you parked 10m from the door vs walking a mile.
  • ciaxtrinity1
    ciaxtrinity1 Posts: 6 Member
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    COUNT IT!!.... It's a 1 mile walk, and besides, with carrying books and all, You're most likely in your fat burning zone!!!
  • electrokate
    electrokate Posts: 10
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    After reading everyone's input, which has been very helpful, I've decided that for now I will count it since I'm sedentary. Walking the long way isn't something I do every day. I usually find the closest parking spot and hoof it about fifty feet to the door. In a month's time, which someone else had suggested, I will change my setting to light active and then I will stop logging the walk since it will be part of my daily activity and not something out of the ordinary.

    thank you everyone for your help! I love this community! :D
  • random255
    random255 Posts: 18 Member
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    If you have an Android phone (and maybe an iPhone, not sure if the app is available for that), there is an app called "My Tracks". You can turn it on and it will use GPS to tell you how far you've gone, and at what average speed. You can use that to help better track the details to put in to MFP, or at least to help decide if it's substantial enough to track in the first place.

    I use My Tracks for hiking, and also to give me some motivation to walk for a half an hour between classes.

    15991773.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • FORIANN
    FORIANN Posts: 273 Member
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    It depends on your fitness level, too. When I started this journey, that would have counted for exercise, because it likely would have raised my heart rate. Now, I'm in much better shape (and a lot lighter), so I have to walk really hard to get my heart rate up where it counts. It all depends on the individual.

    That being said, being active is always good. I'd just be wise about the calories.

    I like this answer the best. I walk several miles a day that I don't log....i think of it as a bonus.....and I'm getting good results. I overestimate my calorie intake a bit and underestimate my exercise calories just to err on the side of caution.

    It is all relative though...walking a mile for some people counts as exercise, while for others it's just something they do. If this helps to motivate you then go for it, but don't cheat yourself.

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