What is your take on counting calories burned while cleaning

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  • Vendetta2300
    Vendetta2300 Posts: 41
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    If you have your activity level set to sedentary, then pretty much any activity beyond sitting on your butt is going to be considered "extra". Not to mention, every single one of us is different. Obviously if you work out for 40 minutes at the gym, then you are probably in a LOT better shape than those people logging a 500 calorie burn cleaning their house. Weight plays a big factor on how much you burn during any given activity. Many people on here are going from pretty much zero physical activity and trying to do what they can to get themselves moving. So for those individuals, cleaning house *is* a big freaking deal, and it very well could burn 500 calories. (Depending on how long they did it and how vigorously they were going about their business.)

    Bottom line: What does it matter? Consider yourself lucky that you aren't in a position to consider housecleaning a form of exercise. It doesn't harm you in the least bit if these other people log their cleaning time. However, you could very well be harming someone else's progress by calling them out in a post like this. Maybe one of those people ends up seeing this and says "Forget it. It doesn't count. It doesn't matter. Why don't I just continue to sit on my *kitten*?" Because I assure you that there are plenty of people on here for whom an hour of housecleaning is a big freaking deal, and minimizing their efforts is humiliating and unnecessary.

    Amen! Well said. Completely agree =)
  • Shanphichloe
    Shanphichloe Posts: 118
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    :noway: IMO
  • DRDancer
    DRDancer Posts: 19 Member
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    I totally agree with you. I don't see the point of questioning the activity that someone else is logging on a site where people are looking for support. I think it really could set someone back and take their hope away.
  • ChristinaMcKeever
    ChristinaMcKeever Posts: 84 Member
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    Well...some of you offered great insight, other posts just reminded me why I never post anything. My intentions were not to "call people out" or look down on them. I was just wondering why people logged what I thought were every day things. OBVIOUSLY I had not considered some of the very points that were mentioned such as physical ability to perform those tasks. My bad. That's why I asked. It didn't need to be twisted and turned to make me look like I was judging someone for logging their 'light to moderate effort' cleaning. It's THEIR food log, THEIR workout and THEIR own accountability.

    And if someone who logs every second of dusting sees this I'm sure it's not the most discouraging thing they've ever stumbled upon on this board. Oh please.



    LMAO Well said thank you!!!!!!

    Quick tip: If you start a post with "This isn't meant to offend anyone...", then you're probably about to say something offensive. Just own it.
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  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    Sometimes, I log it. Sometimes I don't.

    I don't log cleaning the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher, etc.

    I do log picking up all the toys, lugging laundry up and down the stairs etc. BUT I try to make the most out of it.
    ( I squat or lunge to pick up the toys. I get my heart rate up by dancing and singing and really moving a LOT when I log cleaning. )

    I log shopping as walking ( since normally, I'd be sitting on the floor playing with the kids )

    That being said... when I put sedentary into MFP, I meant it. After having some massive surgery on my ankle, I quite literally sat on the couch for 6 months.
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
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    I would assume stuff like that is part of your daily allowance. Given all the estimation involved all day long, my general rule has become to underestimate calories burned and overestimate calories eaten. If you are looking to count every activity as calories burned, you are going to wind up thinking you can eat more than you can, and your results will be disappointing.

    Just my opinion of course.

    I agree. MFP doesn't give full descriptions for the activity level settings which is a bit of a shame. I think some people wrongly assume that 'sedentary' means they are sitting down ALL day. Based on the kinds of numbers MFP spits out vs the kind of numbers that dietary analysis programs (which include full descriptions for activity levels) spit out my bet is that some activity is included. Usually for sedentary it will be up to 2 hours of light walking per day - so that could be cleaning, walking to the nearby train station, walking to and from the bathroom. If you think about the activity levels, it does make sense because it would be quite a jump to go from 'sedentary' if it were sitting down all day to go to 'lightly active' which says you are on your feet all day. Sedentary absolutely does not equal bed or chair bound.
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
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    I agree with you that daily life doesn't need to be counted... The only exception would be if you literally spent an entire day doing highly physical effort outside of the norm... Otherwise, I think we should get extra calories for breathing... Lol j/k
  • Jenatello
    Jenatello Posts: 35 Member
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    It all depends on what I'm cleaning in my house. Everyday cleaning that happens no matter how much I work out or what I do or don't eat I don't log. But if I'm scrubbing the tub for an hour or am on my hands and knees scrubbing the floors, then I log that. Only because when I finish I am sweating as if I worked out for an hour. But my everyday shopping and cleaning? No, I don't log that.
  • ChristinaMcKeever
    ChristinaMcKeever Posts: 84 Member
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    Thank you!!! you said that right!!!! and what you responded back with was so true and hilarious, to many people say that b.s (NOT TO OFFEND). lol

    If you have your activity level set to sedentary, then pretty much any activity beyond sitting on your butt is going to be considered "extra". Not to mention, every single one of us is different. Obviously if you work out for 40 minutes at the gym, then you are probably in a LOT better shape than those people logging a 500 calorie burn cleaning their house. Weight plays a big factor on how much you burn during any given activity. Many people on here are going from pretty much zero physical activity and trying to do what they can to get themselves moving. So for those individuals, cleaning house *is* a big freaking deal, and it very well could burn 500 calories. (Depending on how long they did it and how vigorously they were going about their business.)

    Bottom line: What does it matter? Consider yourself lucky that you aren't in a position to consider housecleaning a form of exercise. It doesn't harm you in the least bit if these other people log their cleaning time. However, you could very well be harming someone else's progress by calling them out in a post like this. Maybe one of those people ends up seeing this and says "Forget it. It doesn't count. It doesn't matter. Why don't I just continue to sit on my *kitten*?" Because I assure you that there are plenty of people on here for whom an hour of housecleaning is a big freaking deal, and minimizing their efforts is humiliating and unnecessary.
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  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
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    I play with logging it.

    I have an active job, but otherwise I am very sedentary (cleaning is an event for me. Not because I'm inactive, but because I don't do it much LOL) so for a while I had my calorie goal as my BMR and I was logging ANY activity that wasn't sitting on my butt (or minor activity like dressing, preparing food, hygiene etc). So, workdays were higher, weekends were lower, but on the weekend days I did some cleaning, it was a little higher.

    Basically I am trying to get an idea of where my 'normal' daily/weekly calories were at as I didn't feel that even the 'very active' activity multiplier covered a normal workday (and it doesn't, fell about 1500 calories short)
  • MamaChunk
    MamaChunk Posts: 46 Member
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    Depends on the cleaning....

    Probably only my super scrub relatives are coming to stay for a week and we have a dog whose fur gets EVERYWHERE so you srub and pull and rake out fur at baseboards then go spastic on all 3 of the bathrooms while dancing to loud music between rooms cleaning :)

    This is how I clean: very active with music and dancing. I have a large German Shephard that sheds constantly, and a 1 year old that play on the floor and with the dog, so the house needs done everyday. I play some upbeat fun music and go to it. I usually break a sweat too, and I scrub 2 whole levels of my house, so I absolutely count it.
  • dancingqueen2013
    dancingqueen2013 Posts: 63 Member
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    I wouldn't count my general cleaning round the house but maybe for something like cleaning all the windows or scrubbing the patio I wouuld allow myself a few extra calories burned.
  • MamaChunk
    MamaChunk Posts: 46 Member
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    I agree with you that daily life doesn't need to be counted... The only exception would be if you literally spent an entire day doing highly physical effort outside of the norm... Otherwise, I think we should get extra calories for breathing... Lol j/k

    I had 6 surgeries in the last 9 months, and am finally recovering. My activity level is next to nothing.
    You see when you get a part of your body removed, you are generally not going to the gym when you leave the operating room.

    Any activity that causes ANY extra effort put forward after being bedridden IS a work out. Some of us are not lazy, just in a bad situation. Quite frankly, I'm a little offened how quickly you assume we are all just lazy slobs!! (Don't be offensive, this is SUPOSSED to be a POSSITIVE place to go, remember?!?)
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
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    If you have your activity level set to sedentary, then pretty much any activity beyond sitting on your butt is going to be considered "extra". Not to mention, every single one of us is different. Obviously if you work out for 40 minutes at the gym, then you are probably in a LOT better shape than those people logging a 500 calorie burn cleaning their house. Weight plays a big factor on how much you burn during any given activity. Many people on here are going from pretty much zero physical activity and trying to do what they can to get themselves moving. So for those individuals, cleaning house *is* a big freaking deal, and it very well could burn 500 calories. (Depending on how long they did it and how vigorously they were going about their business.)

    Bottom line: What does it matter? Consider yourself lucky that you aren't in a position to consider housecleaning a form of exercise. It doesn't harm you in the least bit if these other people log their cleaning time. However, you could very well be harming someone else's progress by calling them out in a post like this. Maybe one of those people ends up seeing this and says "Forget it. It doesn't count. It doesn't matter. Why don't I just continue to sit on my *kitten*?" Because I assure you that there are plenty of people on here for whom an hour of housecleaning is a big freaking deal, and minimizing their efforts is humiliating and unnecessary.


    I like what you said here. When they become much more physically active they will stop counting their house cleaning as a workout. I count walking through the mall as a work out. If I walk through the mall for 120 minutes say I average 2 miles....why can't I count it? Thats 2 miles I didn't move prior to doing it.

    Also, I don't know about you guys but I can break a sweat cleaning house!!! I actually have to turn the heater off! Sometimes, I even have to take a shower when I am done. That is more of a workout then the 2 (accumulated) miles I stroll through mall.
  • LA723
    LA723 Posts: 98 Member
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    I log my weekend cleaning because I only do it once a week. I also severely undercut the actual time I clean. Today I cleaned for almost four hours, but only logged one hour of light cleaning.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I cleaned my house when I gained the weight, so I don't consider it a workout unless I move furniture.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Well I see it this way:

    1) I log myself as sedentary--I do normal cleaning (after cooking, picking up my clothes, whatever...no big deal) and don't log it.
    2) if i logged my exercise it was INTENSE--like scrubbing the floor, sweeping, scubbing the stove, countertop, etc. I usually only log it as "light cleaning" so I'm underestimating anyway.
    3) if someone NEVER cleans...and then does clean then it is an additional burn for them that isn't accounted for in day to day life.

    If you were a housekeeper but considered yourself "Sedentary" would you log it? I sure as heck would..so when I clean my house that extensively I log it.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    This isn't meant to offend anyone that does this. I'm just *curious* about the thought process behind it.

    I have several friends on here that count the number of calories they burn while cleaning their house, grocery shopping, basically doing daily life activities.

    I see those things as just that, daily LIFE activities. I see sometimes the burn is 500 calories for cleaning house! I workout at the gym for about 40 minutes to get that type of burn so I don't see how I could ever trade my gym workout in for cleaning. They just don't even seem comparable.

    I've also seen friends use their HRMs to keep up with calories burned while cleaning. Isn't the HRM just picking up on the calorie burn your body does naturally? I'm sure cleaning burns a few calories but not as many as I see logged.

    I guess what I'm saying is I look at any calories burned while doing my daily errands or cleaning my house as just a bonus to my workout at the gym. I don't count them, I don't log them and I certainly don't try to eat them back.

    What's your thought on it?

    Personally, I never count cleaning, I only count specific workouts that I deliberately set out to do as exercise for that day, such as running, cycling or walking and by walking I don't mean a ten minute walk to the station either.

    HRMs are not accurate for anything that is not aerobic, they are not designed to count calories when doing housework, in fact, the calorie count will be inaccurate if they are used in this way.
  • missigus
    missigus Posts: 207 Member
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    I don't normally log regular cleaning, but I did log yesterday's cleaning. I pulled a darn Rug Doctor and buckets of water around my whole home for 3 hours up and down flights of stairs. I was covered in sweat. It depends on what you are doing and if it's out of the norm. I counted those puppies! I'm sore today to prove it was out of my normal realm of workouts.

    If we don't want to count any house cleaning chores, then I guess we shouldn't count things like gardening which is sometimes strenuous or grooming horses. I can tell you fighting with a horse and trying to hold onto it's feet to clean them can be a work-out! I count it! It's a lot different from just strolling through a grocery store or scrubbing some dishes for me. (which might indeed be hard work for others) I think it's all relative. If you feel like you just got a work out you probably did...count it. Only we know what is a challenge for us based on our fittness levels and I don't think there is anything wrong with counting them in that case.

    Isn't BMR just based on resting anyway? Like our caloric expenditure for basic survival? Not any of the extra movement? I'm not really sure on this....Anyone know for sure? I'd like to know what all BMR does apply to.
  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
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    Isn't BMR just based on resting anyway? Like our caloric expenditure for basic survival? Not any of the extra movement? I'm not really sure on this....Anyone know for sure? I'd like to know what all BMR does apply to.

    BMR is basically your "in a coma" needs.

    If you so much as wake you start using more calories (brain activity). Sitting, even more, getting out of bed, showering, dressing...

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