For those that think cleaning the house is insignificant

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Replies

  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    When I do my spring cleaning... my shirt is soaking wet from sweat from moving the heavy furniture, rigorous scrubbing of walls, floors and windows. I have a two floor condex and the entire second floor is our bedroom - that is almost double duty AND a second full sized bathroom to boot...

    Now that we are moving into another apartment, you bet your *kitten* Im counting the calories from moving the boxes and furniture from one place to the other.
  • elenathegreat
    elenathegreat Posts: 3,988 Member
    Now that's impressive! Is there a calculation for house cleaning or what do you enter to get the calories burned score?

    Of course there is! This is MFP! Enter cleaning in the exercise search--there are at least two levels according to effort....
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    Being alive burns calories, it isn't exercise though, when did you last see some major fitness guru showing us all how to iron for health, do they vacuum on biggest loser?

    Hides under the filth in my house...oh wait...it's NOT filthy, but I personally don't log it.....it's up to you what you log, it really is, you could log chewing if you want, I don't mind, but please don't call housework exercise...........


    runs away
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    I presume all of you who log your cleaning calories don't consider cleaning like that a typical part of your lifestyle, correct?
  • jeepwidow01
    jeepwidow01 Posts: 173
    Being alive burns calories, it isn't exercise though, when did you last see some major fitness guru showing us all how to iron for health, do they vacuum on biggest loser?

    Hides under the filth in my house...oh wait...it's NOT filthy, but I personally don't log it.....it's up to you what you log, it really is, you could log chewing if you want, I don't mind, but please don't call housework exercise...........


    runs away

    If you are on your hands & knees scrubbing a floor, and as the OP stated, scrubbing with toothbrushes, etc, I would consider that exercise!! :happy: I, for one, do not do that kind of cleaning on a daily basis, so it would definitely be considered. No it isn't with weights, exercise equipment, etc, but I can work up more of a sweat deep cleaning my house more than when I do pilates.:laugh:
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I have a big living room and when I move furniture around it gets repetitive...and I break a sweat and the heart rate gets going. We also use a clothesline to hang our laundry..I never log it because of the calories burned police and the whole unspoken "rule" that only certain exercises, etc are the "right" ones.
  • tripitena
    tripitena Posts: 554 Member
    Better yet, you come to my house and show me:laugh:

    I second that! :wink:
  • plushkitten
    plushkitten Posts: 547 Member
    I'm right there with you girl.
    It pays off to be a neat freak! ;D
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
    Better yet, you come to my house and show me:laugh:
    me too I learn visually
  • rbeatty63
    rbeatty63 Posts: 132
    So how does one calculate how many calories are burned while cleaning? I love to clean!
    Go to the Livestrong.com website for calculations. You can just type in 'calories burned cleaning house' and the website will come up in your scroll.
  • rbeatty63
    rbeatty63 Posts: 132
    I have a big living room and when I move furniture around it gets repetitive...and I break a sweat and the heart rate gets going. We also use a clothesline to hang our laundry..I never log it because of the calories burned police and the whole unspoken "rule" that only certain exercises, etc are the "right" ones.
    I quit worrying about what other people think a long time ago. LOL In the words of James Leo Hurlihy "Be yourself,; no one can tell you that you are doing it wrong! :happy:
  • SPBROOKS68
    SPBROOKS68 Posts: 561 Member
    As a diabetic I can tell you that cleaning house burns calories as my sugar ALWAYS drops if I am doing anything more than laundry or loading the dishwasher.
  • parvati
    parvati Posts: 432 Member
    Not taking sides... & not being snooty with this response....
    Myself, i do not consider my daily activities as exercise because that is included in my day to day calorie expendurature. My idea of exercise is something physical or something that elevates my heart for prolonged periods of time. For me thats weights, a gym class, a run or hike ect.
    However, just because thats my opinion doesnt mean i have a right to judge you for what you are logging.
    2 years ago my house was spotless & i was chubby.... Now my house is often messy... But im ripped. :)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I was proving a point because people were getting pretty snoody about how it's not considered exercise.

    I absoutely think that doing a mega cleaning is worth logging, but when people log 10 minutes of light effort cleaning I don't get it. I did a whole lot of light cleaning while I was gaining weight...didn't help.
  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
    Since I don't do it often enough, I really work up a sweat playing catch up. I figure it earns me a glass of wine for the effort!
    :drinker:drinker:

    ^^^ This!!!!!!! :drinker:
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    Being alive burns calories, it isn't exercise though, when did you last see some major fitness guru showing us all how to iron for health, do they vacuum on biggest loser?

    Hides under the filth in my house...oh wait...it's NOT filthy, but I personally don't log it.....it's up to you what you log, it really is, you could log chewing if you want, I don't mind, but please don't call housework exercise...........


    runs away

    Do you not remember Mad Lizzie. In the 80's in the UK they had fitness people doing routines with phrases like "pretend to dust, come on reach up high"
  • DreamiJeani
    DreamiJeani Posts: 72
    Better yet, you come to my house and show me:laugh:

    haha I believe it for SURE but I wouldn't turn down a demo!
  • EmBlazes
    EmBlazes Posts: 374 Member
    It's great to remind people of this because it's certainly significant (especially if you really put some elbow grease into it). I once wore my HRM while cleaning the kitchen and I found the calorie burn for the "light effort" here on MFP to be about right. I actually went over the calorie burn when doing the "heavy effort" kind, but I think it was because I was going up and down the stairs while doing that.
  • chelsearae85
    chelsearae85 Posts: 40
    Honestly anyone that says the burn form cleaning doesn't count, I don't want to picture your house that's gross. They all talk about they only log if its more then 30min, moving furniture, or "spring cleaning". I think their "spring cleaning" is what we do every weekend. I move all our furniture to vacuum and mop on my hands and knees twice a week. Your homes make me say ew. I don't log cleaning cuz I upped my activity level to account for it.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Sorry, still doesn't want to make me clean.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    While I realize cleaning can be strenuous, I still wouldn't count it as exercise, simply because I consider exercise something you're intentionally doing to work your body. Cleaning to me is just a part of my day to day activity, and so it falls under the "how active are you" portion of calculating your BMR. I have counted really long, strenuous cleans before, but 99% of the time I won't, because it hard to determine how many calories you are really burning, and I don't want to log more burned calories than I actually have.
  • sherrirb
    sherrirb Posts: 1,649 Member
    I absolutely hate housecleaning so when I finally get around to doing it, there is a LOT to do and I work up a sweat. You bet your sweet fat fanny (or mine) I'm gonna count that burn! :laugh:
  • Focusonfifty
    Focusonfifty Posts: 105 Member
    I was proving a point because people were getting pretty snoody about how it's not considered exercise.

    They're definitely wrong. All movement is considered exercise...pulling, pushing, bending, lifting, taking steps...they all add up.
  • naughtynurse15
    naughtynurse15 Posts: 3 Member
    Look under exercise on top of the page, it gives a guide.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Sedentary activity level would not include major cleaning of a house. A quick tidy and doing the dishes, but not major cleaning. If you do that regularly it would probably be better reflecting that in your activity level moving it from sedentary to lightly active.
  • pitbullmama
    pitbullmama Posts: 454 Member
    LOL a timely post. I am just taking a break from spring cleaning and was thinking of putting on the HRM after lunch just to see cals burned. This is a moving furniture and cleaning out the bsmt kind of day.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    Interesting to know...

    I'll have to ask my fiance to be sure....as he is the one that does all the cleaning...lol

    I'm jealous, how do you get a guy to clean? Don't think my hubby knows where the vaccum is, lol!!
  • ladyplaz
    ladyplaz Posts: 111 Member
    Okay, I agree to some posts and I disagree with some posts. But, we are all here for one big thing, to get healthy and stay healthy. :smile: I only put in my cleaning when I am moving the furniture and scrubbing the floors (I have all tile) and that is once a week. Anyone can tell you that if you are scrubbing grout, you work up a sweat. I have up'ed my activity to include my daily sweeping, cleaning bathrooms (2) and laundry. But, like one post said, even your daily tidying will use the sugars in your blood. So...for those of you who are neat freaks, great job. For those who do the heavy cleaning every once in awhile, great job. As long as both of you are moving, it will get you healthier and happier.

    P.S. I still haven't seen fat maids! :smile:
  • Narisong
    Narisong Posts: 191
    I have my activity level set to sedentary so I sure do log my burn when I clean. I use my Bodymedia to determine the amount of calories burned and time. It all depends on what you are doing. If someone has their activity level set at "lightly active" then they are allowing for that "daily" cleaning (in my opinion) :-)
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