am i cheating by counting cooking and cleaning as cardio?

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Replies

  • kacbldmm07
    kacbldmm07 Posts: 96
    If I clean like deep clean, 3 hour clean my home then I count it toward my exercise/calories. If its just a short straighten up, or cooking I do not.
  • ChristaFall
    ChristaFall Posts: 62 Member
    You cook and clean in your normal everyday life. In my opinion, cooking and cleaning doesn't count. Especially if you're eating back your exercise cals.

    This!

    Totally! Cooking and cleaning is NOT exercising!
  • judyellis1
    judyellis1 Posts: 7
    If it's something out of the ordinary, like washing windows or moving furniture around, I would probably count at least part of it. If it's everyday stuff like sweeping, vacuuming, dishes, etc. then I don't count it. To me, that's what the daily calories are supposed to cover. But then I try very hard not to eat the "extra" calories I get from exercise - I lose better if I don't eat them all and it's too easy for me to fall into the bad habit (again, bad for ME) of overeating.

    That being said, if counting it helps motivate you to keep moving then I say go for it. Whatever it takes to keep things going & making progress on the scale!
  • CountryBoy65
    CountryBoy65 Posts: 908 Member
    No discussion required. its cheating if you count it. its everyday activity.

    Come clean MY house, and you can count that.
  • flatbellybella
    flatbellybella Posts: 303 Member
    Yes :drinker:
  • duhblond
    duhblond Posts: 138 Member
    I personally don't count cooking and cleaning as exercise.
    I feel that those are just little extras that will reward me in the end.
    Best of luck to you, hope you feel better soon and can get back on track again :)
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
    I don't count cooking but I do count cleaning if I am working up a sweat while I am doing it. Some cleaning can do that for sure!
  • Josee76
    Josee76 Posts: 533 Member
    my life has been so hectic lately and I've been dealing with a recurrent sinus infection. I haven't worked out in weeks!!! I feel crappy, but I'm really trying to stay in my calorie range. So far, I've been pretty good about it (considering my history). That being said, I've been counting my cooking and cleaning as cardio. I'm trying any way that I can to keep my motivation up to continue counting. I keep thinking that this is cheating. Does anyone have any insight on this? Am I cheating or does this seem accruate?

    Counting your cooking as cardio? Seriously?


    I'm going to stop right there because I will get in trouble for what I'd really say.

    ^^^ This is what I think!
  • turlykerd1
    turlykerd1 Posts: 54 Member


    Come clean MY house, and you can count that.

    **** , u beat me to it lol
  • Irishmoonwitch
    Irishmoonwitch Posts: 97
    When it is stuff you do everyday cooking and dishes light cleaning i wouldn't count it. Now if you do a scrub down then yes I would count it. I would never count cooking and I cook everyday. i wish i could count my breastfeeding but nope I don't even count that as t is an everyday activity.

    I hope you feel better and can get back into your routine.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    This.... it is part of everyday life and unless you are getting your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes, you really shouldn't count it.
    You cook and clean in your normal everyday life. In my opinion, cooking and cleaning doesn't count. Especially if you're eating back your exercise cals.
  • jackiemarie
    jackiemarie Posts: 111
    yes.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    When I was a newbie on this site I use to count it as part of my calorie burn. I think it was because I saw how congratulatory everyone was when you did something to burn calories. Needless to say I am no longer a newbie. I have learned that I can not count everything I do in my life as a way to burn calories especially if they are things that I do on a normal day to day basis. I only count calories burned if I do something physical that I do not do as the Norm. Lifting weights....running...hiking...biking...going for long walks...Golfing...basketball..baseball.....etc.

    The only exception I have to this rule would be if you shovel snow or cut the grass....just as long as its not a riding lawn mower with a cup holder holding an alcoholic beverage lol
  • brwneyes568
    brwneyes568 Posts: 5 Member
    Sorry to hear about your sinus infection keeping you from exercise. Cooking and cleaning are routine chores. In my opinion, I wouldn’t count them. I count activities I perform specifically for exercise, but that’s just me. Having said that, I think any activity that you perform for at least 20 minutes that get’s your heart rate up continuously during that time period to at least the fat burning zone is beneficial to your health. I know sinus infections can affect people differently, but if you are able, I would encourage you to try to incorporate at least a brisk walk for at least 20 to 30 minutes daily if you are unable to do anything else. Good luck. And don’t give up. MFP members are here for you.
  • jfaure23
    jfaure23 Posts: 114 Member
    I think it also depends on how hard you work when you're cleaning AND what you set your activity level to when you signed up. If your calorie goal is based on being sedentary, then log everything!

    I agree. That is what I do. Anything over and above what is regular for me and the activity level I signed up for.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I don't understand how this can be cheating. You EARN weight loss, it takes some effort. Cheating is getting something for nothing. If you are doing nothing ... then you are not losing weight .... no way to cheat the system.

    Are you losing weight? If yes, then you are doing something right. If you are not losing weight .... well then you know what the issue is. Just by asking the question .... you obviously understand how the process works.
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 780
    bump I did once.I suppose moving is moving.
  • andreajramsey
    andreajramsey Posts: 6 Member
    I log deep cleaning as before I chose to become a stay home mom I was a professional housekeeper and chef. You would be surprised just how many calories one can burn deep cleaning a rather large home on a daily basis.Making beds,folding laundry,putting it away,scrubbing floors,vacuuming,climbing stairs,cleaning blinds and windows,etc. Not to mention picking up toys X amount of times a day.
    I also log my shopping trips as walking.I park as far away from the store as I can and walk up and down every isle.i'm usually in the store 2-3 hours. I also work out 3-4days a week doing DVD's.
    I do not eat back my exercise calories every day.
    I have never logged cooking.
  • SVMR17
    SVMR17 Posts: 33
    That's what I like about combining MFP with Fitbit and HRM. HRM tracks my real cardio and Fitbit takes care of accumulated non-cardio activity (cleaning, walking around). Using all three takes the guesswork out of everything.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Yep.
  • Krissy_b777
    Krissy_b777 Posts: 87
    I count it . If I shouldn't count it, it should not be on there. Obviously, MFP felt it was exercise. And it depends on what I am cooking. If I am cooking a big meal and moving around alot I do. But something simple, no. When I clean my house, I really clean and scrub. In my book, that is exercise, you can call it cardio or not. Especially if it last more than 10-15 minutes. count I could care less if someone commented on my exercise or not. I am still going to do it and log it.
  • Krissy_b777
    Krissy_b777 Posts: 87
    That's what I like about combining MFP with Fitbit and HRM. HRM tracks my real cardio and Fitbit takes care of accumulated non-cardio activity (cleaning, walking around). Using all three takes the guesswork out of everything.


    this too.
  • whatluckycat
    whatluckycat Posts: 52 Member
    If cooking is cardio, then I guess eating must be cardio too. I mean, you do have to move your hand back and forth to your mouth after all.
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    my life has been so hectic lately and I've been dealing with a recurrent sinus infection. I haven't worked out in weeks!!! I feel crappy, but I'm really trying to stay in my calorie range. So far, I've been pretty good about it (considering my history). That being said, I've been counting my cooking and cleaning as cardio. I'm trying any way that I can to keep my motivation up to continue counting. I keep thinking that this is cheating. Does anyone have any insight on this? Am I cheating or does this seem accruate?

    IMO, if you are using the lowest setting (sedentary) on your settings, then I say you are good to go. I usually don't count cooking/cleaning if I have done other exercises, but if I didn't get a chance to get in exercise, then I do count it... :)
  • SilviCor
    SilviCor Posts: 110 Member
    To me, that's not really cario, it's life!
  • LordBezoar
    LordBezoar Posts: 625 Member
    I can see an argument for cleaning. I cook a lot. I consider myself to be a decent cook and have made some extremely complex meals in my time. HOWEVER, I cannot think of a time that I have expended enough effort to actually log it as exercise.

    Technically, I log both of these activities, however, because I wear my FitBit all day every day--so my steps count toward exercise if--and only if--MFP & FitBit perceive that I have expended more Calories than my activity level give me.
  • LizJ08
    LizJ08 Posts: 127
    I never thought to count cleaning as exercise until I saw other people on here doing it. I allow myself an extra 100 calories every day I exercise and for me it was freeing to know that I could count it as exercise and not also work out (have a sort of rest day) on Saturdays to have more time with my family. Recently I started just changing my activity level for the weekends instead of logging the cleaning because I'm on my feet a lot on the weekends. I don't think it's cheating. Obviously it's probably not much exercise if you drag it out all day vs. busting your butt to get it done!
  • JessieArt
    JessieArt Posts: 275 Member
    I don't count cooking but I do count cleaning. I have a 3800 square foot house, 3 teenagers, a five year old, a husband, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Heck yea I'm counting cleaning up after them.

    If it makes you sweat and gets your heart rate up, count it. If not, clean harder!!! :wink:
  • Brittany3914
    Brittany3914 Posts: 258 Member
    For fun one day, I wore my heart rate monitor as I cleaned my house (vacuuming, folding laundry, carrying baskets, mopping, etc). Unless people are doing lunges and squats between cleaning, I think MFP estimates that high. Especially with food prep. Although moving your body burns calories, I would never log it. It's a part of your every day life. I had a MFP friend who logged over 1,000 from food preparation one day. So ridiculous. If you log those calories, you'll have the mindset that you can eat them back and lose weight. I just consider them "bonus" workout calories that I don't necessarily log.
  • funkymoover
    funkymoover Posts: 4
    I don't count mine if it is in my normal routine, so cooking dinner no, tidy kitchen no

    But like a previous poster I only Hoover once a week and I seriously break a sweat doing it, so I count some of it, same with mopping & sweeping the floors it's not a big job very often but if I have to out a lot of effort in then I count the calories
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