Logging Cleaning as an Exercise

ValerieMartini2Olives
ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
edited December 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I see a lot of people who are all "Cleaning is not an exercise, don't log it."

My question is, what kind of sissy dainty cleaning are you doing to not make it physical?

Wiping down the counter=not exercise.

Getting on your hands and knees scrubbing your shower, vacuuming your whole place and taking out bags of garbage=exercise.
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Replies

  • SaraBelle0312
    SaraBelle0312 Posts: 328 Member
    I agree. I know alot of people use an HRM monitor to log their exercise from EVERYTHING. I think that anything you do, as long as you do ii accurately, should count.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    i log cleaning because the rest of my day i'm sitting at a desk.
  • medicinemantoo
    medicinemantoo Posts: 160
    I'll use it when I do something like clean out the garage and/or storage room; lot's of boxes and lifting.

    When I first started this site a month ago, I used it just to keep myself motivated that I was actually moving about and doing something.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    It's all part of the activity level you set. It's daily activity not exercise IMHO. Just like me cutting the lawn is not exercise. There are days you'll do more and days you'll do less. It all evens out. If you don't believe me, get yourself a Fitbit and see how much difference there is in your daily energy expenditure from day to day. You were doing these kinds of activities before you decided to come here. I think if you are counting this kind of thing, your cheating yourself.
  • Jacole18
    Jacole18 Posts: 716 Member
    I will confess, I USED to be one of those people who thought cleaning as exercise was a crock. THEN, I started noticing that I was hot and sweaty after I cleaned my whole house... vacuuming, scrubbing counters, mopping the floors...etc. So now I wear my HRM when I'm house cleaning, and you bet your butt I log it! I figured if I'm gonna sweat, I better make it count. :)
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    I say to each their own, I run up and down the stairs when I'm doing laundry but I don't log that as exercise. I specifically log workouts that I do. However, what works for me doesn't necessary work for other people, so if you want to log cleaning go for it!
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    It's all part of the activity level you set. It's daily activity not exercise IMHO. Just like me cutting the lawn is not exercise. There are days you'll do more and days you'll do less. It all evens out. If you don't believe me, get yourself a Fitbit and see how much difference there is in your daily energy expenditure from day to day. You were doing these kinds of activities before you decided to come here. I think if you are counting this kind of thing, your cheating yourself.

    So you're telling me after an 8 hour laborious workday (my job is extremely physical) that 40 minutes of intense cleaning to the point I'm sweating like a pig is cheating myself and it's just a daily expenditure? I think that's a bunch of bull.
  • Altarian
    Altarian Posts: 230 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Suit yourself.
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    If I start sweating and I am doing real deep on-my-hands-and-knees cleaning, then I'd log it. If it is just the basic cleaning up after dinner, sweeping, etc. then no... because I do that every day and just count that as part of daily activities in my moderately active life.
  • Rosaleeh81
    Rosaleeh81 Posts: 34
    i work one day a week cleaning lodges...and i log it. For me, not only is it cleaning, but its also walking up/down the 3 tier parking lot that's pretty much all hill. i log bc i sweat my *kitten* off, and it's for 5-7 hrs at a time...pretty much non stop. So yes, cleaning is most def an exercise! :)
  • Sheila_Ann
    Sheila_Ann Posts: 365 Member
    Depends on the person. I personally don't log any of them.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    i'm going to start logging "bedroom cardio"
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
    I don't label anything as exercise unless it's specifically planned as exercise, unless it truly winds up as an exaughsting workout. For example today I spent about 2 hours gardening but honestly I spent a lot of that time deadheading flowers with only a little actual effort expended on some digging so that was not a workout. However for fathers day I redid my dads garden and spend the day digging, hauling & pulling and I KNOW that burned calories so I counted it.

    It really only cheats yourself in the long run if you're logging every silly minor activity as exercise and them eating back your calories!
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.

    I just made my husband come in here and read this, I am 29 weeks and its like pulling teeth to get him to clean. Your wife better appreciate that! :)
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    Do I think that 30 minutes of cleaning is the same as 30 minutes of HIIT? No. But it is definitely physically draining.

    And the plus side... my house sparkles. :D
  • Altarian
    Altarian Posts: 230 Member
    i'm going to start logging "bedroom cardio"

    LMAO um….. ya good call.
  • sexforjaffacakes
    sexforjaffacakes Posts: 1,001 Member
    It's all part of the activity level you set. It's daily activity not exercise IMHO. Just like me cutting the lawn is not exercise. There are days you'll do more and days you'll do less. It all evens out. If you don't believe me, get yourself a Fitbit and see how much difference there is in your daily energy expenditure from day to day. You were doing these kinds of activities before you decided to come here. I think if you are counting this kind of thing, your cheating yourself.

    This. I mean, even if you're set at sedentary, cleaning is still factored in in the long run.
    I was cleaning my room when I got fat and I still clean it now. But I never ran or lifted weights before, so I now log them.

    Sure cleaning burns calories, and if you're doing unusual cleaning, like maybe intense gardening or heavy lifting furniture about etc you can log it, but day to day cleaning shouldn't be logged. If you are genuinely doing a huge scrub down of your house every single day, then maybe change your cals from sedentary.

    End of the day it's up to you, but just because it burns calories (we know it burns calories) doesn't mean you should log it, as it is probably already factored into your TDEE
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.

    Wow, whole lotta faulty assumptions there. Just for the record, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 2.75 acres to tend. But hey, if you want to engage in a little self pity, be my guest.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
    I think anything above and beyond typical daily maintenance is acceptable (i.e.- I did extensive yard work the other day, logged), but every day cleaning is NOT EXERCISE. And those who log average cleaning, are you eating back those calories?

    EXERCISE is exercise to me. Running, aerobics, walking, etc.; things that just don't burn calories, but actually work your body towards your goal. If you're not breaking a sweat for an extended period of time, it's not worth logging.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    i'm going to start logging "bedroom cardio"

    I do. I call it "Giggity Giggity" in my diary. :D But only when it's intense. If I'm just laying there... well then it's time to be banging someone else. Lol.
  • sam_gamgee
    sam_gamgee Posts: 138 Member
    It's all part of the activity level you set. It's daily activity not exercise IMHO. Just like me cutting the lawn is not exercise. There are days you'll do more and days you'll do less. It all evens out. If you don't believe me, get yourself a Fitbit and see how much difference there is in your daily energy expenditure from day to day. You were doing these kinds of activities before you decided to come here. I think if you are counting this kind of thing, your cheating yourself.
    Yeah, but most people weren't limiting calories at the same time, and MFP sets calorie intake according to activity level.

    So, if you have your activity level set at moderate, you'll have extra calories built into your average intake to allow for stuff like cleaning or whatever day to day activity your moderate assessment is based on.

    If you have your activity level set at sedentary, there's not many extra calories above staying alive and walking around a bit, so anything that gets you sweating and breathing hard should be logged IMO.
  • Altarian
    Altarian Posts: 230 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.

    I just made my husband come in here and read this, I am 29 weeks and its like pulling teeth to get him to clean. Your wife better appreciate that! :)

    I have done it for all four of her pregnancies. House work is not a WOMAN's job. IMHO but each their own on that social opinion.
  • SunnyAndrsn
    SunnyAndrsn Posts: 369 Member
    I did a lot of cleaning on Friday--two bathrooms, all the floors, dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing floors, cleaning out the freezer and the kitchen cupboards, and shampooing the carpeted areas of the house. Took me about 3 1/2 hours total. I was shocked at the mileage I racked up on my Fitbit--over 3 miles.

    It CAN be very physical, I worked up a sweat.

    Literally, your own mileage may vary--some will log it, some won't. I don't necessary eat the calories when Fitbit gives me credit, but it's nice to know if I'm particularly hungry I could.
  • learntolive
    learntolive Posts: 94 Member
    Cleaning is great exercise--bending, reaching, streatching, mopping, vaccuming--oh yes--that is exercise.
  • gogojodee
    gogojodee Posts: 1,243 Member
    It's all part of the activity level you set. It's daily activity not exercise IMHO. Just like me cutting the lawn is not exercise. There are days you'll do more and days you'll do less. It all evens out. If you don't believe me, get yourself a Fitbit and see how much difference there is in your daily energy expenditure from day to day. You were doing these kinds of activities before you decided to come here. I think if you are counting this kind of thing, your cheating yourself.

    Agreed. I just cleaned house and there isn't a way I'm logging it, even though I was huffing and puffing. Last I saw cleaning wasn't considered an Olympic sport. And, yes, I do have a heart rate monitor. Even then, it's common sense.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.

    Wow, whole lotta faulty assumptions there. Just for the record, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 2.75 acres to tend. But hey, if you want to engage in a little self pity, be my guest.

    Agreed. I'm a single mother of an 11 year old and a 2 year old... I have 2 cats, 1 dog, and 3 acres of land.
  • Altarian
    Altarian Posts: 230 Member
    those who say don't log house cleaning i have a feeling don't have kids or pets. I know i for one bust in melting mode when i do house work because my kids and cat's make sure i have stuff to clean up. Also while my wife is pregnant i've taken on the responsibility of keeping the house clean so she doesn't have to worry about it. So to those who say cleaning is not an exercise i say It must be nice to be you and not have to worry about cleaning up after other people or animals.

    Wow, whole lotta faulty assumptions there. Just for the record, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 2.75 acres to tend. But hey, if you want to engage in a little self pity, be my guest.

    Not the point i was trying to make. but as someone else said what i consider acceptable log and what you consider are not meant to be one in the same. Best wish's to you sir. With that, back under my rock i go before i offend anyone and get the MFP Police after me again.
  • Teffy2
    Teffy2 Posts: 25 Member
    I have been using Bodymedia to track the calories I burn all day, and the numbers don't lie. When I clean, I burn at least a few hundred calories depending on what and how long I'm working.

    I've used an hour or so of cleaning, when I've gone over my calories; as a quick way to get back on track for the day. I don't just guess the calories burned, I check my heart monitor or bodymedia.
  • Jen32285
    Jen32285 Posts: 281 Member
    I don't log it either. Although I did move my huge sectional by myself yesterday. I do that about once a month to vacuum under it. I even had the kids sitting on it.
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