Activity Points

[Momof2pugz]

Hi Everyone,

I am a dog groomer. As a dog groomer, I physically work hard all day. Can this be counted as activity points?

I am soo pooped when I get home from work that I do not even have the energy for exercising. Any suggestions?

Thanks, in advance.

[WWloser-118.8]

Hi Mom,

My feeling and what I've been told is that normal activity can't be used for or called exercise. Your body is used to that activity. You must do something over and above noraml daily stuff. Start slow don't try to do to much at first. Try a short walk after work before you settle in at home. I used to get home come in the house change clothes before anything could get my attention and go for my walk. If I sat down first I was shot. Give that a try and see how you do. :D

[salmam1]

Unfortunately, what I've been taught by my personal trainer is that, if it is activity that you are use to, then you can't count it. ie: work related activity. Stuff that you do daily. I run all over a Mammography dept. all day, but I can't count it, because it is activity that my body is accustomed to. I have to go to the gym and exercise at 5am or I don't have the energy after work, normally, but if I go in the morning, my energy level is fairly high all day long. Now, if you do a lot of yardwork one day, by all means, count it. Good luck!

xoxoxoxox
Sal graemlins/bcbsalute.gif

[Momof2pugz]

Okay, Okay.... That's what I was afraid of. LOL! First thing this evening, I am going to take a brisk walk. graemlins/bcbsalute.gif graemlins/bcbsalute.gif graemlins/bcbsalute.gif

Thank you!!!!

[nancyny]

I have never seen the official WW stand on this (from a real leader or WW official, not a member's opinion or that of a trainer not connected with WW). But I believe they are called "activity points" and not "exercise points" for a reason, and that reason is that you can count all kinds of activity, not just "workouts."

I believe that if you have an active lifestyle, including your job and hobbies, then you get activity points. It might be for light to moderate activity, but over an 8-hour workday, it adds up. It requires a certain level of fitness to groom dogs full time! And I believe that you may need to eat more to lose weight well than a person at the same weight who has a desk job. That's what the points are for - so active people eat enough to avoid "starvation mode."

The whole need for "exercise" stems from the fact that so many people do NOT have active jobs or hobbies.

What some you are essentially saying is you can only count points for activity over and above what you were doing before you joined WW. And therefore, you are saying that if you have an active exercise program before you start WW, then you should never count APs for your exercise "because your body is used to it."

It makes no sense that I would get APs for wallpapering a room because I'm a home do-it-yourselfer, but you wouldn't if you were a professional paperer. OK, you might not get as many, because you know what you're doing and you're more efficient. But all those trips up and down a ladder should count for something.

Just my $.02 --

[WWCarol]

Well, in Oprah and Bob Greene's book, Make The Connection, one of their ten steps is to "Exercise aerobically, five to seven days each week (preferably in the morning)". The next one is, "Exercise in the zone (at a level 7 or 8)."

The interesting thing is that even though Bob had trained with Oprah (had run alongside her, rowed, boxed, etc.) he then left to do his OWN work-out. When she asked why, it was because he had never gotten into HIS zone.

The book cautions that you may not be able to exercise with a friend if that person is not in YOUR zone; otherwise, you might be having a nice talk/stroll, but you are not meeting the in-the-zone requirement.

My DH has days that are VERY active! But he never counts them as "exercise". He still comes home from work and gets into his zone for at least 20 minutes, aerobically.

It is working wonderfully for him; he has maintained his ideal weight for 3 years now, this way.

So I would say (in my opinion), if you are "in YOUR zone for 20 minutes aerobically" then you have met your exercise requirement for that day. graemlins/wave.gif

[p.c.]

It's not whether you are used to the activity, it's whether your heart rate goes up! I teach middle school and BOY am I pooped at the end of the day. But my heart rate doesn't get aerobic (well, maybe on occasion when they are really naughty!!). Being physically pooped from standing up all day is different that having your heart rate in the 70-80% zone.

[SunnySmile]

This issue came up in our meeting the other night. Our leader told us that if it is stuff you do every day, it DOES NOT count towards activity points. It has to be something that you normally do not do on a daily basis. Hope that helps!

[skruggie]

Originally posted by SunnySmile:
This issue came up in our meeting the other night. Our leader told us that if it is stuff you do every day, it DOES NOT count towards activity points. It has to be something that you normally do not do on a daily basis. Hope that helps! So, if you were already a gym rat and did 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week before starting Weight Watchers, according to your leader, that wouldn't count as activity points.

Sorry, that just makes no sense to me.

I think they mean for people who are basically sedintry and never had a real exercize program before, not for those of us who are fit and incorporate exercize into our lives on a regular basis.

[CordyC]

What skruggie said. graemlins/wave.gif

[nancyny]

What Skruggie said, indeed.

Some of you define what counts for APs so narrowly that you exclude almost all activity - including almost all sports! I don't think that's what WW intended. WW wants you to get up and DO something - anything - rather than sit in front of the TV (or your computer). They also encourage a variety of activities including cardio but also resistance/weights and flexibility. It's ludicrous (to me) to think they will only let you count APs for cardio.

Using them is optional. I know if I don't use my APs, I risk health problems and I also will not lose weight well. Each person needs to find his or her own balance.

I am going to continue figuring and using Activity Points for ALL of my activity, light, moderate, and high intensity, whether "aerobic" or not, whether "exercise" or other activities, whether I earn 2-3 pt. in a day or over 30, regardless of when I started doing it (before, between, or during periods of active weight loss or maintenance).

[LawDawg]

If you weren't supposed to count APs for things you ordinarily do why would they have an assigned value for daily activities like cleaning and laundry? I think you get to count any and all activity. And AP points are different from cardio heart health which requires working in you zone for a period of time 3 or 4 times a week. AP points are daily for your daily activity. All of it.

[quilting lady]

In week 4 of the Winning Points program WW "judges the level of intensity for exercise with the following guidline:

You're working at light intensity if you are able to talk and sing as you're exercising. You probably won't breal a sweat.

You're working at a moderate intensity if you breath more often and deeper as you excercise. At this level, you're able to talk but not able to sing and you would describe you level of exercise as "somewhat hard". You'll likely break a into a sweat after 10 minutes of continuous activity.

You're working at a high intensity if your breathing is more rapid and deep (but you shouldn't be gasping for air) and you would describe your level; of exercise as "hard". You're able to speak breifly, but not hold a long conversation. You'll likely break into a sweat after several minutes of continuous activity."

In the back of the book it reads, "What the POINTS Food System does for eating the POINTS Activity System does for exercise."

I intrepret this explaination of the progam on Activity Points as being excercise, not your normal physical day to day activities.

Carole

[judyo53]

Here's my take on the issue. I used to use Fit Day to track calories, activities & weight before WW & one of the questions it asked me was what type of lifestyle I lived. The choices were from sedentary (bed bound), seated work, seated work some movement (which I chose), standing work (housework) & strenuous work (construction). Based on my answer & my height, it gave me my daily calories burned based on basal, lifestyle (the category I chose) & I would have to add my extra activities (exercising-I do aerobics & light weights).

So right now just by living, without my exercise, I burn around 2,191 calories. If I had a more strenuous lifestyle I'd burn more daily. But I wouldn't take this into consideration by figuring any AP's for my lifestyle.

An example I use is a friend who works an extremely strenuous job as a deli manager; running around, lifting & moving heavy boxes, bending, standing, you name it. You'd think she'd be thin but she's been having a tough time since she hit her mid 40's. She is too pooped to exercise when she gets home, too (works a lot of overtime). So she's battling weight, even with such a strenuous job. And she's not the snacking type & I've never seen her pig out.

I guess it's a trial & error thing. If you feel the need to add AP's for your daily lifestyle & stop losing, you know it's not something you should do.

[judyo53]

Sorry, double post-can't delete myself.

[ March 19, 2004, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: judyo53 ]

[lokira]

WW is an imperfect plan, with imperfect guidelines for imperfect people. It is a GOOD plan, and I have been successful following it. But because it is imperfect there really is no straightforward answer to your question.

My opinion is; you have to be honest with yourself. If you feel you earned activity points then by all means take them. But if you want APs just so you can eat more ‘and still be OP’ then you are sabotaging yourself! You can’t fool your body, it knows exactly what to do with extra food that you don’t burn off, no matter what you write in your journal. Some days you may be able count a lot of APs, some days none at all. You know your body and if you are honest with yourself you’ll know if you deserve APs or not.

How’s that for an imperfect answer?? :D

[CordyC]

How’s that for an imperfect answer?? I think that was actually pretty close to perfect! No two bodies react the same, so we have to continually fine-tune the program to suit us.

[Joyfulgirl]

Some jobs require huge amounts of activity and will keep you fit naturally. Those jobs probably need more fuel (food) to maintain that energy level. I know when I was working with my uncle refinishing tables commercially it was hard work and involved alot of heavy lifting, reaches, lunges, constant motion, etc., and most of the time I got my heart rate right up there. If I were to try to work out on top of that I would've probably hurt myself. When I found myself getting dizzy alot I added some APs and things evened out. I did get used to it somewhat but I was still using alot of energy daily, way more than I was taking in.

If you feel your job is demanding enough to keep you toned and fit then it might be counter-productive to add exercise. If you feel like you have some energy left over at the end (or beginning) of the day, or if you feel like you want to focus on a specific area, add a workout in. But listen to your body's natural hunger and energy levels and don't force anything too hard. If your weight loss stalls, it might be time to add some APs.