Activity Level: Lightly Active or Active?

VeganAmandaJ

I have been thinking about asking this question for awhile but haven't yet because I feel like it's a no-brainer. However, I do want to see what people do and what would be recommended for me so that I'm using the right settings.

Here is my activity:
I work 7.5 hour shifts 3 days per week
1 day I work 2.5 hours and then later I work 4 hours

I typically stand for at least half of those shifts interpreting video phone calls in sign language, so I am moving somewhat but not anything physically demanding.

I choose to stand up when that standing station is available, which is most of the time.
I have 10 or 20 minute breaks every hour or so where I walk around in the office for water/bathroom break/food or just sitting.
I also sometimes alternate sitting and standing something like 60:15 or 45:10 but I stand most of the time. I also alternate resting my feet on a stool. (this is probably too much info but thought I would include as much detail as I could)

I normally go to the gym for about 2 hours Monday's, Wednesday's, Thurday's, and usually on Friday's and Saturday's too ( I take a couple days off because the program I follow has 2 rest days normally). I also go on Tuesday's normally for around 1.5 hours.
I follow a weight-lifting program from BodySpace that works the entire body throughout the week and I try to lift heavy to failure for 2-3 sets, reps vary depending on what I'm doing and how heavy but range anywhere from 4-15 and maybe 10 different exercises depending on what it is (e.g. I can't lift very heavy for shoulders and my entire upper body is much weaker than my lower body) in addition to 15-30 minutes of cardio of various kinds on those days normally.

Other than that, I don't do too much; I lounge about at home or stand to prepare meals or hang out with friends, walk around sometimes and other everyday activities.

If I'm hitting the gym regularly at 4-6 days per week plus standing, I put active. If I don't make it to the gym more than 3 days and/or don't get the chance to stand at work, I should probably move it back to light activity, no?
If I don't work out one day, should I change it to "light activity" and eat less or does it matter?

I feel like I'm being a bit anal-retentive here but I don't want to be eating too much and stall progress which I feel might be the case.

Thanks so much in advance for any kind advice or input.

VeganAmandaJ

*a n a l is a bad word now? I was saying a-n-a-l retentive, not swearing..

Francl27

With MFP your activity level doesn't account for exercise. So put yourself at lightly active and eat back your exercise calories. It's how it's supposed to work.

SezxyStef

You activity level should not include purposeful exercise if you are using MFP with the setup it gave you...In order to be considered lightly active you have to get 10k steps without exercise, ie walking around work, walking at work such as a teacher etc...

the exercise you should be logging and eating back at least 50% of those calories.

VeganAmandaJ

Oh, I just haven't been eating back my exercise cals.. Okay. Thanks

Francl27 wrote: »

With MFP your activity level doesn't account for exercise. So put yourself at lightly active and eat back your exercise calories. It's how it's supposed to work.

VeganAmandaJ

As far as eating back exercise calories, I'm not sure how to gauge that since I don't think even an HRM is accurate in telling me how many calories I burn; an HRM was designed for steady-state cardio and I typically don't do that; I prefer HIIT/plyometrics, intervals and weight-lifting. I typically don't eat back any cals when I have it set to active.

I guess on calories burned so with setting it to lightly active I won't plan on eating too many exercise cals back since I don't know how accurate it is. Worst-case scenario I'm eating at more of a defecit which can't be too bad since I still have a long ways to go.

SezxyStef wrote: »

You activity level should not include purposeful exercise if you are using MFP with the setup it gave you...In order to be considered lightly active you have to get 10k steps without exercise, ie walking around work, walking at work such as a teacher etc...

the exercise you should be logging and eating back at least 50% of those calories.

Doone33

I would say lightly active!

midato

http://antranik.org/proper-activity-level-for-calorie-intake/

Check this out

VeganAmandaJ

Thanks!

midato wrote: »

http://antranik.org/proper-activity-level-for-calorie-intake/

Check this out

Sued0nim

Agree with lightly active

Log your purposeful exercise too...use the MFP database but double click on the calories before submitting and half them

In 6-8 weeks judge your actual average weight loss against your targeted and then change the amount of exercise calories you eat back accordingly

Sued0nim

midato wrote: »

http://antranik.org/proper-activity-level-for-calorie-intake/

Check this out

That's a pretty decent link

Although MFP activity is exclusive of purposeful exercise so it's not that relevant for settings here unless the user removes the exercise part or doesn't log any exercise as they would be double counting