Choosing the correct activity level
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Yes, exactly. I have mine set at sedentary, and then use Google Fit. It usually bumps it up a couple hundred calories, because even with a desk job I'll walk 4-5,000 steps a day.So If I am using an activity tracker (Like Jawbone, Fitbit or Apple Watch) - should I set my activity level at "sedentary" and let the steps from the activity tracker make the adjustments? (In addition to adding whatever vigorous activity I might be doing (like weightlifting) that the tracker can't track very well?)
MFP doesn't cound weight lifting toward activity calories. I fake it with kettlebells because they're so cardio intense (and it seems to be fine with my rate of loss).
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These definitions are NOT ACCURATE for MFP's method. You should not count purposeful exercise as part of the activity level for MFP, which uses the NEAT method of calculation. Exercise is logged in addition to the base calorie burn, so you don't want to double count it in both the activity level and exercise logging.
If using the TDEE method of calculation, then you should include purposeful exercise in the activity level, but don't log exercise cals in addition.
Sorry, I don't have time to explain these two methods in detail, but there are lots of explanations here on MFP.3 -
So If I am using an activity tracker (Like Jawbone, Fitbit or Apple Watch) - should I set my activity level at "sedentary" and let the steps from the activity tracker make the adjustments? (In addition to adding whatever vigorous activity I might be doing (like weightlifting) that the tracker can't track very well?)
As long as you check the "negative adjustments enabled" button, it doesn't matter which activity level you pick if you have an activity tracker synced. I prefer to choose the activity level that most closely mirrors my actual lifestyle (admittedly, it's a bit of an underestimate, but it means I don't have to look at an absurdly low calorie goal first thing in the morning). Others prefer to start at "sedentary". By the end of the day, the result will be the same regardless of the activity level you chose.3 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.0
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janejellyroll wrote: »MFP activity levels don't include any exercise, just the activities of daily life. If you do use your exercise to put yourself at a higher activity level on MFP, don't log exercise and eat those calories back, as you'll be double-dipping.
I was going to say the same thing. If you want your calorie goal on MFP to be accurate you do not include intended exercise, only normal daily activity.1 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
If fitbit and MFP are both set at sedentary, those extra calories are ones you have burned beyond being sedentary.3 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
Calorie burns are always estimates. Different programs by different manufacturers use different methods of estimating.1 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
How many steps do you get per day? MFP's definition of "sedentary" is about 3,000 steps/day. If you get more than that, FitBit will adjust your calorie burn upward to account for the extra steps. By how much depends on height, weight and age, but expect roughly 100 calories for every extra 2,000 steps.0 -
I am pretty sedentary the most of the day. I mostly do house chores or play with my dog, but I do go to the gym for an hour and a half to two hours. I'd still fall under sedentary, right? I do this 5 days a week (and usually long walks on the weekend).0
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I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
Calorie burns are always estimates. Different programs by different manufacturers use different methods of estimating.
not so much ...a lot of programs/manufacturers use Met Values..0 -
I go to the gym 5-6 times a week for 45 mins to do weightlifting but MFP doesn't let you calculate calories for anything other than cardio. I am also in college so I have to walk around campus daily. I set my activity level to 'Active' to compensate for the lack of calorie estimates for weights. I want to know if I'm justified in doing this. Also if I do cardio I add the extra calories in with the app.
Any reply would be great
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@ThePopcornMaker I would err on the side of caution and go with lightly active based only on the fact that you are walking around campus. To be fair, weight lifting itself doesn't burn a lot of calories, not enough to justify an active level. An active level is someone with a laborious job who is working physically all through the day. Because you are walking around at campus throughout the day, I think lightly active would be fair. I wouldn't add any calories in for weight lifting but if you think you should, I'd be adding 200 calories for a session at the most. I prefer to go with sedentary then just add in my cardio calories.2
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ThePopcornMaker wrote: »I go to the gym 5-6 times a week for 45 mins to do weightlifting but MFP doesn't let you calculate calories for anything other than cardio. I am also in college so I have to walk around campus daily. I set my activity level to 'Active' to compensate for the lack of calorie estimates for weights. I want to know if I'm justified in doing this. Also if I do cardio I add the extra calories in with the app.
Any reply would be great
Look for a strength training entry under cardio to get a burn estimate. Though it isn't much, so I would say active is probably too high for you.3 -
Any idea of how much you are walking around campus? 5,000 steps/day? 10,000 steps/day? 15,000 steps/day?
A cheap pedometer or free app on your phone (e.g. Google Fit) could give you a decent estimate. If you're over 10,000 steps/day, you can justify "active". If not, go with "lightly active".1 -
SusanMFindlay wrote: »Any idea of how much you are walking around campus? 5,000 steps/day? 10,000 steps/day? 15,000 steps/day?
A cheap pedometer or free app on your phone (e.g. Google Fit) could give you a decent estimate. If you're over 10,000 steps/day, you can justify "active". If not, go with "lightly active".
This.
And specifically for Google Fit I will say that the step quantity estimate is somewhat correct I'm extremely disappointed with the extremely low tdee result that they give at least to me.
Yes based on my loging and Fitbit if Fitbit was a hundred percent accurate I should be losing a half a pound a week which I'm not. But based on Google Fit I should be gaining a pound and a half, almost closer to two lbs a week, which I also am certainly not.
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from the beginning, i put myself at lightly active. I don't count my daily hourly dog walk, but do count anything besides that, ie: brisk walking or gym & sometime eat half calories back. works for me0
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SusanMFindlay wrote: »Any idea of how much you are walking around campus? 5,000 steps/day? 10,000 steps/day? 15,000 steps/day?
A cheap pedometer or free app on your phone (e.g. Google Fit) could give you a decent estimate. If you're over 10,000 steps/day, you can justify "active". If not, go with "lightly active".
This.
And specifically for Google Fit I will say that the step quantity estimate is somewhat correct I'm extremely disappointed with the extremely low tdee result that they give at least to me.
Yes based on my loging and Fitbit if Fitbit was a hundred percent accurate I should be losing a half a pound a week which I'm not. But based on Google Fit I should be gaining a pound and a half, almost closer to two lbs a week, which I also am certainly not.
I don't honestly remember what Google Fit said for my TDEE. I stopped using it as soon as I got my FitBit (because a lot of my daily steps are incidental and because I don't live with my phone in my pocket, Google Fit misses about half my daily steps; it was, however, enough to show me that "lightly active" was inadequate for me).2 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
Calorie burns are always estimates. Different programs by different manufacturers use different methods of estimating.
not so much ...a lot of programs/manufacturers use Met Values..
Then they would all say the same thing!1 -
I'm confused why fit bit steps earns me more calories then if mfp already calculates how many calories I need by being "sedentary". It seems like I am earning way too many calories just from daily walking and I already set my activity level to sedentary.
Calorie burns are always estimates. Different programs by different manufacturers use different methods of estimating.
not so much ...a lot of programs/manufacturers use Met Values..
Then they would all say the same thing!
We can both use the same values for an exercise but measure the exercise as having taken place for a different length of time or at a different intensity level depending on our ability to evaluate it.0
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