Choosing the right activity level

mcveteran06

Hello fitness pals, I'm having a difficult time choosing which level of activity I am at when setting up the Goals. I workout for an hour 5 days a week doing heavy lifting. I am a stay at home dad and full time college student. I will run 2 miles at a very easy pace once a week. Soy question is... Is that Sedentary? Light Active? Where am I? Any advice will be appreciated.

jddicarlo

There's a goo post in this getting started board near the top called step by step guide. That helped me out a bunch. I have a desk job so I am sedentary. Don't factor in your workouts during the week. That would be extra or additional. So if you are a stay at home dad and student, you are not sitting around all day. Would assume during the day you are walking around a bit. I'd start at lightly active. You could try one level up as well. It will be more of an adjustment. If you wanted to start one level up (is that moderate active) and run with that for a few weeks as see what your results are. Then adjust down a level of it isn't right.

mcveteran06

Thanks! I'll check out that post.

Sued0nim

Activity level excludes purposeful exercise which you log separately

So if when you're not exercising you are sitting in a classroom, or hanging out on the sofa with the kids mainly then put sedentary ..if you're moving a lot more then lightly active

Sued0nim

Some people prefer a TDEE approach...what are your goals? Are you bulking,cutting or maintaining?

jenluvsushi

I like setting it at sedentary and then adding in exercise as I go, which will aslo give you more calories as needed.

mcveteran06

Rabbitjb, I'm cutting right now. Thanks for the input everybody.

meowmixmastah

I work a desk job and have it set at sedentary -- but I don't log cardio at all (strength training, yes). I aim for my macros to cut, and any added weight loss is a bonus.