Am I lightly active or moderately active

macxeows

I have been very confused when it comes to calculating my TDEE lately because I'm not sure if I'm active or lightly active.

I walk everyday, in the morning and afternoon. I try to make it 10,000 a day (these are days I'm not jogging).

Then every other day I use my couch to 5k app and I walk again later after this.

And I aim to do 30-60 minutes of yoga at least 5 times a week.

So I'm not sure if this is light or moderate.

145 lbs / 5'7 / 18 / female

ncboiler89

Just set it to one or the other (preferably the lower) and re-evaluate after a couple of months.

PAV8888

Based on your achieving 10K steps (or equivalent levels of activity) you would be setup as Active on MFP. You may need to add some eat-back for the jogging you do on top.

If you are trying to achieve better meal planning and if your activity is predictable, you may also be able to set yourself up as Very Active (on the strength of walking + jogging/yoga). At that point you would NOT eat back any exercise calories.

in either case I would re-evaluate periodically to see how things are going. Even though most of us would probably re-evaluate within a week or two, a 3-4 week period is probably more meaningful...

Christine_72

I walk over 10 miles everyday. I've got mine set as sedentary. It just makes it easier if for any reason I don't walk that day or whatever.
I've also got my fitbit synced with mfp, so messing with the activity levels might skew this and I'd end up eating back more calories than I've earned. ..

Asher_Ethan

I started with mine at moderately active and I noticed I was way under on my calories everyday that I switched it to lightly active.

My_Butt

From what I understand, exercising doesn't count into your activity level since you're allowed to eat those calories back.
I work construction so I am set to active. A desk job would be sedentary.

Liftng4Lis

If using the MFP way, your activity level is normal daily activity and exercise is separate. If wanting just your TDEE,(you'll be setting your own caloric value):http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

SLLRunner

macxeows wrote: »

I have been very confused when it comes to calculating my TDEE lately because I'm not sure if I'm active or lightly active.

I walk everyday, in the morning and afternoon. I try to make it 10,000 a day (these are days I'm not jogging).

Then every other day I use my couch to 5k app and I walk again later after this.

And I aim to do 30-60 minutes of yoga at least 5 times a week.

So I'm not sure if this is light or moderate.

145 lbs / 5'7 / 18 / female

Some might disagree with me, but I think it's individual as to your overall lifestyle.

I work at a desk job as a paralegal, but I have my activity level set at active. I also weight lift three days a week (don't log weight lifting calories) followed by elliptical cross-trainer (do log), as well as run (do log). I am also very active outside of work with some walking and always doing something.

I started out at sedentary and was losing weight faster than I'd set my goals for, set to lightly active and still lost weight faster than I was trying to, and finally setting my activity level to active did the trick. I've lost 44 pounds and have been maintaining for well over a year now.

The caveat is that almost from the beginning I have weighed food, used a heart rate monitor, and taken extra pains to ensure I was using correct food calorie entries. Before I used a food scale and heart rate monitor, I never ate many of my exercise calories back to account for errors.

Good luck.

fearlessleader104

Sedentary

SLLRunner

My_Butt wrote: »

From what I understand, exercising doesn't count into your activity level since you're allowed to eat those calories back.
I work construction so I am set to active. A desk job would be sedentary.

Not necessarily. I wok a desk job and I'm set to active (please see my explanation above).

macxeows

I don't see how on earth I'm sedentary... I don't sit on my bum all day. I do things. So I think I'll stick to lightly active.

Sued0nim

Pu_239 wrote: »

It doesn't matter, those things are just estimates, pick one and try it out, see your results and adjust accordingly.

If you don't know what you are, how are we supposed to know?

*like*

iamsmara

OP, you are definitely LIGHTLY ACTIVE - As long as you don't claim your exercise time for extra calories.

I am also assuming you are also doing other things, apart from the walking, such as cooking / tidying up / general life routine movements. Coupled with the walking, this would make you lightly active.

Sued0nim

I'm very active, I walk around 5 miles a day, I work out hard 3 hours a week: cardio, calisthenics and weight training

however my day job is desk bound so I'm sedentary

...and then I log back my walking (via fitbit) and my exercise (via an adjustment to my HRM to account for type of exercise)

Machka9

macxeows wrote: »

I don't see how on earth I'm sedentary... I don't sit on my bum all day. I do things. So I think I'll stick to lightly active.

What do you do for work? Office?

In a day, how many minutes are you standing or walking? How many minutes are sitting?

SezxyStef

macxeows wrote: »

I don't see how on earth I'm sedentary... I don't sit on my bum all day. I do things. So I think I'll stick to lightly active.

As a desk worker I have mine set at lightly active (on MFP) as I get on average 8-10k steps before exercise, so as not to confuse the sync with my Jawbone.

If you are using MFP than it's not TDEE...it's NEAT and any exercise you do should not be included in your activity.

If you are setting it manually based on TDEE then set it to what you want as it doesn't matter as you will be setting your calories manually.

bluberrie45

Hi I am also confused as to what to set for my exercise level. I'm an 18 year old girl and for several months I just went to school but now I have swim practice for high school preseason winter training and that is three times a week for 1 hr and a half each time. What should I set my activity level as?
Thanks!

Leslierussell4134

rabbitjb wrote: »

I'm very active, I walk around 5 miles a day, I work out hard 3 hours a week: cardio, calisthenics and weight training

however my day job is desk bound so I'm sedentary

...and then I log back my walking (via fitbit) and my exercise (via an adjustment to my HRM to account for type of exercise)

⬆I believe activity level should be based on the demands of you life outside of exercise. So basically your job or the majority of your days hours. I used to serve tables while in school, walked about 15,000 steps a day and carried heavy trays constantly, had to clean and bend...therefore I was active. I'm now a nurse, work half my shift sitting and half the shift lifting people, bending, stooping, walking/running...I'm now lightly active. All exercise intended as exercise is logged via HR monitor. I lose weight/ maintain this way.
But go-ahead and choose one, if you're hungry all the time, bump it and if you're not losing weight, lower it.

Jo_G76

How do you work out activity level. Some days at work I do 7000 steps. Other days I do 10-12,000.

Clarewho

I think OP needs to confirm whether she's really trying to calculate TDEE (probably outside of MFP) or whether she's using MFP in which case it's NEAT. Because there are a mixture of answers above, relating to both methods. So OP won't know which advice to follow.
@macxeows can you confirm?

Phrick

Jo_G76 wrote: »

How do you work out activity level. Some days at work I do 7000 steps. Other days I do 10-12,000.

I found these that might be helpful:

http://walking.about.com/cs/measure/a/locke122004.htm

Classification of pedometer-determined physical activity in healthy adults:

1) Under 5000 steps/day may be used as a "sedentary lifestyle index"

2) 5,000-7,499 steps/day is typical of daily activity excluding sports/exercise and might be considered "low active." The average American walks 5900 to 6900 steps per day, so the majority are "low active."

3) 7,500-9,999 steps/day likely includes some exercise or walking (and/or a job that requires more walking) and might be considered "somewhat active."

4) 10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as "active".

5) 12,500+ steps/day Individuals who take more than 12,500 steps/day are likely to be classified as "highly active".


and here from a different source
http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/rate-your-activity-level-based-on-steps-per-day/

1. Sedentary (Inactive)
Pedometer steps = less than 5,000 steps a day

2. Low Active
Pedometer steps = 5,000 – 7,499 steps a day

3. Somewhat Active
Pedometer steps = 7,500 – 9,999 steps a day

4. Active
Pedometer steps = 10,000 steps or more a day

5. Highly Active
Pedometer steps = 12,500 steps or more a day.

MommyL2015

I set mine to sedentary and just log when I exercise and eat to compensate. It's easier for me. Some days, maybe once or twice a week, I am completely sedentary and maybe get 2,000 steps all day due to my job. If I set it to sedentary, then end up walking 10 miles that day, I just log and eat accordingly for that day.

If you are consistent and are on your feet all day every day, I think it would be safe to assume you are at the very least lightly active.