What activity level would you consider a SAHM?

Jonna13
Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a mom to four-5yrs and under including 20 month old twins. My daughter is in kindergarten full time and I'm at home with my 3yr old and twins during the day.

Would this be considered sedentary, or lightly active? I'm eating 1450 calories per day, and am down (so far) 2.6lbs this week. I have my weight loss goals set to 1lb loss per week as I only have 16lb to get to GW.

Thanks!

Replies

  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
    I'm a nanny and have a day filled with 3yo twins. I sit to play with them often but with all our moving around from activity to activity I do think lightly active would be accurate. But I chose to use sedentary and have my FitBit give me extra calories if I earn them. So far today I have about 200 additional calories and I likely won't eat them back today due to schedule. I'm actually eating the same as you as well, 1450.

    Give it a few weeks and see what happens, if you're losing quicker than you'd like then turn up your activity level and eat those calories instead. I'd rather be under estimating my activity than over estimating though :)
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    edited January 2016
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Sedentary means "tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive."
    Does that sound like you?

    Try lightly active for a few weeks and see what happens with your weight loss then adjust as necessary.
    Best to ignore the first week of dieting as that's going to be mostly water weight and less food volume in your system.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I think I set mine to "lightly active." I spend a lot more time in the car than I originally estimated. I had mine set to maybe "moderate" didn't lose weight; adjusted down and lost weight.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Depends on what you do all day really.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    I'm a full time SAHM and I consider it sedentary, but then I use the negative calorie adjustment on my Fitbit. Seems to work fine for me.
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    I'm a SAHM of four as well (though mine are older - 8, 6, 3, and 5 mo) and I have it set to lightly active.
  • sadiepie05
    sadiepie05 Posts: 52 Member
    I'm a SAHM and I have mine set to lightly active with negative calories enabled. Some days I get 10,000 steps some days it's only 3,000. Having a fitbit with negative calories enabled really takes the guess work out of things.
  • ritzbits190
    ritzbits190 Posts: 36 Member
    I'm a SAHM to a 17 month old and I have it set to lightly active. That level seems to be right on point for me.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    I'm a SAHM to a 4 yr old. I sit more than I did when I worked and would have thought sedentary. But, since I got my Fitbit I set MFP to sedentary & I always get a few hundred extra calories from actual activity. SAHM is lightly active in reality.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
    I have mine set to Sedentary, but I wear a FitBit so it modifies my calories burned throughout the day. :) I'd rather underestimate than overestimate.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    When I have my sister's kids, my pedometer zooms up from 11,000 / day average to about 15,000 / day average steps. I wouldn't know this without a pedometer! My recommendation is to get one (Doesn't have to be a fancy $150 fitbit either).
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I would say at least lightly active. That's what I have mine set to and I always earn extra calories from fitbit. Though that's probably from my daily run. Though when I'm up I'm generally constantly on the go - cooking, cleaning, laundry, taking care of my young kids, meal planning, working on my computer (which sets on my counter so I stand to use), driving places, errands... There's always stuff to get done. I generally don't sit down until the end of the day when the kids go to bed.

    I will say though that I knew a stay at home mom that was very sedentary even when she was watching kids in her home. She had a small home and just didn't move much from one spot to the next.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    Sahm here to 4 ages 7,6,4,1.5

    I wear a fit bit and easily log 12,000 steps a day, without intentional exercise.

    Im set at active.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    evileen99 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."
    I agree. Although I'm a guy, I had a job over the summer that had me on my feet all day. Very little of that counted as "moderate exercise", but according to my Fitbit I burned about 2800 calories most days I worked, which is a lot for a 125 lb person.

  • dalielahdawn
    dalielahdawn Posts: 141 Member
    That can vary so much. Some days I'm go go go non stop. Other days it's more driving and sitting teaching (homeschool mom too). I set mine to sedentary. But some days my iPhone, which monitors my steps, gives me a lot of extra calories.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    So basically what everyone is saying is I need a Fitbit lol, actually I have been wanting one for a while so maybe it's time to get one.

    I'm actually really comfortable eating 1400-1500 calories per day, and although I don't mind lowering my 1lb per week loss to 1/2lb per week, I'd really like to get this right, so I'm able to adjust my calorie intake as I get closer to goal. The 2.6lb loss is likely a little water weight, however I lost 3lbs the week before as well.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    evileen99 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."

    I don't know your stats the bigger you are the more you burn doing general movement and just being. I don't know your calorie tracker or how it deduced it's #s. You could have been that active for a specific day but that doesn't mean it's everyday. 3000 calories if that's just counting the cals from walking is equal to almost 12 hours at a 3 to 3.5 constant mph walk at 160#. If she is sitting in the car, during the lessons, the car back that is sedentary.

    If she puts it up and isn't losing she can put it down. Works the other way too.

    Also looks like body media was bought by jawbone don't know if that's how they make their stuff now.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    evileen99 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."
    I agree. Although I'm a guy, I had a job over the summer that had me on my feet all day. Very little of that counted as "moderate exercise", but according to my Fitbit I burned about 2800 calories most days I worked, which is a lot for a 125 lb person.

    Depending on the work sure sure. I don't know your stats. 2800 sounds a little high even if the job is active but sure. Where you eating around 4.5k cals a day to maintain.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    Every SAHM is going to be different. Some will sit most of the day, others will be active. The only person who knows where you fall on that spectrum is you.

    Pick a setting that you think describes you and go with it for a month or so. If you're not losing at the rate you should, consider adjusting it. Make sure you give it enough time (4-6 weeks) before you make any adjustments.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    Jonna13 wrote: »
    So basically what everyone is saying is I need a Fitbit lol, actually I have been wanting one for a while so maybe it's time to get one.

    I'm actually really comfortable eating 1400-1500 calories per day, and although I don't mind lowering my 1lb per week loss to 1/2lb per week, I'd really like to get this right, so I'm able to adjust my calorie intake as I get closer to goal. The 2.6lb loss is likely a little water weight, however I lost 3lbs the week before as well.

    Try to make sure you weigh constantly as well. I weigh a pound ot two lighter in the morning vs the evening. Also that the scale is on the same surface and you should try to keep clothes weight the same (underoos usually is easiest). Then track a trend over the week. If you provide stats we can also use those to see if it's your intake or possible activity.

    If you feel you are losing to fast just up your calories to 200 extra a day for the week and track then trend. Rinse repeat to where you want to be. That's the way to really calc your tdee without a computer doing it. Good luck losing.
  • Speckle38
    Speckle38 Posts: 53 Member
    I work part time, and have 3 children, all school aged. My work days are sedentary. On my home days, I sometimes have 10,000 steps up by 9am. I have my activity level set to lightly active.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    evileen99 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."
    I agree. Although I'm a guy, I had a job over the summer that had me on my feet all day. Very little of that counted as "moderate exercise", but according to my Fitbit I burned about 2800 calories most days I worked, which is a lot for a 125 lb person.

    Depending on the work sure sure. I don't know your stats. 2800 sounds a little high even if the job is active but sure. Where you eating around 4.5k cals a day to maintain.
    Not sure where you got the 4k+ calories from, but from my estimates (some foods I eat are hard to properly log) I was eating about 2600 calories a day (including the days I didn't work). So it may be that my Fitbit slightly overestimated my calories burned, as including my off days it had me around 2700 calories a day.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    edited January 2016
    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    evileen99 wrote: »
    HutchA12 wrote: »
    Set to seditary. If you do a workout add it in. Basic movement through the day can help but you really need to get your heart rate up to do any serious burning. If it's your first week losing weight I doubt you lost 2.6 pounds of fat just yet. Daily weight Flux can be 2-3 pounds. I've heard some report 5 in shark week.

    Sorry, gotta disagree here. I used to use a BodyMedia Fit (I am so pissed they stopped supporting it) and my biggest calorie burn days were not heavy workout days, but days when I was hosting a party. Because I was in constant motion from the time I got up until I fell into bed. I'm talking over 3000 calories a day.

    So as a SHAM running after kids I would say at a minimum you are at least "lightly active."
    I agree. Although I'm a guy, I had a job over the summer that had me on my feet all day. Very little of that counted as "moderate exercise", but according to my Fitbit I burned about 2800 calories most days I worked, which is a lot for a 125 lb person.

    Depending on the work sure sure. I don't know your stats. 2800 sounds a little high even if the job is active but sure. Where you eating around 4.5k cals a day to maintain.
    Not sure where you got the 4k+ calories from, but from my estimates (some foods I eat are hard to properly log) I was eating about 2600 calories a day (including the days I didn't work). So it may be that my Fitbit slightly overestimated my calories burned, as including my off days it had me around 2700 calories a day.

    Nope that sounds good. Its hard when poeple are stating what they "burned" vs what would be their BRM vs TDEE. I was under the impression you were claiming to burn 2800 at work on top of your BMR of around ~1800. Burning 2800 calories total for the day in an active work day is very possible if there is lots of constant walking.

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