Which activity level should I pick???

BrunetteRunner87

I like to use the TDEE method but I'm always not sure what to use for my activity level. I go to crossfit classes 2 or 3 days per week which last an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes (but only 7-15 minutes of that is intense work, the rest is weight lifting, stretching, and mobility exercises). I aim to do yoga once per week for an hour (regular flow class), and I run on average 3 days per week (sometimes 2, sometimes 4), probably for 2-3 hours.

So this sounds like I should pick moderately active with 3-5 hours of moderate activity per week. However when I'm not exercising I'm very sedentary. I have an office job so I'm not moving much for 10 hours a day if you include my commute (I stand for a few hours but I'm not moving around or anything). On days I don't run I usually get 3000 steps. I don't have children so I'm not busy chasing them around and I don't have time to take random walks during the day because I can't bill for that. So does that bump me into the lightly active category?

Aaron_K123

Honestly its somewhat trial and error. Try picking lightly active and going off those calories and keep note of how you feel and if your workouts start to suffer (ie you don't have enough energy or you start to feel weaker). If that happens up your activity level to eat more. If on the other hand you stop losing weight (over a long time scale, like several months) then you might need to lower your activity level.

jsecret

Why not set your stats at sedentary and then log the workouts instead? Just log them as circuit training for the amount of time involved (round down).

JLG1986

I set mine as sedentary, since MFP is rather optimistic on exercise calories burned. That way I feel more confident tracking all my exercise and eating back those calories, vs. if I set my activity at lightly or moderately active.