Activity level descriptions
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tracyspenst
Posts: 1 Member
Where can I find descriptions of the activity levels in mfp? How do I know if I am active or lightly active?
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Replies
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Lightly active example is an office worker who sits most of the day, but who gets up occasionally.
Active example to be a shop assistant who is on their feet all day or someone who stays at home but is active with children and housework.
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Sedentary is 2500 steps-ish, then goes up by 2500 steps each activity level (if using steps as an easy gauge).6
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In the Update Your Diet Profile it gives two job suggestions per activity level. If your job is similar to one of these or you think your activity level is similar choose that one. Then, after a month or so of logging, if you're not losing weight/your losing too much weight change your activity level.0
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The definitions MFP uses are on the web version at MY HOME > Goals > View Guided Goals
How would you describe your normal daily activities?
Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting (e.g. bank teller, desk job)
Lightly Active: Spend a good part of the day on your feet (e.g. teacher, salesperson)
Active: Spend a good part of the day doing some physical activity (e.g. food server, postal carrier)
Very Active: Spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. bike messenger, carpenter)
Note: The mobile app may not use the term "Sedentary;" it may use the term "Not Very Active."6 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Sedentary is 2500 steps-ish, then goes up by 2500 steps each activity level (if using steps as an easy gauge).
Source?1 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Sedentary is 2500 steps-ish, then goes up by 2500 steps each activity level (if using steps as an easy gauge).
Source?
My personal anecdotal experience suggests that this is correct. I average 7500 steps a day and my weight loss has corresponded to activity level 'active'0 -
I get between 7500 and 10000 steps a day and I’d consider myself sedentary (for steps at least)10
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If you describe your day to day activity people will offer their opinion.
Remember it doesn't include purposeful exercise.2 -
Do you include your workouts? As in I workout 4 days a week (Weights, cardio and Sprints).2
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Do you include your workouts? As in I workout 4 days a week (Weights, cardio and Sprints).
No. For how MFP works you do not include them and then you add those calories back on the days you do the activity.
So if MFP gives you 1750 calories for sedentary, and you burn 250 at the gym, you should eat 2000 (with all the info on be sure about the 250, maybe start with 50-75% etc.)
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GrumpyHeadmistress wrote: »I get between 7500 and 10000 steps a day and I’d consider myself sedentary (for steps at least)
Ehhhhh... that's a decent amount of walking. I think the average American comes in under 5k steps a day. Over this year I've gone from 5000 to 7500 to 10000 and it's definitely taken some effort. I wouldn't call myself the most active human on the planet, but not sedentary if we're going strictly by steps.
ETA: I'd estimate that I spend at least an hour every day just walking places to get to that 10k average. To and from the car twice a day (I intentionally park 10 minutes away from my office), plus two walks with my dogs in the morning and over lunch.4 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »GrumpyHeadmistress wrote: »I get between 7500 and 10000 steps a day and I’d consider myself sedentary (for steps at least)
Ehhhhh... that's a decent amount of walking. I think the average American comes in under 5k steps a day. Over this year I've gone from 5000 to 7500 to 10000 and it's definitely taken some effort. I wouldn't call myself the most active human on the planet, but not sedentary if we're going strictly by steps.
ETA: I'd estimate that I spend at least an hour every day just walking places to get to that 10k average. To and from the car twice a day (I intentionally park 10 minutes away from my office), plus two walks with my dogs in the morning and over lunch.
I work in an office (home office) and walk my dogs during lunch and after work and I am set to sedentary but log the dog walks as exercise. It likely adds up to be the same in the end, whether you assume that walks are included in the activity level vs setting the activity level lower and adding all exercise.0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Sedentary is 2500 steps-ish, then goes up by 2500 steps each activity level (if using steps as an easy gauge).
Granted my weight loss has slowed since I still have 9 pounds to lose to reach my normal BMI. My current BMI is 26.5. I just realized this is probably why I'm still losing weight even when I reduced my daily step count from average 15,000/16,000 steps to 12,000/13,000 steps everyday. My activity level is set to lightly active which is average 5000 steps .
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I too set mine for sedentary because I'm retired and usually not that active, and then add back activities such as house cleaning, yard work, grocery shopping, and regular exercise up to 200-300 calories per day (difference between sedentary and lightly active for me). So far I haven't been eating back these calories because my N.E.A.T. burn is so low it puts me at 1200 calories intake and 600 deficit so I add the 250 to deficit and so far it works for 2 lbs a week loss.0
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GrumpyHeadmistress wrote: »I get between 7500 and 10000 steps a day and I’d consider myself sedentary (for steps at least)
http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/rate-your-activity-level-based-on-steps-per-day/2 -
Research studies that use the terms "sedentary," "lightly active" etc -- generally set "sedentary" at below 5,000 steps.
To give you an idea: I have a mostly-desk job, and I get up and run around the office to check in with coworkers, get stuff from the printer, go down to the mailroom, walk to lunch, etc. I also walk to and from my bus stop in the morning. And without making an extra effort to get MORE steps, my workday, including walking to and from the bus, is almost always under 4,000 steps.
If you sit at a desk to work and don't get up multiple times an hour and walk down a fairly long hall -- you are most likely sedentary unless you add lifestyle activity.
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tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »Lightly active example is an office worker who sits most of the day, but who gets up occasionally.
Active example to be a shop assistant who is on their feet all day or someone who stays at home but is active with children and housework.
I always figured your first example would be considered Sedentary and your second example would be considered Lightly Active, humm.7 -
tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »Lightly active example is an office worker who sits most of the day, but who gets up occasionally.
Active example to be a shop assistant who is on their feet all day or someone who stays at home but is active with children and housework.
I always figured your first example would be considered Sedentary and your second example would be considered Lightly Active, humm.
Ditto. Office worker who sits most of the day and only gets up occasionally = sedentary.3 -
tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »Lightly active example is an office worker who sits most of the day, but who gets up occasionally.
Active example to be a shop assistant who is on their feet all day or someone who stays at home but is active with children and housework.
I always figured your first example would be considered Sedentary and your second example would be considered Lightly Active, humm.
Ditto. Office worker who sits most of the day and only gets up occasionally = sedentary.
Agreed. Not much activity (usually) in general office work.1
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