What is my activity level?

Hbazzell

Hi All,

I am having hard time determining my activity level for a macro based dietary plan.

Currently I work out with a trainer Monday and Weds for an hour. This is mostly circuit type exercises with kettle bells or the cable machine. My heart rate doesn't get super high, but I do feel sore the next day.

I also take about 3 gym classes a week, usually Zumba or Kickboxing, so more of a cardio style class.

The rest of the work week is spent sitting in front of a computer for 10/hrs a day with an occasional lunchtime walk.

Weekends are mostly walking around town, farmers markets, playing with dogs. Sometimes I hike on weekends.

Thank you!
Hannah

TavistockToad

Activity level doesn't count meaningful exercise

kimny72

Without knowing the plan you're trying to do, it's hard to say. All these different formulas use different definitions.

If you're talking about MFP, the activity level is based on your day-to-day movement not including purposeful exercise.

janejellyroll

Don't count your exercise as part of your activity level. Log that separately.

Sounds like you might be sedentary in your daily life with a bit more activity on the weekends. I would go with sedentary and log your exercise (which would include the hiking).

If after a few weeks you find you're losing faster than you expect, you can always change the setting to "lightly active."

Hbazzell

In the plan I am doing it is based on macros, so you dont eat back the calories earned. I have that disabled on MFP, so that i eat the same every day, whether i work out or not.

TavistockToad

Hbazzell wrote: »

In the plan I am doing it is based on macros, so you dont eat back the calories earned. I have that disabled on MFP, so that i eat the same every day, whether i work out or not.

So go for whatever activity level includes exercising 5 -6 x a week

Lillymoo01

Hbazzell wrote: »

In the plan I am doing it is based on macros, so you dont eat back the calories earned. I have that disabled on MFP, so that i eat the same every day, whether i work out or not.

In this case, I'd start with lightly active and if you find after a month you are losing weight quicker than intended then increase it to the next level.

fb47

Lillymoo01 wrote: »

Hbazzell wrote: »

In the plan I am doing it is based on macros, so you dont eat back the calories earned. I have that disabled on MFP, so that i eat the same every day, whether i work out or not.

In this case, I'd start with lightly active and if you find after a month you are losing weight quicker than intended then increase it to the next level.

^This. I used to think I was moderate because I figured I never did any cardio and I only lifted weights. I realized later on that my real mfp setting is extremely active simply because my NEAT is high and it helps that I walk all day at work. It's all about trial and error, you test one setting, if you're not getting the result you're looking for, then adust the setting higher or lower depending if you're losing too quickly or gaining weight.

janejellyroll

Hbazzell wrote: »

In the plan I am doing it is based on macros, so you dont eat back the calories earned. I have that disabled on MFP, so that i eat the same every day, whether i work out or not.

Okay, so how does your plan recommend you set your calories? We have no idea what plan you're using or what they're taking into account. If you don't want to use MFP as designed, refer to the guidance in the plan you've decided to use instead.

Hbazzell

To JaneJellyRole: I use MFP to track the food and macros, otherwise I would have to do it on paper which is so lame. It isn't really a different plan than mfp, it is just using macros to determine what you should eat instead of calories. The reasoning is because I can drink 1600 calories of wine and have no nutrition, but if I eat 1600 calories worth of balanced macros (carbs, fats, proteins) then I am not missing out on the nutrients. I use MFP to set my macros accordingly, and it has the option not to subtract calories from exercise, since this is a pretty common way to monitor intake.

janejellyroll

Hbazzell wrote: »

To JaneJellyRole: I use MFP to track the food and macros, otherwise I would have to do it on paper which is so lame. It isn't really a different plan than mfp, it is just using macros to determine what you should eat instead of calories. The reasoning is because I can drink 1600 calories of wine and have no nutrition, but if I eat 1600 calories worth of balanced macros (carbs, fats, proteins) then I am not missing out on the nutrients. I use MFP to set my macros accordingly, and it has the option not to subtract calories from exercise, since this is a pretty common way to monitor intake.

I wasn't referring to your usage of specific macro nutrient goals. Many people, including myself, use MFP to track macronutrients and even people who are just counting calories aren't limiting themselves to just drinking 1,600 calories of wine. That's . . . ridiculous.

I'm referring to your calorie goal -- if it isn't coming from MFP, you should use the source that you're using to set your calorie goal to determine what your activity level is. Since we don't know how you determined your initial goal, it's going to be hard for us to offer specific advice.

lynn_glenmont

Hbazzell wrote: »

To JaneJellyRole: I use MFP to track the food and macros, otherwise I would have to do it on paper which is so lame. It isn't really a different plan than mfp, it is just using macros to determine what you should eat instead of calories. The reasoning is because I can drink 1600 calories of wine and have no nutrition, but if I eat 1600 calories worth of balanced macros (carbs, fats, proteins) then I am not missing out on the nutrients. I use MFP to set my macros accordingly, and it has the option not to subtract calories from exercise, since this is a pretty common way to monitor intake.

Set it to whatever activity level you like, then manually change the calories to 1600 and the macros to whatever percentages your plan dictates.

And if you would spend all 1600 kcals of your daily goal on wine and none on food unless a "plan" told you not to, that's not on MFP. That's on you. I don't get what not fueling your workouts has to do with not spending all your calories on alcohol.