Activity level question

MichelleSilverleaf

When I started on the site I listed my activity level as lightly active. I'm always doing some kind of daily cleaning or moving, I walk the dog, none of which I count as extra. Now I just took a new job delivering papers which is about 2 hours of mostly walking. But I can't figure out if this is extra enough activity to either change my activity level or list it as additional exercise. I don't have a fitbit, I don't want one, I'm just trying to get an idea of how to adjust.

cmriverside

Use your past data to make a decision. Keep it simple. Pick something and stick with it for a couple months and then adjust as your weight changes.

I lost all my weight this way, small adjustments based on my own data. No devices for me either, until the last 20 pounds, when I bought a food scale.

PAV8888

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

When I started on the site I listed my activity level as lightly active. I'm always doing some kind of daily cleaning or moving, I walk the dog, none of which I count as extra. Now I just took a new job delivering papers which is about 2 hours of mostly walking. But I can't figure out if this is extra enough activity to either change my activity level or list it as additional exercise. I don't have a fitbit, I don't want one, I'm just trying to get an idea of how to adjust.

Well all that doesn't sound like lightly active now, does it?

A normal adult walking moderately fast (not huffing and puffing unless just starting out and far from goal) will walk at close to 100 steps a minute.

Sure, more for many. Sure a few less for fewer. But, generally, 100 steps a minute is considered consistent with walking at a moderate speed.

MFP active level calories (an activity factor of 1.6) usually tops out by the 12000 range.

MFP very active (AF=1.8) tops out at around 15500 (and for many before that)

It sure doesn't sound to me like your regular life before the extra paper route was only lightly active and it sure doesn't sounds like it is once you added that route!

Of course only you know how closely your weight trend follows your loging...

sijomial

Whatever the steps 2hrs of activity is a very significant uplift compared to previously.
After a few weeks you will know what impact your increase in activity has had on your calorie balance.

Another way to fine tune your calories is to choose the number yourself and input the number manually.

shaumom

Go compare what the difference in calorie usage is between MFP's different activity levels (like, how does it change the goals, you know?). Then you could go look up what an extra two hours of walking is, calorie usage-wise, and see where that puts you, yeah? :-)