What activity level should I set MFP too?

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I'm a stay at home mum doing the usual play with-and-lifting-of-baby plus household domestic chores. I walk the dog whilst pushing the pram off road at a brisk speed for 45 minutes every day. I do 60 minutes of Pilates 5 times a week and I spend about 6 hours a week gardening (digging, lifting, moving soil/plants etc). According to my pedometer I average 12,000 steps a day.

Is 'lightly active' appropriate or do I do enough to scrape 'medium'?

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    That's not how MFP works really. Your activity seems to be lightly active, but you have to log your walks/pilates as exercise too and eat those calories back.

    The other option is just to switch to TDEE-20% and eat that every day (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/), with calories somewhere in between lightly active and moderately active.
  • tula1980
    tula1980 Posts: 54
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    Thanks, I'm going to try the TDEE method as I'd rather eat my 'average' calories daily. If I am aiming to loose only 10lb of weight whilst retaining as much lean mass as possible would I be better doing TDEE - 10, or even 5%?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I'd do 10% honestly, so there's a bit more margin for error, and if it doesn't work, I'd go 15%.