Would you call this lightly or moderately active?

NuggetBrain

I'm going to go with the TDEE - 20% thing I've been reading about and see how that works out but I'm struggling to decide if I'm lightly or moderately active. Stats are below....what do you think?

5'4, 32, 242 pounds, female.
Desk job (so not a lot of walking/activity at work).

Planned workout schedule is as follows - on the rest days my plan is to only have one during the week but due to schedule could theoretically have two so I would be working out for an hour anywhere from 3-5 days a week:

Monday: Zumba class, 60 minutes
Tuesday: Zumba class, 60 minutes
Weds: Zumba class, 60 minutes OR rest day
Thurs: Mat Pilates class, 60 minutes OR rest day
Friday: Zumba Gold low intensity class, 60 minutes
Sat& Sun: Will try to get a walk in someplace for at least twenty minutes.

micheleb15

Exercising 5 days a week for an hour is not lightly active.

Edited to add - which calculator are you using? Some depend on your full day of activity rather than a workout.

4legsRbetterthan2

I agree, start with moderate at least, you can always adjust your calories as you go based on your results, just remember to wait a few weeks to really see what your body is doing and not just wacky beginner jumps (they can be both up or down, there are tons of thread about that so look into it if you want). There is no rule that what you decide today is what you have to do for the rest of your life so just get going

Mokey41

I'd suggest using sedentary and logging your exercise for now. It sounds like a wonderful plan if you can stick with it but I know I'd burn out trying to do that all the time. Instead of doing TDEE just set up your MFP account with your weight loss goal even at 2lbs per week because you have a lot to lose and then add your exercise back on as you do it.

Just a note that your weight loss will come far more from your diet than it will from exercise. There is no advantage to spending huge amounts of time doing cardio exercise and it's a great way to end up with an injury or just burning out on it. I'd re evaluate your plan to include some strength training a couple days a week.

happysherri

I have a desk job and set mine as sedetary and then add my workouts daily. MFP calculates my "extra" exercise calories for me. I only count my workouts, I personally do not add walking (shopping, to and from car, etc.)

NuggetBrain

I used two different websites and they came out to the same measurement:

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

I've done MFP on and off the last few years and have tried just logging my workout calories but I think I will be more likely to stick to the exercise (at least until I get into a routine) if I tell myself I have to otherwise my TDEE for the week is screwed, you know?

As far as strength training, I just want to try and get into the routine of working out before I go full speed. I am far more likely to get overwhelmed and drop everything if I start too fast. I really like Zumba and found a studio not far from my house that has it a lot so I'm hoping that I will be able to stick with it this time. I'm adjusting my diet too, and am tracking calories on MFP.

SezxyStef

You are currently spending most of your day at a desk. No guarantee you are going to do the exercise.

I would call your life sedentary.

I use TDEE but I use actual results not a calculator. Regardless of exercise, life style etc this works.

Calories consumed+weight lost (lbs x 3500)/number of days to lose weight=TDEE then I subtract 15%

For example

In four weeks my actuals looked like this (and I am sure of them as I weigh/measure my food

38767 calories consumed+(3.5lbs lost x 3500)/28 (days)=1822 x 15%=1549TDEE-15%