What tdee activity multiplier factor should I use ?

davert123
davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is confusing me no end. What multiplication factor should I use. I work in an office and have to walk a bit to get there I then walk quite a bit during the day. I would really like to set my TDEE to 1.2 and then factor in all the other exercise (i.e. daily activity as well as deliberate). What I don't know though is how much activity goes into the 20% addition to BMR. Is it just siting up and moving my arms, or walking a couple hundred yards per day etc or more, or perhaps even less ? Any advice would be gratefully received :-)

Cheers
Dave

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    This is what 1.2 includes in the calculations.

    Sedentary

    Sleeping - 8 hours
    Personal care (dressing, showering) - 1 hour
    Eating - 1 hour
    Cooking - 1 hour
    Sitting (office work, selling produce, tending shop) - 8 hours
    Driving car to/from work - 1 hour
    General household work - 1 hour
    Light leisure activities (watching TV, chatting) - 3 hours

    I wouldn't factor in anything extra for your work day. I always thought I moved around quite a bit at work until I got a Fitbit and discovered from the time I got up until I got home from work was a whopping 2500 steps which is less than sedentary which is considered 5000. Wearing a pedometer or getting a Fitbit is the best way to see just how active your work day its.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    1.2 sounds about right, but from your description, that will already include your daily activity.

    Add "intentional" exercise only. And even then, carefully.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Thanks guys, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer this. At least I know roughly how the calculation is formed. I can end up walking a couple of miles but I'll get my pedometer out and see how many steps I take throughout the day so I can factor in if I do go over :-)

    Cheers
    Dave
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Just found this which is interesting (its a link from a Wikipedia page)

    http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/food2/UID01E/UID01E08.HTM
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Don't even bother with the BMR count. Calculate your TDEE and eat 20% below that.

Categories