Activity Level

kcrook88
kcrook88 Posts: 4
in Getting Started
I started out an sedentary since I have a desk job and am sitting 8 hours a day, however, for the last month and a half I have been going to the gym for an hour of cardio at least 5 days a week.
I'm thinking I should probably change it, but I'm not sure what to change it to. Moderately active? Active?

Replies

  • firelight4321
    firelight4321 Posts: 60 Member
    No, log your exercise separately. It will adjust your calorie allowance accordingly for the day.
  • kcrook88
    kcrook88 Posts: 4
    So just keep it sedentary?
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    Yup, keep it as sedentary and then log your exercise separately. I had to back down my "activity level" from moderate to lightly (I'm a stay-at-home mom with a 3 and 5 year old).
  • kcrook88
    kcrook88 Posts: 4
    Ok, thanks guys!
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
    I started out an sedentary since I have a desk job and am sitting 8 hours a day, however, for the last month and a half I have been going to the gym for an hour of cardio at least 5 days a week.
    I'm thinking I should probably change it, but I'm not sure what to change it to. Moderately active? Active?

    I use the exercise as a bonus i don't count exercise calories at all, you will lose a few extra pounds doing this, calorie burn from exercise is not accurate anyhow
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    MFP is based on the idea that you set activity level without exercise, then account for exercise separately. I do 5-8 hours a week of cardio, and about 1.5 hours total of weight training, but I have my activity level set as sedentary, because I spend much of my working time at a desk. I log calories for the cardio separately.

    But really, whatever you do, you have to check your settings against reality. If you set your activity level to sedentary, log what you eat, and then your results match your goals, you're doing things right. If you lose too quickly, then you should set your activity level higher so you don't overdo things. If you lose too slowly, then you've either overestimated your activity level, overestimated exercise calories, or underestimated food intake (or maybe all three). My first few months on MFP I was off by about 200 calories a day, probably because I set my activity level too high and missed some calories each day.

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