Activity Level with consistent gym activity?

hcy226

Hello all,

I am currently trying to set my goal caloric intakes, but am unsure of what activity level to use. I currently work a desk job from 8am-5pm weekdays, but after that I go to the gym every single weekday (rest weekends)

I spend about 30-40 minutes doing cardio (machines say ~ 350-450 calories burned with weight/age entered), and then spend about an hour and a half lifting hard.

Does this still count as sedentary? I had spent a few months eating about 1500-1600 calories a day with literally ZERO progress. I do see more muscle and definition, but I don't think it's possible for a person to gain muscle at the same rate they could be losing (2 pounds per week), so the lack of any progress is a little disconcerting.

I am curious if I'm eating too little to account for the exercise level, and perhaps am in starvation mode...? The lack of scale progress is so discouraging!

timberowl

I'm no expert, but I believe they meant how you spend teh majority of your day. Usually, your full-time job.

PikaKnight

You ate 1500-1600 cals including or not including exercise?

How tall are you and your current weight?

Do you log everything you eat/drink and do you do it every day (no quick add calories)? How consistently?

How long has it been since you've lost the scale #? Are you still losing inches? If not, for how long?

And do you use a food scale? Could you make your diary public?

Also, you aren't gaining muscle at a calorie deficit. And for someone with a little over 20lbs to lose, you shouldn't be at a 2lb/week loss. That's a 1000 cal deficit everyday, which if you aren't losing, I doubt you are actually at. So no, you wouldn't be at the same rate of losing 2lbs a week and in fact, probably need to be more at a 0.5lb to 1lb a week loss.

And I don't think you are in starvation mode either, for the record.

mscleo1115

I also have a desk job M - F from 8 -5. I'm a 5'2 female and I eat 1600 calories to lose about a pound a week. I do cardio 5 days a week for 30 - 40 minutes and I lift 3 to 4 days a week for about an hour. To maintain my weight I eat anywhere from 1900 - 2000 calories. I consider myself to be moderately active, definitely not sedentary.

sheepysaccount

in for answers. i am in the same boat.

cbhubbybubble

I'd say that is moderately active at the very least. Yes, you do a desk job all day, but you are otherwise quite active (2+ hours at the gym) 5 days per week.

MicheleWE

Most activity levels I've seen account for your working out hours/days. I've been reading "Strong Curves" by Bret Contrares and this is what he listed.
Resting Metabolic Rate x activity level=daily caloric intake
Sedentary x 1.2
Lightly Active (1-3 days per week) 1.375
Moderate (3-5 days per week) 1.55
Highly Active (6-7 days per week) 1.725
I didn't bother to write down the last one, which would be for professional athletes.
He said most people with desk jobs and working out 5 days per week are going to fall under moderate. Highly Active is usually reserved with those for more physical jobs.
In example: My RMR is 1451, I use the moderate level working out 6 days a week, but sitting all day at work. 1451 X 1.55=2249
Because I am still cutting I deduct 500 calories from that to total 1749. I am still testing this out to make sure it is the right level for me. It is recommended to give it at least 4 weeks to see if it works (for women to account for hormonal fluctuations).
Another easy way to figure maintenance and cutting caloric intake is: Maintenance-your bodyweight x 14, Cutting-your bodyweight x 11. For me that configuration comes within 11 calories of the first calculation and it's easy to refigure as you cut weight.

aliakynes

You're probably under-eating if you're at 1500-1600 calories with exercise (men in general shouldn't eat that little before exercise). That alone will cause you to retain water which explains why you don't see weight loss on the scale. But you're also going to start facing some health issues if you don't increase that.

At 25 lbs left to lose, you shouldn't be aimed for a 2 lbs per week loss. Head over to scooby and go for 15-20% your TDEE. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Since you're working out five days per week, pick the 5-6 hours of exercise for activity level on scooby (and don't bother measuring or logging exercise calories for a while). The calories they give you average out over 7 days so you'll get to eat the same over the weekend. And it will give you an idea of where to go from there.

erickirb

If you follow MFP put sedentary and eat back the cals you burn from exercise. If you use an external calculator use a higher activity level and don't eat back the cals you burn from exercise. 6 of one half a dozen of the other.