Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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MFP: Daily exercise setting?

Dalton1720
Dalton1720 Posts: 104
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Now that Im doing stronglifts 3 times a week should I set my level of activity at moderate? Right now its at lightly active which is accurate for the other days of the week since I don't do much cardio anymore.

Replies

  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I honestly wouldn't change it, but I would give myself a little bit of wiggle room or just track it as strength training in the cardio section and you can have 100-200 extra cals on lifting days.
  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
    Ooo, good question.

    I lift 3x a week and walk on most rest days. I have mine set to "moderate" from this calculator, courtesy of @Rugby ( http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/ ); personally, I find the settings on MOST of these sites confusing. Like, how can SL be light exercise? I'd say it's moderate, especially as you start lifting higher numbers!

    So if you want to do TDEE method, you can customize your MFP calories. MFP seems to paint the basic activity levels with a broad brush, but if you carefully track workout calories, MFP's lightly active works fine. Just drink a protein shake on workout days for those extra 200 calories?

    I guess I don't have a real answer. I just want to eat cheesecake!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Now that Im doing stronglifts 3 times a week should I set my level of activity at moderate? Right now its at lightly active which is accurate for the other days of the week since I don't do much cardio anymore.

    activity level does not include exercise...

    I would leave it at lightly active and log your workouts

    Or

    Switch to TDEE method and then you don't have to worry about eating back exercise calories.

    I like iifym.com for TDEE.
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
    I think Ill just add in some cardio for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week because I enjoy being able to eat more. 1360 calories per day just seems to low...
  • Dalton1720
    Dalton1720 Posts: 104
    Thank you for your feedback guys! I just wasn't sure because after lifting I get so hungry I would think it would count as being moderately active, but I suppose not. ):
  • sbarella
    sbarella Posts: 713 Member
    I think Ill just add in some cardio for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week because I enjoy being able to eat more. 1360 calories per day just seems to low...

    IMHO MFP's entry for strength training is kinda accurate, so you can set your activity level based on what you do in your daily life outside the gym (please note that most people are not sedentary, even if they have a desk job) then log cardio and lifting as exercise.

    If you want to use the TDEE method, Stronglifts 3x week + 1-2h cardio would put you in the "3-5 hours of exercise" range in most TDEE calculators. They usually count "exercise" as 45 minutes of moderate to high activity. I'd go with that setting, cut 10-15% (you already look great!), wait a few weeks then readjust if needed. :wink:

    eta: typo
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I think Ill just add in some cardio for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week because I enjoy being able to eat more. 1360 calories per day just seems to low...

    I would go to TDEE personally...

    I was at 1360 before I started lifting as well...and ate back all my exercise calories...worked out to 1600 a day...

    When I calculated my TDEE-20%...it was 1600...

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