What is my activity level?!?

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azlady7
azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok when I first signed up for mfp, I debated between sedentary and lightly active. I was swimming about 40 laps a day (well my pool is shorter so it was probably 20 laps a day in a normal pool). When I closed up my pool for the winter I started aerobics and/or walking. I do a total of 35-50 min a day 4-5 times a week usually 45min. I have always been up around my house doing laundry, cleaning, homeschooling kids, shopping...whatever. But I put in sedentary. Is that correct? I spend the major part of my day sitting either reading, writing or whatever. BUT am I really sedentary if I am working out everyday as well as getting up doing stuff 'around'? MFP description throws me off....I know people who are truly sedentary and people who are lightly active. I feel like I fall in between. What should I put?

Replies

  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
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    I would go with lightly active if you are working out every day. :)
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
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    By activity level it means your lifestyle, career, what you do on a normal basis excluding your workouts. Your workouts are calculated separately from your activity level, as you log them in your exercise diary to determine how many calories you've burned.

    If you find yourself sitting for 6-8 hours a day on average, I would put sedentary. if you are more active than that, then I'd put lightly active. I'm at a desk job, so I sit on my bum for a good chunk of the day.
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
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    If you spend 8 hours or more per day sitting, I would put sedentary. That is what I have mine at because I have a desk job. The hour or two I work out almost every day is not the 'norm' for what I spend the majority of the day doing. Besides, all of the exercise I record, and get the calories back anyway.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Lightly active as long as you do this everyday.
  • Mkrush
    Mkrush Posts: 3
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    Walking is an easy one to assess. Try to track how far you walk in 30 minutes and convert it miles per hour. Two miles per hour is a good start and really not too fast. Activity levels include the pace. I use 3 miles per hour which is a moderate level. Please do not under-estimate your activity. I rode my bike for 45 minutes last night and got an extra 400 calories! Sweet!!!
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
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    Walking is an easy one to assess. Try to track how far you walk in 30 minutes and convert it miles per hour. Two miles per hour is a good start and really not too fast. Activity levels include the pace. I use 3 miles per hour which is a moderate level. Please do not under-estimate your activity. I rode my bike for 45 minutes last night and got an extra 400 calories! Sweet!!!

    i appreciate that, but that wasnt my question lol. I have that figured out lol. but grats on your bike ride!
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
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    i think i will just leave it at sedentary. Thanks guys for the help!
  • rundgrenfan
    rundgrenfan Posts: 211
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    I switched mine from lightly active to sedentary so that I could log all of my activity as exercise.

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