Activity level

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evie4120
evie4120 Posts: 18 Member
in Getting Started
I am not sure what activity level I should set myself. I currently have myself set as sedentary and am logging all workouts as extra. But I am not sure if this is the right way or not.

So a little about me. I am a new RN so I am pretty much constantly on my feet while at work. I have been logging how many steps a normal day at work is and I have been doing between 6,000 and 8,000 steps on an average day at work. I currently work out anywhere from 4-5 days a week ranging from 35 minutes to about 75 minutes in length.
I am now sure if I should continue to do as I have been, or if I should be lightly active and not log exercises. Or lightly active and log exercises.

Thanks in advance for any help :smile:

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Your job clearly is not sedentary (majority of time sitting or seated) as you state you are on your feet all day.

    Sounds like you should be setting to lightly active and then logging your workouts and eating back your best estimate of the calories burned.

    Suggest you do that for a period of time and then adjust calories based on actual results.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    <5000 steps/day = 'sedentary
    5000-7499 steps/day = low active
    7500-9999 steps/day = somewhat active
    >or=10000 steps/day= active
    >12500 steps/day= highly active
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14715035

    Your activity level on MFP should take into account how active you are at work. Being an RN, you are definitely not sedentary. I would say that you are at least Lightly Active based on your step count when you work. You should still eat your exercise calories, but maybe only 50-75% depending on how you determine your calorie burns (MFP and exercise machines tend to overestimate).
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
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    You thought RN was sedentary? Now that is flat out scary.
  • StrawberryJam40
    StrawberryJam40 Posts: 274 Member
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    You thought RN was sedentary? Now that is flat out scary.

    doctorsookie - Just have to say awesome profile pic and ticker.
  • evie4120
    evie4120 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thanks for the help. I had set sedentary about a month before I started the new job and was afraid to change it. Again thanks!! ????
  • alfonsinarosinsky
    alfonsinarosinsky Posts: 198 Member
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    Thats great that you have such an active job. Don't be afraid to reset it. You're calories are probably too low for how active you are ...All the best to you!!
  • Sommerville_Nutrition
    Sommerville_Nutrition Posts: 20 Member
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    I work in construction and often work 12 hour days 7 days in a row...an RN works these ALL of the time I do not know how you guys do it without being in Zombie mode. RN's do not get enough respect in my opinion! Keep up the good work. Just don't get sucked into the bad eating Because I have noticed that alot of RN's sadly are very overweight. It is the combination of sleep deprivation and snacking I think. Your so tired all of the time so you grab carbs. Or at least that is what I have been told. Make sure you eat enough protein,. :) Thanks for taking care of us sicko's we we need it :)
  • BRIMS7ON3
    BRIMS7ON3 Posts: 1
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    Hi, I'm also having trouble figuring out what my level should be.. I sit down most of the day, but I do work out every day.. Every other day about 2 hours weight training and cardiovascular, and the other days at least 90 minutes fast walking on a treadmill..
    I burn about 800-1000 calories per session. I set it to lightly active, giving me about 1300 calories plus what I burn. However after a couple of days, even though I stick to that.. I often stay the same weight or gain weight.. Yet when I overeat by a few hundred calories, I seem to lose weight. Should I try going up a level?

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