How active am I?

ChubbieTubbie

I'm at a loss. I've have my activity level set to 'sedentary', since I have a desk job, but I find when I eat 1200 calories, I stop losing weight. I seem to do best with 1350-1550 calories per week, for some reason. I'm wondering if I'm setting my activity level right--it would stand to reason that if I'm not as inactive as I assumed, I possibly am not consuming enough calories on a 1200 calorie budget.

So here's my day:

6:30, wake up, get the kids up and dressed, shower, get ready for work, continue to try to get the kids awake and functioning

7:30 leave to drop kids off at school/daycare/etc.

8:15-2:30 work. I have a desk job, but I am also very fidgety...my leg is always bouncing, or my hands tapping, or I'm bouncing slightly in my seat. I get up and go across the building at least 10 times a day for water (and subsequently, several bathroom trips as well)

2:30-3:15 gather children from their various learning institutions and head home

3:15-8:30 care for the kids--changing diapers, playing, cooking dinner, helping with homework, referring fights, rescuing the 18 month old when he shuts himself in a room, changing more diapers, picking up toys, vacuuming, putting dishes away, sometimes taking them to the store to pick up something we need for dinner, etc.

8:30-10:30 watch tv, play online, etc. while rocking the 18 month old to sleep, sometimes going to the gym for 30-45 minutes during this time as well. Then going to bed sometime between 10:30-11:15.

On weekends, we are always on the go--shopping, going to the zoo, going for a walk, window shopping, just getting out of the house.

What would you consider this? Sedentary or lightly active?

SHBoss1673

probably closer to lightly active than sedentary, ultimately probably somewhere in the middle leaning a little more towards lightly active. That would be my opinion.

ErinMarie25

I am a SAHM and put lightly active myself. Although I clean, cook, go up and down steps to change diapers, I still do sit on my rump a lot too!

Goal_Seeker_1988

Lightly acitive. You do more than just sit all day. You do get up and move around. Plus people who have kids usually have to chase after them.

jillybeanruns

I'm sure you know this, but you can customize your goals as you like. So if you know you work best in the 1350-1500 range, just customize your calories to 1425 (right in the middle) and don't worry about your activity level. You know how your body handles things better than MFP does, as it just throws a random generalized number in your direction.

ChubbieTubbie

Thanks for your assistance!
@allisleft, that does make sense, I don't know why I didn't think to just do that. Having a moment of stupidity, I suppose!
@goalseeker, that's definitely true. We have 2 under 3 and I do a lot of chasing around. They are quite exhausting, although totally worth it!

mr_ashley

I wondered this as well. I sit all day long at a bank on my rear end. Probably less active than a bank teller who at least has to move around the desk or stand some or walk back and forth to the vault. However, i get out at lunch several times per week for a 45 minute run or an hour plus bike ride at 17-19 mph. So, those are very active things to do. Also, at home at night, I'm usually busy doing something, so not as much sitting there, although there is plenty of that. So, I placed myself as lightly active, but I upped the calorie intake about 100 calories because I can hit the recommended number that I'm looking to stay under very quickly. After one of those bike rides, I can eat a house. And sometimes do! That's why i'm here I suppose.