Activity Level Advice

leslielove

I currently have my activity level set to sedentary because if I'm not walking to class or the gym, I'm on my butt at home for the most part. I'm ok with that. I get lots of activity in with my workouts and I have a TON of reading/homework with school so its not like I just veg out in front of the tv. Anyway, enough self justification.

The place I'm having a little bit of trouble is with my work situation. I work retail about 10 hours a week and most of the time I'm doing markdowns, dressing mannequins, moving things, unpacking boxes, etc. I get sweaty. Its not cute. I also work at a rec center and handle gear rentals. Normally its pretty slow and I just sit and do officey things (basically sedentary) but since its the winter season I've been a LOT more active at that job. Yesterday I waxed 28 snowboards in 4 hours in addition to packing over 30 orders of boards, boots, clothes, etc. for customers. I broke a sweat for sure. But I only work like that maybe 4-6 hours a week and the rest is basically officey. I didn't work out yesterday so I only had my 1260 calories and I was friggen starving at the end of the day after working both jobs. I'm not trying to be one of those people who logs their job as exercise but when its busy like that I know I'm doing more than sedentary and I'm hungry because I'm going on all cylinders for hours at a time.

Is it dumb to adjust my activity level every couple of days based on what my work schedule/experience is like? Should I just bump it up to 'lightly active' and leave it there and see what happens? Log the snowboard waxing as some kind of evil cardio from hell?

Help!

javamom

OR you could try logging exercise for the portion of the time you are "active" - like add "walking at a slow pace" for a portion of the time you feel you were more active.

garedds

If you have set your activity as sedentary, then I would log it as activity when you're at work and you break a sweat. Without a doubt you will be more hungry on those days due to calories burned. Since it is not consistant I wouldn't change your activity level.

Hope that makes sense.

ladyhawk00

IMO, if it's not something you do at least two-three days a week, every week, I wouldn't change your activity levels for it. If it's an activity that is occasional and unpredictable, and makes you sweat/get out of breath, I'd find something that roughly equals how I FEEL while I'm doing it (as far as intensity level, actual motions I'm going through, etc.)

Another option is to get a HRM if you don't have one and use that as a judge of whether to log it and how much to log. I'm hoping to get one in the next month or two when the budget allows it.

I have similar issues, with things that I don't do regularly, but clearly were calories burned, over and above my daily routine. I don't know, anyone else have ideas?

leslielove

I totally feel you with the 'when the budget allows it' part.. I've wanted a HRM for AAAGES but new tires and my phone bill are more important. Being poor sucks haha

- I should add that I'm not wanting a HRM purely to track the calories I burn at work.. I've been looking into one for cycling and hiking and other such things for a while now

Azdak

If you know you have been extra busy and you feel hungry, just eat more. Make sure it's a measured portion (200-300 calories) and eat. No need to waste money on an HRM for something like this.

TrainerRobin

If you know you have been extra busy and you feel hungry, just eat more. Make sure it's a measured portion (200-300 calories) and eat. No need to waste money on an HRM for something like this.

Agree completely.