The REAL difference between lightly active and active

kim_mc

There are always a lot of questions regarding activity levels on this site. I have asked myself more than once. And to be honest, I still don't know the answer.

There is a description by the categories but what it doesn't say is does thos factor in the amount you are working out or is this just "how active are you doing day to day chores and work"?

I don't know, I think I may never know, but if SOMEONE knows will you please put it to rest?? I can't even tell you how many times I have wondered and how many other people are in the same boat!!


Thanks soooooo much!! :ohwell:

MrsRobertson1005

My understanding is how active you are without working out, it is used to calculate how many calories you typically burn a day without doing anything extra. Like I sit at a desk all day so mine isn't on active, but my bf works in a mechanics shop so his is.

vim_n_vigor

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cron1.html

These equations require the weight in kilograms, the height in centimeters, and the age in years. To determine your total daily calorie needs, the BMR has to be multiplied by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

•1.200 = sedentary (little or no exercise)

•1.375 = lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week, approx. 590 Cal/day)

•1.550 = moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week, approx. 870 Cal/day)

•1.725 = very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week, approx. 1150 Cal/day)

•1.900 = extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job, approx. 1580 Cal/day)

Maybe this will help

erickirb

There are always a lot of questions regarding activity levels on this site. I have asked myself more than once. And to be honest, I still don't know the answer.

There is a description by the categories but what it doesn't say is does thos factor in the amount you are working out or is this just "how active are you doing day to day chores and work"?

I don't know, I think I may never know, but if SOMEONE knows will you please put it to rest?? I can't even tell you how many times I have wondered and how many other people are in the same boat!!


Thanks soooooo much!! :ohwell:

The activity level ignores your workouts, as you enter those in separately in the exercise tab and get credited for the calories burned that way. If you entered a higher activity level due to your exercise and then entered your exercise into the database you would be double counting those calories.

cskalaj

Ha! I just posted this response to someone with a very similar question:

I was curious about this, too, so I played around with it and there is a less than 500 calorie difference for "calories burned from normal daily activity" for me (5'6 female) between if I put "sedentary" and "highly active" lifestyle. Furthermore, since I don't have SO much to lose, even though I put that I want to lose 2 pounds per week, the maximum it will let me lose is 1.4 pounds per week because they never want you to go under 1,200 calories (which is healthy) so even if I said I was a "highly active" lifestyle and wanted to still lose 2 pounds per week, they only gave me like an extra 150 calories per day if I didn't exercise. So all I'm saying is that unless you have a lot to lose (which I don't think you do based on your little ticker thing at the bottom) the difference between "light" and "active" won't really do a lot except give you maybe an extra 50 calories per day.

erickirb

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cron1.html

These equations require the weight in kilograms, the height in centimeters, and the age in years. To determine your total daily calorie needs, the BMR has to be multiplied by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

•1.200 = sedentary (little or no exercise)

•1.375 = lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week, approx. 590 Cal/day)

•1.550 = moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week, approx. 870 Cal/day)

•1.725 = very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week, approx. 1150 Cal/day)

•1.900 = extra active (very hard exercise/sports and physical job, approx. 1580 Cal/day)

Maybe this will help

This also takes into account your weight loss goal as under Sedentary you should be much higher than 1200 calories, as it is 1.2*BMR then MFP takes off calories, based on your weekly loss goal.

kim_mc

There are always a lot of questions regarding activity levels on this site. I have asked myself more than once. And to be honest, I still don't know the answer.

There is a description by the categories but what it doesn't say is does thos factor in the amount you are working out or is this just "how active are you doing day to day chores and work"?

I don't know, I think I may never know, but if SOMEONE knows will you please put it to rest?? I can't even tell you how many times I have wondered and how many other people are in the same boat!!


Thanks soooooo much!! :ohwell:

The activity level ignores your workouts, as you enter those in separately in the exercise tab and get credited for the calories burned that way. If you entered a higher activity level due to your exercise and then entered your exercise into the database you would be double counting those calories.

Thank you!!!!