Which Activity Level are you?

Ahluvly

Hi everyone!

Would like some feedback on the following please if you have a spare 2 mins.

I work in an office doing a desk job and work out 4 x one sessions a week on average (swimming, a class, cardio, weights - I like variety). Which Activity level would you put me at?

(I started going to the gym 7 weeks ago, going from no exercise for years to 2 sessions, 3 sessions and now 4 sessions (1 hour sessions) a week. This past week, I went 5 times, so if I have the time I will wack another one in but I think 4 is enough.)

Thanks,
Sarah

hush7hush

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

SueGeer

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

Same here

Sue x

truecaligirl

I think that's the safest way to go.

morganadk2_deleted

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

Same here

Sue x

Me too!!

nickiw68

I'm exactly the same as you....I've been going for 7 weeks and started from zilch to doiing around 5 times a week...would be keen to keep in touch to see how we both compare

Nicki

lucyclementmiller

I sit down in an office all day but I workout at least 5-6 times a week hard. I still put that I'm sedentary because if you look at the options, its mainly about your job and what you do all day...not the added exercise you get in.

lcarter25

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

Same here

Sue x

Me too!!

ditto

sundaysurf

I don't work at a desk all day, I am a stay at home mom. I wore a pedometer for a couple days to see how many steps I was taking and I found a formula that told me my life style. I am still considered sedentary. I hope this helps and keep up the good work.

psuLemon

There are two approaches you can take to this and both will work. First one, like everyone else, you can set your lifestyle to sedentary but when you do this, you must eat back your exercise calories. The other way (which I found better for myself and others I have helped) use the link below to figure out what your total daily energy expended (TDEE, the average amount of calories you burn throughout the day with exercise and lifestyle) and do a custom setup; link below to help you. At this, working out 4-5 days a week, I would label you as moderately active. The true advantage to this is you eat the same amount of calories a day whether you workout or not. This approach has worked great for me because it doesnt force you to scramble for calories at the end of the day and you always know what you need to eat.


http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

laureneva15

I am activity level "awesome"


but no seriously, I'm a uni student so study and going to classes alot so i go as sedetary as well

CARNAT22

Another office worker here, activity level sendantry, all exercise loggd (and calories eaten back!)

TrainingWithTonya

If I were calculating your calorie needs as if you were my client, I'd set you as sedentary. Those activity levels don't count exercise. Basically, you have different ways of burning calories. BMR is what it takes just to keep you alive if you never get out of bed. The Activity Levels bump you up to RMR, which is resting metabolic rate meaning you're doing your normal routine but resting from planned exercise. This is the level that MFP works with to subtract out your deficit, which is why you eat your exercise calories. On top of RMR, you also have exercise calories and the thermic effect of food that increase calorie burn. The thermic effect of food is accounted for in the Atwater Factors we use for calculating calories from carbohydrate, protein, and fat, so we don't have to add them to our calorie burns because they are already subtracted from our calories consumed when we do the calorie calculations. So, we can manipulate only the activity level not counting exercise and the exercise we do in order to increase calorie burns. Because of the fact that the activity level can drastically increase the RMR estimate, it is vital that you pick the right one. Here is the listing of how I break it down for my clients (remember, this does not include any planned exercise):

Sedentary--up and walking around less then 30 minutes a day
Lightly active--up and walking around approximately 45 minutes a day
Moderately active--up and walking around approximately 60 minutes a day
Highly active--up and walking around more then 60 minutes a day
Extremely active--Athletes or jobs where you are on your feet all day

dad106

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Read this link... It will help explain what activity level that you should be.

I'm pretty sedentary since I'm not working right now, but I had to up mine to lightly active because the calories at sedentary were not working for me.

Pebble321

I started out at sedentary, but changed it to lightly active. That's because although I work in an office I am up and down the stairs a few times a day and I walk to and from the bus and train, but don't log this as exercise.

Then I log my planned exercise (running, brisk walking, cycling etc) and eat most of these cals.

jagoochie

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

Same here

Sue x

Me too!!

thats how i do it

Ahluvly

Thank you SO much for all the responses! I feel a lot happier now after reading all of those! I'd say I was probably lightly active as I am up and down the stairs a few times at work through the day and I have a 10 mins walk to and from the gym to the bus station. I never log just "walking around".

The reason why I posted this question was, I've had a nutrition appointment at my gym (and he's been great to be honest). When I told him what MFP gave me, he said it was far too low. It was something like 1400 cals a day. He told me to up it to 2300. So, roll on 2 weeks when I weighed myself for the first time since I changed my cals, I had put on 0.6kg and felt a bit gutted despite doing 4 hours a week of different activity - and I sweat during this hour! I do feel a lot better in myself and I am noticing a change in my body, I'm just keen to get this right. I could easily cut my cals and basically let the weight melt off me but, I want to do this properly and if it means being able to eat more and still lose weight, albeit a bit slower then I'm prepared to give it a good go!

I realise I didn't put the weight on overnight and accept it won't come off in that time frame either! I just feel a bit concerned that I'm perhaps eating more than I should (again, any exercise that I have, I'm eating those back too).

It just all gets a little confusing, doesn't it?!

psuLemon

Keep in mind your body is probably adjusting to the additional calories so keep with it for a month or so, and you should see progress.

rml_16

Well, I work at an office, so I set my activity level to Sedetary, then just seperately log my workout sessions. [:

It would be more accurate that way.

Yep.

Sparksfly

Thank you SO much for all the responses! I feel a lot happier now after reading all of those! I'd say I was probably lightly active as I am up and down the stairs a few times at work through the day and I have a 10 mins walk to and from the gym to the bus station. I never log just "walking around".

The reason why I posted this question was, I've had a nutrition appointment at my gym (and he's been great to be honest). When I told him what MFP gave me, he said it was far too low. It was something like 1400 cals a day. He told me to up it to 2300. So, roll on 2 weeks when I weighed myself for the first time since I changed my cals, I had put on 0.6kg and felt a bit gutted despite doing 4 hours a week of different activity - and I sweat during this hour! I do feel a lot better in myself and I am noticing a change in my body, I'm just keen to get this right. I could easily cut my cals and basically let the weight melt off me but, I want to do this properly and if it means being able to eat more and still lose weight, albeit a bit slower then I'm prepared to give it a good go!

I realise I didn't put the weight on overnight and accept it won't come off in that time frame either! I just feel a bit concerned that I'm perhaps eating more than I should (again, any exercise that I have, I'm eating those back too).

It just all gets a little confusing, doesn't it?!

2300 calories a day? Your trainer must be including your exercise calories in there.

If MFP gave you 1400 calories a day, that's only your base calories , and not including any additional exercise you complete with your trainer. You have to add any additional exercise on MFP.

Personally if I were you I would try 1600 calories a day (base), and add in any extra exercise calories you earn (EAT THOSE BACK!) :-)

If you completed a 40 minute workout with your trainer and burned 400 calories, you should have around 2000 calories for the day (1600 base + 400 exercise)

HTH!

rml_16

2,300 a day for four hours of exercise a week?

Your trainer is smoking something good. Does he share?

Honestly, four hours of even really intense exercise isn't burning as many calories as you think. I suggest you invest in a heart rate monitor with a chest strap (Polar is probably the best brand) and track what you're ACTUALLY burning. Then, if you're hungry, eat back some of those calories, but stick with whatever MFP gave you as a base.