Sedentary or Lightly Active?

caitlin70433

Okay. Which would be the best setting for me? I'm a librarian but I'm in Public Services and walk the length and breadth of a 2-story library at least 2-3 times a day and walk about helping patrons or patrolling the computers way more than that. I probably don't sit down more than 15 min at a time and, when I'm home, I do bustle about the house a bit. This isn't counting waling or step areobics, which I do on most days but I don't believe that kind of concious exercise counts when setting activity level.

Nerdy_Rose

I would put lightly active for that. I set mine to sedentary because I have a computer desk job.

dmpizza

I would say lightly active. Sedentary would be people sitting and watching TV all day.

wendibartel

I too would put lightly active. I have a desk job so I am sedentary I do try to get up as much as possible thinking about bringing the big ball to work to sit on.

TS65

Sedentary is sitting around all day (drive to work, sit behind a desk, drive home, sit on sofa). It sounds to me like you're lightly active to active depending on how often/long your workouts are.

I didn't realize settings would make a HUGE difference. They do.

When I found this post, it changed everything for me... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Here's a paraphrase:

...

If you have a desk job, and do very little walking throughout the day and don't really perform any sports or physical activities, then you are sedentary.

If you do some walking every day (or at least 4 days a week) or other light activity for at least 30 minutes cumulative at least 4 times a week, you are lightly active.

If you do 60 minutes of light activity 5 days a week or do some kind of sport that requires walking or light jogging (say swimming or mailman or warehouse employee) then you are active.

If you do a physically demanding activity (one that makes you sweat) for 4 days a week or more and for more than 1 hour a day, you are very active (like a coach that runs drills or you play volleyball).

When in doubt, go down 1 level, you'd rather burn more than you think than less.

~ ~ ~

Also...

Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit

With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)

With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)

With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)

noogie98

I would go with lightly active; mine is set on that, and I am on my feet most of the day, corralling 3, 4 & 5 year old special needs children in a classroom of 12 or so. I purchased a pedometer to see what my actual activity during the day was like & I take an average of 5,500 - 6,500 steps a day before working out for an hour at Curves every day, plus walking for 30 minutes on the treadmill in the evening. By the end of the day, I have put in about 11,000 steps; I was amazed when I realized how much I am walking every day... hope this helps!

caitlin70433

Thanks, guys! I probably made it seem more active than it is but between the deliberate/concious walking or stair-stepping, which I do at least 5 days a week, and running library patrol, lightly active is probably a safe bet for me.