MFP calculations and activity level quesiton!

AmyLRed

I joined MFP 6 weeks or so ago, and i put that i have a sedentary lifestyle this is (was?) true. I have a desk job and i did not do any exercise at the time. For the last month, and my plan going forward, is that i am exercising at least 3x per week. (cardio kickboxing, circuit training, etc).

Should i change my settings on MFP to moderately active? how will it effect my overall calculations if i do or dont? If i did change it, does that mean that i then wouldnt log my exercise cals?

Thanks in advance for anyone who can answer these questions!!

luvbwfc

You could leave it sedentary and log the exercise calories on days when you exercise. If you change the activity level you will be allowed more calories every day to meet whatever your goal is.

AmyLRed

thats what i do now, its set for sedentary and i log my exercise, i just wasnt sure if it matters. If i am now "active" then i probably burn more all the time? Just not sure how it all effects the math and such.

dls06

thats what i do now, its set for sedentary and i log my exercise, i just wasnt sure if it matters. If i am now "active" then i probably burn more all the time? Just not sure how it all effects the math and such.

Leave it the way it is and add exercise when you do it. The proof is in the weight loss.

philOHIO

Amy, all that setting changes is your daily calorie count for logging. If you think you need to eat more, or are exercising a lot more and are WAY under your goal, then change it. What it would do is change you from 1200 to 1400, I believe. Not a young girl, so I don't know the exact number it will change to... but that is ALL IT DOES.

AmyLRed

Thanks everyone! I think i was over-thinking this! If i was working out 5-7 days a week, i might change it, but with 3x per week, i will leave it as is.

smlamb33

I workout 6-7 times a week and I leave it at a Sedentary setting because after I do my daily workout, all I do is sit at my desk for the most part. I am pretty sure that these settings are referring to your activity outside of working out, like your job type, and does not include the exercise as being active. I may be wrong but, that's how I have always taken it.

TMHNET

Use the four options to describe your working day,use the field below where you fill in how often you work out and for how long.

Obviously option 4 and 7 hour long workouts will recalculate your daily intake dramatically.