What do I set my 'normal daily activity' to for the goals?

NicoleSchimmel

I' ve been a member of MFP since December, and thought that 'sedentary' was the most accurate to my lifestyle. I work a desk job (sitting for 8-9 hrs a day). When I first started MFP, I was exercising 1 or 2 times a week. For the past 2 months, I've been exercising 3-4 days a week (burning 500-800 calories each time). I hope to increase it to working out 5 days a week. Right now, I'm allowed 1,220 calories/day, but I want to make sure that's correct for exercising 3-4 times a week. I'm not sure if I should go to 'light' normal daily activity, or just change how much I exercise per week in the goal section.

How do you pick your 'normal daily activity' goal--based on your job or based on your job and exercise?

Thanks!

adamb83

Great question... I'm wondering the same, actually.

Le_Joy

My "job" is sedentary so i picked that, but I add in any exercise I do. So with your example if it gives you 1220 a day when you add in the 500-800 a few days a week that is 500-800 more you can eat that day. And modifying the exercise int he goal section doesn't change anything. It only changes when you add in exercise you did.

967_1111

I have a desk job, and set it as sedentary. I hit the gym every weekday and burn about 500 calories, which I log and eat!

I'd leave it at sedentary & log the workouts.

MrsORourke

That IS a great question. Your scenario completely sums up my own, and the thought never occured to me to change my activity level. I would think that as long as you are accounting the calories you burn while exercising, you should be okay. But WTF do I know? :ohwell: I'm interested to hear what others have to say on this.

inetgirl

I set my lifestyle to sedentary-which is sitting at a desk most of the day. Any exercise I do, I add in.

The goals are just goals, they don't actually change the calorie number on the diary part.

I believe that if you set your lifestyle to something different to account for your exercise, that you shouldn't add exercise calories in.

NicoleSchimmel

Awesome! It sounds like I'm doing it right. I log all the exercise I do, I just wasn't sure if I should change the goal. That makes sense though--that's why it's called 'normal daily activity'.

adamb83

I think I wonder about it because, when you calculate your TDEE (as here: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html) it distinguishes between different amounts of exercise. I suppose that's just where eating back the calories you burn comes in, though.