Is it time to change my activity level here on MFP?

RachelsReboot

I have a HRM and a week ago it seemed to be right on target with MFP, for the last 4-5 days it is WAY off. According to my HRM I am burning less:(

I have my activity level set to active, I started a little less than a month ago I was 225 lbs but trying to work out at least 30 minutes every day. Now I am at 214 lbs and I work out 1-2 hours daily.

Sometimes I forget to put my HRM on and want to get as close to the real numbers as I can.

RachelsReboot

bump

rfarinha

Other than working out, what is your "activity" like during the day?

For example: I have been working out Daily, for a minimum of 1 hour, and sometimes 2-2.5, but during the course of my normal day, I wake-up, shower, go to work, sit at a desk 99% of my day, then go home, make dinner, and maybe some light housework/laundry, and watch TV. In other words, outside of my workouts, I have a pretty sedentary life, so I would never set my activity level to "active".

Hope this helps...

seekingstrengthX2

Your activity level should NOT be based on how much you exercise. It is to be based on your general activity level the REST of the day. I can't imagine anyone's being set at "active" unless they are a personal trainer for a living. Your activity level should be based on what your job is (if you work). Most are sedentary or lightly active. THEN you ADD in your exercise each day.

RachelsReboot

Your activity level should NOT be based on how much you exercise. It is to be based on your general activity level the REST of the day. I can't imagine anyone's being set at "active" unless they are a personal trainer for a living. Your activity level should be based on what your job is (if you work). Most are sedentary or lightly active. THEN you ADD in your exercise each day.

Well all that does is make the number of calories burned during exercise even more inaccurate (as in MFP grossly overestimates them)

I spend 20-30 hours a week doing manual labor (drywall, construction, moving furniture and cleaning of commercial buildings)
The rest of the week I am at a desk running a non profit and being a student, on top of being a single parent! I have NO idea how to count my activity level LOL. I guess I just have to remember the HRM or not log.

rfarinha

Well if the majority of your "non-exercising" life is "active", then your activity level is "active". As you can see if my example, my "non-exercising" life is obviously "in-active".

Here is a table that may help:
Lifestyle Example PAL
Extremely inactive Cerebral Palsy patient <1.40
Sedentary Office worker getting little or no exercise 1.40-1.69
Moderately active Construction worker or person running one hour daily 1.70-1.99
Vigorously active Agricultural worker or person swimming two hours daily 2.00-2.40
Extremely active Competitive cyclist >2.40

CindyCountingCalories

Bump for whenever I'm confused again.