What's My Activity Level?

AngryDiet
AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
edited December 18 in Social Groups
Seems to me that figuring out BMR is a reasonably consistent activity. One can use different methods and formulas, and get a reasonable range of result.

But calculating TDEE seems to me to be rather a different story. It involves a rather squishy "activity level." Or other guesstimation of a BMR multiplier.

So my question is specific Fat 2 Fit Radio's Activity level.

You might recall calculator's descriptions:

- Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job)
- Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
- Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
- Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
- Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

What is my activity level? I have a desk job. My primary exercise is:

- I walk about 25 minutes total getting to work and back to home. That's 5 days a week.

- I try to take lunch time walks 4 days a week. They range from 30-45 min, and I try to walk fast. About 8kph/5mph on good days, and only a bit slower on other days

- I'm starting StrongLifts 5x5. It's compound exercise weight lifting using free weights. It's starting off as moderately intense, but will ramp up as the weeks go on.

I imagine some of you have read a whole lot more literature about this plan than I have. Perhaps you could lend your knowledge?

Cheers!

Replies

  • ruststar
    ruststar Posts: 489 Member
    I recommend lightly active given what you describe. the 5 x 5 workout is only about 30 minutes for the first several weeks, and a short lifting program doesn't burn all that many calories.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Agree with lightly active...I have a desk job, but work out at least 5 to 7 times a week - four times running (between 4-10km each time) and 3 x weight lifting - between 30 mins and an hour....on days that I do shorter runs, I do weights the same day, so I have one or two rest days in between..
    I've put my activity level at moderately active....
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    Yay, thank you both!
  • jj3120
    jj3120 Posts: 358
    love your profile pic angrydiet !!
  • mrsrood
    mrsrood Posts: 13 Member
    I struggled with the same question. I have a desk job and I work out 5x a week and one day I work out two hours doing spin and then a weight class. I picked moderate on the weight I am trying to get to and have been getting good results. I even go a little over maybe 500 calories one day on the weekend. I will have to see what happens the next few weeks but the pounds are coming off. I hope you have good results trying that. :smile:

    Oh and your profile picture rocks!
  • HardyGirl4Ever
    HardyGirl4Ever Posts: 1,017 Member
    Hi! I'm just starting today. I don't know my fitness level either. I exercise 5-7 days a week from an hour to 2 hours per day. I do strength training 3 days per week, cardio 5-6 days and yoga 0-2 day per week. Other than that, though, I'm on my butt most of the time. I don't have a desk job, but I'm job hunting for a new one since I am unemployed. Could someone please tell me what my activity level would be? Would it be light as well? I just don't want to be eating over the calorie amount that I should because I read that just 100 extra calories a day can result in a 10 pound weight gain. Thank you!!!
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Uuhhmmm - NO! 5- 7 days a week x 1-2 hours is definitely more than light or moderate - strenous activity?
  • HardyGirl4Ever
    HardyGirl4Ever Posts: 1,017 Member
    Really? Wow, thank you! I just figured because I'm on my butt a lot the rest of the time...
  • HardyGirl4Ever
    HardyGirl4Ever Posts: 1,017 Member
    I'm sorry. I need help on my activity level again. I changed it. Now I do strength training 3 days per week for about 30-40 minutes, cardio 5 days a week (various lengths of time and intensity, and yoga, pilates or tai chi every day. I thought since I do it every day it might still be moderate activity, but I'm also wondering if because I do more yoga and stuff like that rather than the cardio, if I need to change to light exercise. And my weight has been going up by a few ounces each day this week staying at my moderate level. Could someone please help me again?


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