Activity Level?

Aleara2012

I am really confused with setting activity level. I am not really sure what does each of the oiptions on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ actually mean. If I walk 3-5 hours a week it is not the same as walking 3 hours and lifting 2 hours... but it still isn't walking only 1-3 hours a week. So how do I decide what my level of activity is?

For example this is my walking for the past 7 days, most of it while carrying a 30lb toddler

Last 7 days: 3:44:27 H 12.77 km (about 8 miles)

I do not log everything, so I would say there is at least 1-2 hours of unlogged walking in there if not more. I have also done some exercise at home but not much. Maybe 1 hour in total for the past 7 days. What would you say my activity level is? I always thought it was Sedentery but now am debating if it is lightly active or active...

jyska

I definitely wouldn't call it sedentary. Do you get your heart rate up when you walk? Do you know your speed?

If it's a leisurely walk, then I [personally] would calculate out 1 hr of walking at only 1/2 hr, but if it's a very brisk walk (especially with the load on your back) where your breathing gets a bit labored and you work up a sweat/get your heart rate up, then I would log each hour walked as an hour of exercise. As far as I'm concerned, you can work up quite a sweat and impair your ability to talk a bit with a good fast walk so even if you aren't jumping around like a mad fool, you are still burning a good chunk of calories!

Then add to that any exercise you do at home on a regular basis. If you find you average out 1 hr/week of home workout, then plunk that into the equation. If home exercise is rare, then maybe leave it out and just add in more calories if your NET drops too low on that day.

I'm still working out the whole activity level thing on my end too, it's a hard thing to determine, but hopefully this will help a bit?