What is my activity level?

michaelthorsonjr
michaelthorsonjr Posts: 80
in Fitness and Exercise
I run on average 12 miles a day, 5 days a week ... with an average running log of 50-60 miles a week ... would I be extremely active? moderately active? or just active? It's all very confusing.

Replies

  • the_green_midget
    the_green_midget Posts: 80 Member
    I guess it depends what you're doing for the rest of the day, when you're not running. What I do is put sedentary because I work at a desk most of the day, and then add my workouts on top of that. Then again, I'm not nearly as active as you, so I'm not sure.
  • theblackbirdtree
    theblackbirdtree Posts: 168
    MFP basically estimates your calorie needs based on your activity level.
    If you were to log your workouts in, with a moderately active activity level, you may not lose weight because it's allotting you the additional calories you would have burned off from running.

    Play around with your BMR and base your daily calorie needs on that. ( I +300 for being awake and upright to the BMR value.)
  • michaelthorsonjr
    michaelthorsonjr Posts: 80
    MFP basically estimates your calorie needs based on your activity level.
    If you were to log your workouts in, with a moderately active activity level, you may not lose weight because it's allotting you the additional calories you would have burned off from running.

    Play around with your BMR and base your daily calorie needs on that. ( I +300 for being awake and upright to the BMR value.)

    Well I don't think that is the case because from my understanding of MFP and activity level its not taking into account your exercise but rather your day to day activities (like for example, amount you move around at work) excluding exercise ... which is what I've always based it on and I've lost 47 lbs. I'm losing weight consistently I'm just thinking maybe my activity level is set low but wanted to get others opinion on it.
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
    i think activity level refers to what you do outside of exercise; i.e. your level of physical exertion at work.

    for example, if you did heavy physical labor or a lot of moving around most days at work, that would be extremely active.

    this is just my guess. an agricultural worker who is working long days might be burning 4,000 calories a day before exercise is even taken into account. a sedentary worker might be burning less than 2,000.
  • rudy7020
    rudy7020 Posts: 62
    That's my understanding as well. How many calories you need to maintain your weight based on your lifestyle. And an office worker would need less calories than a Lumberjack! Once that is established, you chose how much weight you want to lose. For me, I need 1800 calories a day, - 500 a day to lose 1 lb a week. And if I exercise and burn 100 calories, I get to eat 1400 that day.
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
    I'm at sedentary.. So any exercise I do gets logged.. There are days I don't work and I'm home all day and not doing anything. I also don't understand if you put that you are moderately active because you run 30 mins a day (or something like that) then how would you log that? I say start at the bottom (sedentary) so you can keep better track of your work outs and calories. That just makes the most sense to me.
  • nannabannana
    nannabannana Posts: 780
    bump
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    I run on average 12 miles a day, 5 days a week ... with an average running log of 50-60 miles a week ... would I be extremely active? moderately active? or just active? It's all very confusing.
    Based on Mifflin/St. Jeor scale unless you're extremely light in weight, I would say you're very active compared to moderately active.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • michaelthorsonjr
    michaelthorsonjr Posts: 80
    I run on average 12 miles a day, 5 days a week ... with an average running log of 50-60 miles a week ... would I be extremely active? moderately active? or just active? It's all very confusing.
    Based on Mifflin/St. Jeor scale unless you're extremely light in weight, I would say you're very active compared to moderately active.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Well I'm 5'11" and at my last weigh in I was 137.6 lbs.

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