SEDENTARY/MODERATE/ACTIVE

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jonski1968
jonski1968 Posts: 4,498 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, what category should i be in...Sit in an officemost of the day, but try and get at least 20 flights of stairs while i`m at work. Also do a little skipping/pushups etc on my lunchbreak (when i get one) Do at least an hour a day of cardio on either treadmill/bike/elliptical. Take dog out twice a day so thats 2 miles walking.

I want to know so i can set my base cals.

Thanks
John

Replies

  • lady_in_weighting
    lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
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    i also wanted to know this. i sit at a desk all day but i go to the gym 3x weekly and i walk to work and back which a 3 mile trip.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    If you do exercise everyday set it on Moderate. If you only do it once in a while set it on sedentary.
  • brewface811
    brewface811 Posts: 106
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    bump. I had the same question.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    You need to just experiment - start with whatever you feel is right.
    I had to tweak mine to find that zone.
    It's the difference of about 500 calories daily from "sedentary" and "very active".
    I cranked mine up ALL THE WAY which means I must get off my rear more in the day:bigsmile:
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
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    If you do exercise everyday set it on Moderate. If you only do it once in a while set it on sedentary.
    your dailt activity does not include exercise like running ,gym walking as this gets added back when you track it so you would be adding twice if you have a desk job and not on your feet all day its sedentry . if your job is slightly manual then its moderate if you are extremely active on your feet walking all day then you are very active but exercise is seperate
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,498 Member
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    Ok...Moderate it is then....Thanks all..

    Ok then...So my daily needs are 2,600 cals...i`m aiming for a 1000 per day deficit. So if i eat 2,600 i need to burn 1000 off right?
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    Simple answer: you're tracking those workouts in mfp leave it at sedentary, if you aren't tracking them bump it up to moderate.

    That being said every body is a little different and depending on your general fitness level and how much you need to lose those activities could be affecting you more or less. It's all a bit of trial and error, pick one way and stick to it or a few weeks as reevaluate. If you're losing at a steady healthy pace (roughly 1% of your weight per week) and you feel ok then leave it, if you're losing too fast (over 1% several weeks in a row) &/or feeling crappy then adjust it up, if you stop losing adjust it down.

    For the OP: that roughly describes my average day but I add in weight training, I have mine set to sedentary, have my goal to lose 1/2 lb a week and I track the longer cardio sessions and strength training and don't log the dog walks and stair climbing (unfortunately while stair climbing makes for great gams it doesn't actually burn a ton of calories, a friend in pretty close to the same shape as me tested it with her hrm and I think it was something like 40 calories for 10 flights twice. So I do it for the leg workout and to escape my desk but expect it to be a big burner). This works for me, I drop about a pound a week and about a pants size every month or so.
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
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    I drive a desk too. I say set in on sedentary and then log your activity.

    1) That is the more conservative option.
    2) Logging, even minor activities, will keep you more focused on what your activity levels really are.
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,498 Member
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    I don`t log activity on MFP....I just use the graph on fitbit...It tells me exactly when i`ve been moving..
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    I don`t log activity on MFP....I just use the graph on fitbit...It tells me exactly when i`ve been moving..
    doesn't fitbit adjust your calories then anyway? I don't have one but a friend of mine does and at the end of the day there's always a "fit bit calorie adjustment" to her diary. In that case, if you're adjusting your calorie count with the fitbit I'd leave it at sedentary, if you aren't adjusting the calorie count I'd bump it up to active.
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
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    I sit at a desk all day monday - friday, but I work out 6 days a week. I have mine set to sedentary.
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,498 Member
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    I don`t log activity on MFP....I just use the graph on fitbit...It tells me exactly when i`ve been moving..
    doesn't fitbit adjust your calories then anyway? I don't have one but a friend of mine does and at the end of the day there's always a "fit bit calorie adjustment" to her diary. In that case, if you're adjusting your calorie count with the fitbit I'd leave it at sedentary, if you aren't adjusting the calorie count I'd bump it up to active.

    Yepp the fitbit adjusts your cals, but i think at times it way over estimates...It usually give me between 1500 and 1800 cals a day extra..So i `err` on the side of caution..
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
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    Ok...Moderate it is then....Thanks all..

    Ok then...So my daily needs are 2,600 cals...i`m aiming for a 1000 per day deficit. So if i eat 2,600 i need to burn 1000 off right?
    no when you set the mfp correctly it asks you how much you want to lose per week and it automatically takes it off so all you have to do is meet the calorie goals it tells you to
  • jonski1968
    jonski1968 Posts: 4,498 Member
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    Totals 2,851 31 113 24 227 13
    Your Daily Goal 4,157 103 207 29 468 35
    Remaining 1,306 72 94 5 241 22
    Calories Carbs Fat Sat Fat Protein Fiber
    *You've earned 1557 extra calories from exercise today

    So i yesterday ate 2,851 cals...So i should be eating the other 1,306 as well?

    Never pastes right does it..
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    Totals 2,851 31 113 24 227 13
    Your Daily Goal 4,157 103 207 29 468 35
    Remaining 1,306 72 94 5 241 22
    Calories Carbs Fat Sat Fat Protein Fiber
    *You've earned 1557 extra calories from exercise today

    So i yesterday ate 2,851 cals...So i should be eating the other 1,306 as well?

    Never pastes right does it..

    Wow i don't think I could eat that many cals in a day however that's what it's saying you should be eating!! Seeing those numbers I'd go back to the "how do you feel and is it working" method. As long as you're losing at a decent pace and not crazy amounts and you feel ok I'd ignore the extra calories.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
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    I have also heard that while the fit bit is excellent at gauging everyday calorie expenditure it not as accurate with heavy workout sessions, so if your cardio is gung ho running or biking and whatnot it could be estimating wrong... *disclaimer: I have no first hand experience with fit bit so my knowledge is all second and third hand though so take it with a grain of salt!!

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