Lightly active?

iRun4wine

I work as the coordinator of an After School Program at a middle school. I have my goals setting as "sedentary", but now that we've started up again for the school year, I'm wondering if my goals should be "lightly active." Today for example I was actually sweating from running around so much. I walk about 50 yards to the stairs and up the stairs to the office, then the reverse back down to my office multiple times a day. Also, in the after school hours I'm all over the place. I think I'd feel a little silly wearing my HRM to work :laugh: but I'm thinking that maybe I should change my status to "lightly active."

When I first started MFP, which was about 6 months ago now, I thought that I'd put it on sedentary and would rather keep ti that way, and shoot for a lower calorie goal and then if I went over a few days by 100 calories or so it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I find that on days where I really run around I'm hungry even after I've eaten all of my calories. Should I bump it up to "lightly active", or play it super safe and keep it on "sedentary"? I'm kind of nervous to all of a sudden start eating additional calories!

sparkles321

I understand not wanting to add back too much too quickly.

As you said, if you went over by 100 calories on those days when you're really active, it's not the end of the world. You could always bulk up your dinner with a nice veggie tray of celery, cucumbers, and carrot sticks that will keep you well under that 100 calorie mark but fill you up (and keep you feeling full with all of that fiber).

This way, the extra calories come in only when an active day warrants it, not on a daily basis when activity may not balance it out.

iRun4wine

That's what I was thinking- there's something a little scary about all of a sudden being "allowed" to eat so much more!

Today for example was a particularly busy/crazy day at work and when I came home dinner just didn't cut it. I ended up going over on my calories by about 200 but I'm pretty confident that I burned them off throughout the course of the day.

I guess I'll keep it at "sedentary" and know that that classification isn't accurate every day. Thanks :flowerforyou:

metalpalace

Target receptor cells to received nutrients and blood sugars has a different level of sensitivity for everyone. That sensitivity will even change as weight changes. The best thing for any individual to do who isnt already under orders from another health care professional is to start out abiding by generally acceptable standards and make minor changes based on your own personal feedback and goals. If you do that you WILL learn about your own body and be successful at obtaining your goals for life.

shinybonnie

I would also just add that, since school started back up, your brain is probably working a lot harder, too, right? My job doesn't require me to move, but a busy day at work involves a lot of talking, arguing (I'm a lawyer), logic, and just using my brain. I am usually starving after a busy day at work even though the most movement I've done is get out of my car and walk into a building, then sit at my little table all day trying to convince the judge and other lawyers to see things my client's way. In the end, if I go over my calories that day by a few hundred *shrug* oh well, I'm not too worried about it. But that might happen once or twice a month, so it definitely isn't a habit.

iRun4wine

I would also just add that, since school started back up, your brain is probably working a lot harder, too, right? My job doesn't require me to move, but a busy day at work involves a lot of talking, arguing (I'm a lawyer), logic, and just using my brain. I am usually starving after a busy day at work even though the most movement I've done is get out of my car and walk into a building, then sit at my little table all day trying to convince the judge and other lawyers to see things my client's way. In the end, if I go over my calories that day by a few hundred *shrug* oh well, I'm not too worried about it. But that might happen once or twice a month, so it definitely isn't a habit.

You're exactly right. My job shouldn't even be a 12 month position because in the summer I do very little- physically or mentally, and then this week all of a sudden I leave work feeling like I just ran a marathon- partially because I was running all over the place, and partially because I was using my brain ALL day. I don't do rocket science:laugh: but I certainly do things that require 100% concentration and thinking, analyzing, interpreting, etc.

Now that you say it, you're right- I am extra hungry on days when my brain is exhausted. I wonder if higher than normal brain usage :laugh: (I'm sure I'm not wording that correctly- makes me sound like a mindless moron when I'm not at work) burns calories/boosts your metabolism? Maybe that's why I'm hungrier those days??? :huh: