May sound like a dumb question, gotta ask anyway.

toberdawg

So, I am not sure how active I really am. I am trying to gauge my activity level based on my job. I feel I may fit into the "lightly active" or possibly the "moderately active" category.

I work as a veterinary technicianin a emergency facility, 40-50hrs per week. My job involves a lot of lifting and as terrible as it sounds "restraint" of large, uncooperative and occacionally aggressive dogs.

I often need to move dogs that cannot move themselves. I can carry 100lbs of dog by myself, a considerable distance. When the doctors need someone that can handle the "big dogs" they come find me.

I feel my job is perhaps more active than some. I am just looking for the opinions of others.

Jg04811

I would say mod activity...sounds like you are on your feet all day and with having to lift those pups.

toberdawg

I am on my feet much of the time at work. There are times when I do not sit at all for up to 16hours. Since it is an emergency facility, things must be done quickly.

MinnieInMaine

I would also think moderately active. That's quite a busy job you have!

cmriverside

Try Moderate for a month and see how it goes. There is no "engraved in stone" answer to this. A lot of it is trial and error.

toberdawg

Guess its a good thing I asked. I was thinking I was less active. And, have been cheating myself by selecting that on TDEE and BMR calculators.

smokinjackd

Yeah, I agree, if your job is more than 50% non desk related I would say moderately active

cmriverside

Guess its a good thing I asked. I was thinking I was less active. And, have been cheating myself by selecting that on TDEE and BMR calculators.

Exactly. And you are STILL set at 1300 calories? After all the answers you've gotten in your other threads? You should be eating probably more like 2300 a day, with that job and the small amount of weight you have to lose. Why don't you believe us? Because you obviously don't.

toberdawg

Guess its a good thing I asked. I was thinking I was less active. And, have been cheating myself by selecting that on TDEE and BMR calculators.

Exactly. And you are STILL set at 1300 calories? After all the answers you've gotten in your other threads? You should be eating probably more like 2300 a day, with that job and the small amount of weight you have to lose. Why don't you believe us? Because you obviously don't.

I am increasing my calories slowly. Tryng to increase by 100-200cal per week. I dont want to jump from 1200 cal/day to 2300 cal/day. I cant imagine that having a good outcome. It has nothing to to with believing anyone or not.

awake4777

Because you don't continually kift heavy objects I would use the moderate catagorey. However. if you are having trouble losing the desired amount of weight you should make the necessary adjustment to caloric intake.

toberdawg

P.S. If you actually look at the calories I have been consuming I HAVE been eating more. I have gone from 800-1200cal/day to 1200-1600 cal/day.

cmriverside

P.S. If you actually look at the calories I have been consuming I HAVE been eating more. I have gone from 800-1200cal/day to 1200-1600 cal/day.

You said in a previous post/thread that you do resistance training and cardio. You have about 12-15 pounds you want to lose. Now you're saying you have a physically demanding job that keeps you on your feet something like 10-16 hours a day.

Your diary is set to 1300 calories. It should be set to a realistic goal, using your Moderate Activity level, and "Lose 1/2 pound per week". NOT "lose 2 pounds a week" and whatever other activity level you chose. Your BMR is something like 1536. With the type of job you do, you should probably be set at a daily NET of about 1900-2000 to lose weight. Then eat the exercise calories on days you go to the gym. Which would put you at 2200-2400.

Your Food Diary is set at 1300 and you've been adding in someting as Exercise for 387 calories. And then, you aren't eating those calories. If you are eating 1600-1700, you aren't recording it. Start doing some better record keeping, or what's the point of even doing this, and what's the point in our trying to help you? We don't have all the information.

kimosabe1

moderate aerobic activity is where I would place it......

toberdawg

This post was asking about the activity level of my job. Nothing more.

I keep records as accurately as I am able. Sorry if you are dissatisfied.

I am trying to follow advice from people as best I can while still staying within my comfort level.

Part of my super low calorie intake is due to stress. When I am stressed I cannot eat (I have stomach issues, I need surgery to correct it. I cannot afford the surgery), if I eat anyway it "comes up".

In late August my Father went into a coma. He was in the ICU for weeks. I stayed by his side. When he woke up from his coma he was put in a wheelchair and has been there since. I have been trying to care for him by myself and work a demanding job.

That is really more info than I thought necessary for this post. But, since people keep riding me about my eating habits I might as well spill my personal issues. I am doing the best I can with what I have.

I am not intentionally starving myself. When I am hungry and want to eat, I do so. I do not deprive myself of any food that I am "craving". I occasionally have to force myself to eat even 1200cal/day.

cmriverside

That is all the more reason why you really need to take care of yourself. You really need to eat enough food. Don't take this personally, it's just about being healthy and the only way to lose that last 15 pounds is slowly and steadily - not by letting your anxiety and stress run you into the ground.. You can't afford to get sick at this point. Please just start eating more than the small amount you have been eating. I'll stay out of your threads from now on - this is way more than just an "Activity Level" thing.

Good luck.

geekyjock76

Do not gauge your energy needs based off of hunger when in a massive calorie deficit as your leptin signaling is altered in the sense your body is demanding more calories yet you are not "getting" the message. This is why those on VLCD feel full on greatly reduced calories and falsely interpret that as they are meeting the body's energy needs when they are not.

toberdawg

Ok, I understand the concern.

To begin with, when I came on MFP they reccomended 1200cal. I thought "Sure, I can do that" and I did. Not realizing it was not enough calories. Then Dad got sick and I did not eat anything but coffee for almost two weeks. Anything solid I consumed came back up. The time between when I ate and when I vomited was miserable, like I had rocks in my tummy.

I started trying to eat more as time wore on and Dad got a little better. I began to eat more, vomit less. I am working up from that. I have increased my calorie intake slowly from the low 100's to current calorie intake. Rome wasnt built in a day.

My stomach sucks. It does not empty itself like normal stomachs. Things sit in there almost to the point of fermenting. I can eat something and vomit 12 hours later and still tell what it was I ate. This has been a lifelong problem. I have always had to be careful about when/what I eat. This is also part of the reason I do not feel hungry like most people do.

I was hoping by posting this that I could get an idea of what others thought my activitly level was so I could set TDEE and BMR calculators appropriately. In an effort to eat the proper amount of calories.

I am not starving myself intentionaly. I have been to see my dr. multiple times. I am physically healthy other than my rotten stomach.

I find it offensive that I am being accused of having an eating disorder. I have lost 28lbs in 4 MONTHS! That is not an unreasonable rate. Part of the weight loss is due to extreme stress, and loss of appetite, I have no control over that. People are assuming I am trying to develop an eating disorder and it is simply is not true.

I dont think it even makes sense for me to try to stuff my face with 2300cal if I know it will come back up and further damage my already scarred esophagus. I DID set my "daily calorie goal" from 1200 to 1300 last week because of advice I got from the forum. I have even been going over the 1300 slightly on occasion.

I have been made to feel like whenever I ask a question on this forum people start pointing and yelling "eating disorder".
It kinda makes me want to not ask questions.
Pretend you were taking a class and you asked the instructor a question. The instructor proceeds to "talk down" to you and make you feel like an idiot. It kind of makes you not want to ask any questions and just go about your business. You may learn some things, you may not. You may just decide the instructors teachings are not worth listening to.
Whereas, if the same instructor answered you question nicely and asked for more clarification if he/she did not understand your question . . . you may be more willing to learn and pay attention to what the instructor said.

Just a thought. . .

tryclyn

Is it all food that does this? Do liquids stay down better?

toberdawg

Yes, liquid is always best. Meat is good during the day. But, I cant eat it before I go to bed. It will come up in the a.m. looking the same. I have to wait several hours before going to bed after I eat solid food. I can NEVER eat veggies before bed. I usually take "supper" earlier in the day.

I work late afternoon and into the night so usually, when I get up around 8-10a.m. I have a "shake" for breakfast. I just cant stomach solid food early in my day.

SInce I dont feel hungry often times I skip "lunch". I may have string cheese, pistachios, beef jerky, or some other small snack.

Usually I eat "supper" around 4:30-6:00pm I am usually in bed by 3am unless crazy busy at work. I dont eat anything else until "breakfast". Occasionally I will have a shake or something small as a snack before bed (I only do this no more than 2 days per week).

samhigh

It does not matter what your activity level is if you are struggling to consume 1200 cals a day. You would burn that laying in bed all day. So why are using TDEE and BMR calculators?

I have seen some interesting posts on MFP, but this one actually causes a sharp pain in my cerebral cortex. Research foods that your digestive system can handle instead of worrying about activity level...

toberdawg

It does not matter what your activity level is if you are struggling to consume 1200 cals a day. You would burn that laying in bed all day. So why are using TDEE and BMR calculators?

I have seen some interesting posts on MFP, but this one actually causes a sharp pain in my cerebral cortex. Research foods that your digestive system can handle instead of worrying about activity level...

I am sorry my posts cause you pain. In the future feel free to skip over them.

tryclyn

A blender could become your new best friend and maybe create your own soups. Since it is easier to eat solids in the middle of the day I would leave them there.Find what works for you to get all your nutrients and your calories, I don't see anything wrong with drinking your calories. This has to be something that YOU can live with.

axialmeow

I'm an ER vet tech too! It can be really physical. I'd pick moderate for your activity level on here

toberdawg

Who cares?

Assuming your activity is right, is your metabolism suppressed?(burn less calories), is your BMR accurate?(remember it's just an estimate). Are you accurately tracking calories burned?(once a gain estimates)

Eat at a number, are you losing weight? if so stick to it, if not change it. Keep it simple.

I was trying to keep it simple. Then people thought a different thread of mine was a "cry for help" so I started thinking more and analyzing what I should be eating.

And, when an anxious person analyzes . . . .

toberdawg

I'm an ER vet tech too! It can be really physical. I'd pick moderate for your activity level on here

I just realized I could have saved all of this bs, if I had just asked my coworkers!

Yay for the VT's!

Indygirl_81

I agree with another poster.... if liquids are better for digestion... make soups, juice veggies and fruits, use protein shakes... anything to keep the food down and be healthy.... that is the goal! :bigsmile:

toberdawg

Since my whole strech not eating a lot, I find that I do not crave the heavy food with gravy or fried things as much. Thats probobally why I am having a hard time keeping my calories up. I cant eat at the times or as frequently as other people. And, without eating as much junk as I used to, I cant keep my calories as high.

Fozzi43

Soups will help get your cals up...I looked at your diary and there was one day that you only ate just over 400 cals...that's a worry :frown:

Hope you can find a definite answer...but I'd go with the poster who said to try soups if solids are giving you trouble

Cait_Sidhe

I'm also an overnight ER vet tech. I chose "Lightly Active" if that answers your question.

I no longer follow MFP's goals though.