Help me decide my activity level.

julysbaby

I have recently increased my calories due to an increase in activity to follow my TDEE.
I work out 3-5 times/wk for 45-60 minutes. Usually Zumba or NROLFW, sometimes a hike/walk or yoga.
My BMR is 1693.
According to Scooby with moderate activity, my TDEE is 2600, 15% cut is 2240
With Light activity TDEE 2322, 15% cut is 1973.
I just want to be sure that I am choosing the right activity level.
What do you think?

braves1girl

I'm fairly new to this, but I would say either moderate or the next step up would be right according to what you posted. But definitely not light...

julysbaby

Thank you Braves!!!:happy:

LoveLiveLift

I agree. Step it up to at least moderate. I lift heavy 3x/week for an hour at a time and I maintain on moderate. So I would say moderate at the low end. If you don't feel like you qualify to bump up to the next level but do more than moderate, just tack an extra couple hundred cals onto the moderate number.

ETA: to be clear, I maintained because I was trying to maintain. so I assume cut at moderate would work out well for me. The way I worded it sounded like I was trying to cut and was maintaining. Sorry for any confusion.

go2grrl

My numbers are pretty close to yours and I consider myself moderate. I've been set at 2031 for the last 3 weeks and things are working out perfectly.

redredy9

Interesting. Mind helping me too?

I am a runner and have been running about 6-7.5 hours a week but do not do any lifting. My activity level is currently set at 5-7 hours of strenuous exercise and a 25% cut.

So TDEE 2616. With 25% its 1962.

I am averaging less that a pound a week loss. 11 pounds in 13 weeks. I am about 10 pounds away from my goal (or my first goal) and am feeling good.

I have to reset my calories because I've lost 10 pounds - think I will lose more if I eat more? Or will eating more only work if I start lifting? I am planning on starting to lift heavy after my race.

Edit: new weight and 20% cut have my calorie goal at 2028 (TDEE 2535). Will the extra 66 calories a day really make a difference either way?

heybales

I am a runner and have been running about 6-7.5 hours a week but do not do any lifting. My activity level is currently set at 5-7 hours of strenuous exercise and a 25% cut.

So TDEE 2616. With 25% its 1962.

I am averaging less that a pound a week loss. 11 pounds in 13 weeks. I am about 10 pounds away from my goal (or my first goal) and am feeling good.

I have to reset my calories because I've lost 10 pounds - think I will lose more if I eat more? Or will eating more only work if I start lifting? I am planning on starting to lift heavy after my race.

Edit: new weight and 20% cut have my calorie goal at 2028 (TDEE 2535). Will the extra 66 calories a day really make a difference either way?

Well, it's not a matter of eating more, it's a matter of not cutting so much when this close to goal weight.

If really 10 lbs away, should only be 15%. But you say first goal, so perhaps more to go.

Very active 6-7 hrs sounds like more correct activity level, unless you have active job too.

You wearing a HRM for all those hrs to hit different HR zones? Meaning, got an idea on calories burned?
Though, really doesn't matter because you have the best and easiest to figure out right now.

Since you know your avg loss, go for the last 3 weeks of loss amount avg'd weekly.
Know that 1 lb is 3500 calories - so if .8 was lost, 2800 calorie deficit, or 400 per day.
Now, what was the avg eating level each day for those last 3 weeks?
Really 1962 or there abouts?

So your real TDEE is 1962 eaten + 400 deficit that caused your loss = 2362 (or whatever your numbers really are) TDEE.

Here's the great part while still running that routine.

2362 divided by the avg weight during those last 3 weeks, and there is your personal multiplier for this workout routine.
Even better, 2362 divided by avg BMR during those 3 weeks - now you have a multiplier based on the same foundation, BMR, in case you are curious where that falls in the normal TDEE chart.

As weight goes down, keep applying that multiplier as long as routine stays the same.

When your routine changes, you can re-examine the TDEE calc.

julysbaby

I am a runner and have been running about 6-7.5 hours a week but do not do any lifting. My activity level is currently set at 5-7 hours of strenuous exercise and a 25% cut.

So TDEE 2616. With 25% its 1962.

I am averaging less that a pound a week loss. 11 pounds in 13 weeks. I am about 10 pounds away from my goal (or my first goal) and am feeling good.

I have to reset my calories because I've lost 10 pounds - think I will lose more if I eat more? Or will eating more only work if I start lifting? I am planning on starting to lift heavy after my race.

Edit: new weight and 20% cut have my calorie goal at 2028 (TDEE 2535). Will the extra 66 calories a day really make a difference either way?

Well, it's not a matter of eating more, it's a matter of not cutting so much when this close to goal weight.

If really 10 lbs away, should only be 15%. But you say first goal, so perhaps more to go.

Very active 6-7 hrs sounds like more correct activity level, unless you have active job too.

You wearing a HRM for all those hrs to hit different HR zones? Meaning, got an idea on calories burned?
Though, really doesn't matter because you have the best and easiest to figure out right now.

Since you know your avg loss, go for the last 3 weeks of loss amount avg'd weekly.
Know that 1 lb is 3500 calories - so if .8 was lost, 2800 calorie deficit, or 400 per day.
Now, what was the avg eating level each day for those last 3 weeks?
Really 1962 or there abouts?

So your real TDEE is 1962 eaten + 400 deficit that caused your loss = 2362 (or whatever your numbers really are) TDEE.

Here's the great part while still running that routine.

2362 divided by the avg weight during those last 3 weeks, and there is your personal multiplier for this workout routine.
Even better, 2362 divided by avg BMR during those 3 weeks - now you have a multiplier based on the same foundation, BMR, in case you are curious where that falls in the normal TDEE chart.

As weight goes down, keep applying that multiplier as long as routine stays the same.

When your routine changes, you can re-examine the TDEE calc.

Wow!! Great explanation! I will need to review it a few times, but very thorough. Thanks!!