Light, Moderate, Very - how many calories do you burn?

xilka

How many calories do your burn a day with exercise, on average?
And would you call that lightly, moderately, or very active?

I'm at around 350, 6 days x week, but don't know what to call it.
I'm 5ft, so that means about 80 min of medium intensity workout.

Oh, and your size, since different sizes burn different amounts of calories.

purpleipod

Is there a reason you need to call it something? When I bother to exercise I burn about 600 calories in an hour but it's still just moderate intensity walking.

samanthawarren

Are you asking to set the Daily activity level for your goals? If so, I don't use my exercise for that. That is for activity level before you add exercise.

florymonde

Do you mean for the MFP setting? That's supposed to be how active you are without counting exercise. As a teacher, I move around a reasonable amount during the day, but not usually enough to get my heart rate up. That's considered lightly active.

The exercise you record is in addition to your normal activity level, and then it 'credits' you with additional calories. If you count it in your activity level, and also record it, you are giving yourself those calories twice. Of course, if don't record any exercise, you're okay counting it in your normal activity level. (I'd guess 350calx6 days a week is moderately active, in that case. That's about 1 hour intense activity, or 2-3 hours of moderate activity per day, right?)

xilka

So many sites use these categories, it would be helpful to know where I am.

jayche

I set myself to Very not because I'm really active (30-60 minutes of exercise 4 days a week) but because I think my metabolism is a bit higher than others.

vbarrient

Your intensity level is low if you can talk and sing, your breathing is regular and you’re not sweating.
Your intensity level is moderate if you can talk but can’t sing; your breathing is frequent and deep, and you begin sweating after 10 minutes.
Your intensity level is high if you can talk briefly but can’t sing; your breathing is rapid and deep, and you begin sweating after 3-5 minutes.

Hope this helps!

n0ob

Misread title... Light.

ashleighlive

A great investment is a Heart Rate monitor, you can pick them up at a good rate online. Mine is my bible. I use a Polar FT6 which is above the standard, but has some amazing features that I love and most importantly use regularly!
I used to aim to burn 1000cals per session (cardio) within 1 hour & 20 mins.
I have now cut back on my exercise and do a Spin class 3 times a week 50 mins, burning 600-700 calories dependant on the style of the class & weights/ abs/ stretching 1 hr 20 mins 450 cals.
I am 5'11” & 25 yo.

heybales

So many sites use these categories, it would be helpful to know where I am.

And those levels are from a study from 1919, and as you are asking, very sketchy.

Is 5 hrs of walking the same as 5 hrs of lifting as 5 hrs of running?

And what if you have a nursing or waitress job 30 hrs a week, now what?

There are newer TDEE calc's available.

This spreadsheet has those tables, plus uses one of the newer calc's based on study from 1985.
You put the time on the level that applies.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

xilka

Thank you Heybales!