"Active" Profile

DivaDiba0212
DivaDiba0212 Posts: 23
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

I am feeling discouraged tonight but I think it is mostly sprouting from confusion! I am on the Active setting when it comes to my job, I am an assistant teacher and I am on my feet moving around all day long on a large outdoor campus. I work at an alternative behavior school with kids who have emotional disabilities and often require physical management. My job often requires me running around the campus catching and then restraining kids. However, I struggle with knowing the fine line between when to count stuff like walking at a moderate pace if I am already on the active profile. Is exercise like that void? I feel like I am cheating if I do count it, since I have more calories on the active profile. When I originally started on MFP it was summer break and I was not as active. My calories went from 1200 a day from 1350 a day.

My question to all of you is when I should count my exercise? If I do my zumba work outs or hike the mountain here, I count it. But other things that I used to count I am not counting anymore. I am so confused, and now I am discouraged. HELP!

Thanks to all of you in advance!

Replies

  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    How many steps do you take on an average day? You won't necessarily be classed as 'active' from a job that is largely in one spot (say in one classroom), occupations that are more likely to meet the criteria are chefs who really rush about a large kitchen on a busy service or a nurse moving around a sprawling busy department (many nurses are sedentary or lightly active) or someone in the building trade. Get a cheap pedometer if you are unsure, people seem to think sedentary is just laying on the sofa but it is up to about 6,000 steps a day.

    Being on your feet is tiring to be sure but that is not the same as being physically active, your muscles have to be pumping so limbs moving rhythmically to boost the lymphatic system for example. Assuming you are young and healthy regular walking should be counted in your activity level, the number of steps you take a day. It won't be intense enough to improve fitness 'only' health outcomes. Hiking steep hills briskly for a few hours and breathing quite heavily would be an exception. Simply put, exercise is a subset of physical activity.
  • DivaDiba0212
    DivaDiba0212 Posts: 23
    Yes, I think I walk more than 6,000 steps a day as the last time I did own a pedometer my day at work was well over 9,000 steps in a day, but of course it varies. Somehow it got lost, I do need to replace that. In my position I also physically manage children on a daily basis.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Teaching isn't active. Teaching might be lightly active, active is like a construction worker or someone who does manual labor all day.
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
    Although my day at work can get very hectic, I was overweight & unhealthy years ago doing the same thing, so I keep mine set at sedentary. The only think I actually "count' as exercise IS exercise (I do not include cleaning my house, laundry, ,shopping, volunteer activities, etc. as exercise as it's all part of my daily living). I've found this has helped me the most as it is more "true" to what I am working toward achieving.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Yes, I think I walk more than 6,000 steps a day as the last time I did own a pedometer my day at work was well over 9,000 steps in a day, but of course it varies. Somehow it got lost, I do need to replace that. In my position I also physically manage children on a daily basis.

    That puts you in the lightly active category.
  • Dibone0212
    Dibone0212 Posts: 18
    Someone please define what all the categories mean and give examples.

Categories