"Sedentary" setting question

MountainMoverJosh

If I set my Daily Activity level to Sedentary, is it okay to allow myself to record any extra activity throughout the day, even if it is not exercising? I walk 4 miles per day on my paper route, but other than that, not much right now. However, today, I went out and was walking collectively for about 20-25 min or so. Does that count for exercise, considering it is not of the 'sedentary' nature?

I have to think that if my setting is at sedentary, it assumes I wake up, I sit in the car, I sit at work, I sit in the car, and I sit at home. Am I correct in that assumption? If anyone that knows could enlighten me, I would appreciate it! Thanks!

30Purple

Were you just puttering around? If so, I wouldn't count it.

But, if you walked up the block and back, I'd count it as slow pace, maybe 2 mph

Yes, sitting at work is sedentary.

rainbowbow

Eh... that IS what sedentary is... but... I don't know if i would count walking as exercise. I'm wondering if you have a HRM? How many calories over your actual BMR were you burning? If it was walking only i don't know if it's even worth it to count as exercise for the possibility of over estimating calorie burn/needs.

tripodsmom

experiment with it, if you gain weight tracking and eating back the calories you gain then stop counting the walking. thats what im doin with my guitar playing (which i found in the cardio section)

MountainMoverJosh

Well, walking on the paper route is a lot different from the walking I just did. This walking was more casual. When I go onto the paper route, I can feel my heart beating faster, and I know I am going about 4 mph with a camel bag of papers.... Thats legit exercise. But I am asking what the Sedentary setting is thinking that I am doing. does the system just think I am moving my hands all day, and nothing else?

rainbowbow

Well, walking on the paper route is a lot different from the walking I just did. This walking was more casual. When I go onto the paper route, I can feel my heart beating faster, and I know I am going about 4 mph with a camel bag of papers.... Thats legit exercise. But I am asking what the Sedentary setting is thinking that I am doing. does the system just think I am moving my hands all day, and nothing else?

Pretty much thinks you are waking up, showering, getting dressed, going to work, working a desk job, coming home and watching tv, etc. It assumes you are burning 20% of your BMR in additional calories every day.

Corkline

I'd add the 4 miles while delivering papers, and the 20 minute walk at a very slow pace. Mine's set to sedentary, but I don't log stuff like walking five minutes to another building for a meeting...but I would log walking to lunch. Make sense?

VorJoshigan

If I set my Daily Activity level to Sedentary, is it okay to allow myself to record any extra activity throughout the day, even if it is not exercising? I walk 4 miles per day on my paper route, but other than that, not much right now. However, today, I went out and was walking collectively for about 20-25 min or so. Does that count for exercise, considering it is not of the 'sedentary' nature?

I have to think that if my setting is at sedentary, it assumes I wake up, I sit in the car, I sit at work, I sit in the car, and I sit at home. Am I correct in that assumption? If anyone that knows could enlighten me, I would appreciate it! Thanks!

Count the paper route, but as for the rest of it, you can't go wrong NOT counting it as exercise. If you are losing TOO fast or you are feeling famished all the time, THEN you might wanna start logging that kind of exercise.

MountainMoverJosh

Cool. I just wanted affirmation that this is what sedentary means to them, in terms of fitness. By definition, it means you do not move, so I just had to confirm it.

ksugirl13

I've only been using MFP for about 2 weeks so I am by no means an expert, but here's what I'm doing. I am an RN so I am on my feet at work a lot, but I have been an RN for 3 years and the weight hasn't come off. I decided that just work alone is my normal, it's what my body is used to so I don't count it and I put my settings at sedentary. I did this especialy because on my days off sometimes I take a recovery day just vegging out (I also work night shift, but am trying to change this hence joining MFP). I don't log any of the time at work when I am on my feet, moving patients, etc because that is my normal. I DO log walking the dog, housework (if I'm doing a good continuous effort), food prep that involves chopping/stirring/dishes etc because it requires more effort than heating up a tv dinner of getting takeout. That way if I'm having a veg out day I know I can't eat as much and that's fine, but if I'm getting my butt off the couch I can eat more. So far I've lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks (with my settings at losing 1.5 lbs a week) so I'm happy, but this is also the beginning of my journey and I may have to change things up once my body adjusts to this way of life. Also I should add that I do not eat back 100% of my calories on the days that I add cooking or cleaning. For me it's about being more active, making small but permanent changes, and keeping an accurate log that I can look back on when I start plateauing or if I start gaining againg.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

4 hours of walking...what else do you do for work? balance the two and define your activity level from there.

Firefox7275

If I set my Daily Activity level to Sedentary, is it okay to allow myself to record any extra activity throughout the day, even if it is not exercising? I walk 4 miles per day on my paper route, but other than that, not much right now. However, today, I went out and was walking collectively for about 20-25 min or so. Does that count for exercise, considering it is not of the 'sedentary' nature?

I have to think that if my setting is at sedentary, it assumes I wake up, I sit in the car, I sit at work, I sit in the car, and I sit at home. Am I correct in that assumption? If anyone that knows could enlighten me, I would appreciate it! Thanks!

What exercise/ lifestyle healthcare professionals are taught: sedentary is up to about 6000 steps a day, it's not laying down doing nothing that is your basal metabolic rate. Activities of daily living should be included in your activity level, if you do four miles a day you may well fall into the lightly active category, get a pedometer. Anything you log extra should be stuff like formal workouts and unusual exercise like hiking hills for several hours on a weekend. Don't confuse physical activity with exercise because they are not interchangeable terms, exercise is a subset of physical activity.