Definition of Sedentary

Mokey41

Seems like there's a lot of misinformation about what choosing sedentary as your activity level means. A lot of people equate it to someone who lays in bed all day or rarely moves which would be closer to your BMR. Being sedentary only means that you work a desk job instead of doing more intense physical activity for 8 hours a day. Being sedentary still assumes that you do that basic functions of living.

Example:
Sleeping - 8 hours
Personal care (dressing, showering) - 1 hour
Eating - 1 hour
Cooking - 1 hour
Sitting (office work, selling produce, tending shop) - 8 hours
Driving car to/from work - 1 hour
General household work - 1 hour
Light leisure activities (watching TV, chatting) - 3 hours

It seems like being sedentary is almost a bad word. For the MFP calculations it only means you're a slave to a desk all day. You can still be an exercise fiend and add on all those intentional exercises that you do but it also means that you don't add back the fact that you cleaned your house or prepared some food.

vim_n_vigor

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

prudism

well great thats cleared that up then

erickirb

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

No its not. Sedentary will uses a multiplier to BMR of 1.2, so by default it will be 20% higher than BMR, your goal may be lower due to the weekly weight loss goal you chose.

ami5000psu

Okie doke

vim_n_vigor

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

No its not. Sedentary will uses a multiplier to BMR of 1.2, so by default it will be 20% higher than BMR, your goal may be lower due to the weekly weight loss goal you chose.

Fair enough, choosing 1/2 lb week goal is the only option that puts me above calculated goal. My point really is that there are a lot of people on here with their goals set as sedentary and well below their BMR. They should be eating more.

eowynmn

I agree on your version of the levels, but it is very vague and easy to interpretation. People just have to choose what they think closely fits with their level of daily activity.

I choose the light activity, because I'm a stay at home mom days and work part time as a nurse. I think I deserve that distinguisher, but if I worked a desk job days and chased after my kids in evening, I'd probably choose sedentary.

Mokey41

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

vim_n_vigor

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

calisunrise

totally sounds like me. sigh gotta love being a student

AngryDiet

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

Dragonflag07

It can be hard to get it spot on. I'm a desk jockey myself but put in 60-90 minutes hard exercise before work every day and take the stairs at work anytime I pop out the office (10 flights). I reckon that if people work out in the morning their metabolism is elevated for most of the day so sedentary might not be the closest definition even for those who are desk-bound.

keem88

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

i get what you're saying. personally, i think the numbers mfp gives are ****ing retarded. why yes mfp, my maintenance goal for fiber should be 19, which is UNDER the recommended amount for an adult. and yes, it should be 1610 when my tdee to maintain my weight is in the 1800s. dur dur dur

vim_n_vigor

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

I don't have any sort of hidden agenda, and this is not off topic here. There is a level of understanding of some of these background calculations that aren't necessarily easy for people to understand. People need to understand more than just the definition of sedentary to make good decisions on what their calorie goals should be. When I started on this site, I didn't know or understand BMR, I didn't know what made someone lightly active or active. What I did see was the recommendations on how much a person could try to lose a week based on how much weight they needed to lose. That put me at something like 1320 a day. I was ravenous. For the first time in my life I would find myself just eating everything that I could find in the house without even realizing it. I didn't understand that I needed more food to fuel my basic needs. It wasn't until I started learning about my BMR and more about what makes up the activity levels that I needed to eat more. Once I moved up to 1800 calories, I was losing weight, and I felt much better, and I was no longer worried that I had zero self control anymore. My desperation was gone.

AngryDiet

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

I don't have any sort of hidden agenda, and this is not off topic here. There is a level of understanding of some of these background calculations that aren't necessarily easy for people to understand. People need to understand more than just the definition of sedentary to make good decisions on what their calorie goals should be. When I started on this site, I didn't know or understand BMR, I didn't know what made someone lightly active or active. What I did see was the recommendations on how much a person could try to lose a week based on how much weight they needed to lose. That put me at something like 1320 a day. I was ravenous. For the first time in my life I would find myself just eating everything that I could find in the house without even realizing it. I didn't understand that I needed more food to fuel my basic needs. It wasn't until I started learning about my BMR and more about what makes up the activity levels that I needed to eat more. Once I moved up to 1800 calories, I was losing weight, and I felt much better, and I was no longer worried that I had zero self control anymore. My desperation was gone.

I didn't say you had a hidden agenda. I said you might have an agenda. You do, and it's pretty clear what it is.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

vim_n_vigor

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

I don't have any sort of hidden agenda, and this is not off topic here. There is a level of understanding of some of these background calculations that aren't necessarily easy for people to understand. People need to understand more than just the definition of sedentary to make good decisions on what their calorie goals should be. When I started on this site, I didn't know or understand BMR, I didn't know what made someone lightly active or active. What I did see was the recommendations on how much a person could try to lose a week based on how much weight they needed to lose. That put me at something like 1320 a day. I was ravenous. For the first time in my life I would find myself just eating everything that I could find in the house without even realizing it. I didn't understand that I needed more food to fuel my basic needs. It wasn't until I started learning about my BMR and more about what makes up the activity levels that I needed to eat more. Once I moved up to 1800 calories, I was losing weight, and I felt much better, and I was no longer worried that I had zero self control anymore. My desperation was gone.

I didn't say you had a hidden agenda. I said you might have an agenda. You do, and it's pretty clear what it is.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

You are so right - my agenda is that people should understand more than just what sedentary means.

AngryDiet

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

I don't have any sort of hidden agenda, and this is not off topic here. There is a level of understanding of some of these background calculations that aren't necessarily easy for people to understand. People need to understand more than just the definition of sedentary to make good decisions on what their calorie goals should be. When I started on this site, I didn't know or understand BMR, I didn't know what made someone lightly active or active. What I did see was the recommendations on how much a person could try to lose a week based on how much weight they needed to lose. That put me at something like 1320 a day. I was ravenous. For the first time in my life I would find myself just eating everything that I could find in the house without even realizing it. I didn't understand that I needed more food to fuel my basic needs. It wasn't until I started learning about my BMR and more about what makes up the activity levels that I needed to eat more. Once I moved up to 1800 calories, I was losing weight, and I felt much better, and I was no longer worried that I had zero self control anymore. My desperation was gone.

I didn't say you had a hidden agenda. I said you might have an agenda. You do, and it's pretty clear what it is.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

You are so right - my agenda is that people should understand more than just what sedentary means.

Yes it is. And it's off topic in this thread.

erickirb

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

i get what you're saying. personally, i think the numbers mfp gives are ****ing retarded. why yes mfp, my maintenance goal for fiber should be 19, which is UNDER the recommended amount for an adult. and yes, it should be 1610 when my tdee to maintain my weight is in the 1800s. dur dur dur

The TDEE of 1800 is probably pretty close to MFP's 1610, as MFP says maintenance is 1610 plus what you burn from exercise, whereas TDEE says it is 1800. so if you burn 400 cals 4 days/week MFP would say 4 days at 2010, 3 days at 1610, TDEE says 1800 for 7 days.

1800*7=12,600, whereas MFP would day 2010*4+1610*3 = 12,870, which is pretty close to 12,600

cmriverside

I love MFP. In less than 15 posts, an argument breaks out over agendas and the definition of Sedentary.



And someone else attacks the tool, when it's the input. Dur.

imchicbad

Sedentary means siting on your *kitten* all day. I work out 6 times a week. Cook, clean etc. I dont sit all day even though i have a desk job, i get up a lot. so calculations moderate with sport/ excercise 5-6 times a week. Problem solved. ( read people) :huh:

AngryDiet

I love MFP. In less than 15 posts, an argument breaks out over agendas and the definition of Sedentary.



And someone else attacks the tool, when it's the input. Dur.

Since the topic of the thread was the definition of sedentary, I think that should get a pass. If the thread had stayed on topic and free of confusing extraneous information to muddle the message, it would have had imparted nice clear and concise information.

You forgot to mention the poster who feels the need to point out the failures of others in the thread and make mock the whole thing and MFP.

And the poster who decided to point that out besides.

dobenjam

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

I say you chose to aggressive of a goal. Artificially inflating your calorie allowance by adding fake exercise or a higher activity level is no different than just choosing a realistic goal in the first place. MFP only does math, you have to add the common sense.

I didn't choose that goal. I know it isn't enough food. However, there are very many people on this site that have chosen that goal and are eating well below their BMR. I have over 60 lbs to lose, I should be able to choose a more aggressive goal in theory, but 1/2 loss is the only setting that gives me a net over my BMR. Most people have no idea what this stuff means, they only know that they are starving.

This has nothing to do with the definition of sedentary.

Perhaps you have an agenda of your very own, but it's off topic here.

I don't have any sort of hidden agenda, and this is not off topic here. There is a level of understanding of some of these background calculations that aren't necessarily easy for people to understand. People need to understand more than just the definition of sedentary to make good decisions on what their calorie goals should be. When I started on this site, I didn't know or understand BMR, I didn't know what made someone lightly active or active. What I did see was the recommendations on how much a person could try to lose a week based on how much weight they needed to lose. That put me at something like 1320 a day. I was ravenous. For the first time in my life I would find myself just eating everything that I could find in the house without even realizing it. I didn't understand that I needed more food to fuel my basic needs. It wasn't until I started learning about my BMR and more about what makes up the activity levels that I needed to eat more. Once I moved up to 1800 calories, I was losing weight, and I felt much better, and I was no longer worried that I had zero self control anymore. My desperation was gone.

When you have a lot to Lose mfp isn't the best calculation off the bat when you select sedentary. MFP tells you to set smaller goals so the deficits aren't so large. It isn't going to be perfect for everyone but it is a close estimate for most and I don't think MFP could get more accurate without being more than just a website. It is great guidance for those who don't know where to start and I'm honestly tired of hearing people complain about it. Not really sure what people expect out of a free app/website.

I think the OP brings up a great point. Some people add the walk from their car to the office as exercise with a sedentary setting because they feel they have to log everything. OP is just saying that isn't necessary.

AngryDiet

Agreed, dobenjam.

And let's not forget that activity level is a variable in more calculators than just the MFP one.

Mokey41

Sedentary means siting on your *kitten* all day. I work out 6 times a week. Cook, clean etc. I dont sit all day even though i have a desk job, i get up a lot. so calculations moderate with sport/ excercise 5-6 times a week. Problem solved. ( read people) :huh:

In the MFP calculations exercise isn't taken into consideration. It's asking you basically what your job is to calculate the calories you would us during the majority of your waking day. It expects you to add all your exercise separately and rewards you with more calories for that.

I think a lot of the confusion comes in with the difference between what MFP is asking you and calculating TDEE which does take into account your exercise as well as your basic activity level.

Mokey41

Bumping since it seems to be topic a lot more people need to read.

stumblinthrulife

Seems like there's a lot of misinformation about what choosing sedentary as your activity level means. A lot of people equate it to someone who lays in bed all day or rarely moves which would be closer to your BMR. Being sedentary only means that you work a desk job instead of doing more intense physical activity for 8 hours a day. Being sedentary still assumes that you do that basic functions of living.

Example:
Sleeping - 8 hours
Personal care (dressing, showering) - 1 hour
Eating - 1 hour
Cooking - 1 hour
Sitting (office work, selling produce, tending shop) - 8 hours
Driving car to/from work - 1 hour
General household work - 1 hour
Light leisure activities (watching TV, chatting) - 3 hours

It seems like being sedentary is almost a bad word. For the MFP calculations it only means you're a slave to a desk all day. You can still be an exercise fiend and add on all those intentional exercises that you do but it also means that you don't add back the fact that you cleaned your house or prepared some food.

Citation needed.

TheNewDodge

MFPers are gnar

Mokey41

Seems like there's a lot of misinformation about what choosing sedentary as your activity level means. A lot of people equate it to someone who lays in bed all day or rarely moves which would be closer to your BMR. Being sedentary only means that you work a desk job instead of doing more intense physical activity for 8 hours a day. Being sedentary still assumes that you do that basic functions of living.

Example:
Sleeping - 8 hours
Personal care (dressing, showering) - 1 hour
Eating - 1 hour
Cooking - 1 hour
Sitting (office work, selling produce, tending shop) - 8 hours
Driving car to/from work - 1 hour
General household work - 1 hour
Light leisure activities (watching TV, chatting) - 3 hours

It seems like being sedentary is almost a bad word. For the MFP calculations it only means you're a slave to a desk all day. You can still be an exercise fiend and add on all those intentional exercises that you do but it also means that you don't add back the fact that you cleaned your house or prepared some food.

Citation needed.

That list is actually from Lose It, another weight loss tracking site but it works out the same regardless of program.

stumblinthrulife

Assuming this is correct, I still feel perfectly justified in the amount of additional logging I used to do. I selected sedentary to account for weekdays, which were extremely inactive. Even less active than what you listed.

At the weekends, on the other hand, it's not unusual for me to spend a couple of hours walking around the stores, a couple of hours food prepping, several hours on housework and laundry (when you have a three story house with the laundry in the basement, laundry is a fairly active task). You can bet your behind I'm going to log cleaning, grocery shopping and food prep as additional activity, since otherwise I'd have been starving by the end of the day, and probably eating an unhealthy amount of calories.

I now use the Fitbit to account for this, and - shock horror - it gives me roughly the same extra calories at the weekend that I gave myself through logging my household activity. And - further shock horror - I continue to lose weight at a healthy, sustainable, rate.

I think what gets my goat about all of this, is the assumption that people who log household activity don't understand that it should only be logged if it's over and above the base level of activity. That may be true for some people, but it simply isn't a universal fact.

I've not overblown my calories. I've not created myself a cushion so large that I can overeat while thinking I'm within my calories. I've not come on here whining that "I've done everything right but not lost any weight".

k8blujay2

If I choose sedentary as my activity level on MFP, it is about 500 lower than my BMR. What do you say about that?

Mine too... especially if I choose the weight loss goal of 1 or 2 lbs a week as I'm supposed to. Choosing sedintary and 1/2 pound per week sets me AT my BMR... With 52 pounds to lose I should be able to at least choose the 1 pound per week... but that sets me around 1400 (which is about 130 calories below my BMR) and 2 pounds per week gives me 1200 calories (which is 300 calories below).... Thus why I bought a fitbit, so I can have a better picture of what I burn (which is typically around 2100 calories according to it). Oh.. and I have a desk job that I sit at.

Timshel_

Just use this and you can get an exact measurement, including all the activities from very light to heavy.

Works like a charm.

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/