Sedentary or Lightly Active?

DrBorkBork

Okay, so I go to gym 5 days a week and usually burn around 500 calories (250-300 running, and 200 on stationary bike)... the rest of the day I pretty much sit on my butt and enjoy my day.

Am I sedentary or lightly active? I'm not losing weight in a way I'd like to, and just wondering if I'm not giving myself enough calories to fuel on. I'm on sedentary right now. I'm not hungry for extra calories, but I'll eat them if that's what my body needs.

sunnikim

If going to the gym 5 days a week and working out is considered sedentary, I'm in trouble. I may (and I stress MAY) be able to squeeze in two, 20 minute home workouts a week between working a desk job & taking care of a 4 yr old and 3 month old, so I guess my activity is considered.........comatose?!?! ;o) I'd put you in the lightly active category!

farmgirlh

That is before you add in your workouts, so if you aren't up and about much during the day (desk job) then put sedentary.

Chasing small children around should be considered a sport/workout not an activity level :laugh:

KatieM7

I would consider you to be lightly active reason being is that you have a little one that you chase around and then with being a SAHM then you have the house work that you do. I would consider sedentary to be a desk job. I have mine at lightly active and so far doing good.

jkohan

i agree with the person above--I believe it's your lifestyle aside from going to the gym, since the program (calories) doesn't consider exercise...I try to go 4-5x a week but sit on my tush all day long and put in sedentary.

Johnnyswife

Sedentary is when your not moving around much. If your job has you sitting down all day, or if you were a couch potato, than you'd put that. If your job is something where you move around a bit, on your feet all day, than lighty active is a better choice.

You don't add your workouts to that though. Thats after the fact, and you should try to eat at least half of those calories burned, if not all of them. Sedentry will give you a lower calorie plan to eat on, and lightly active and active will give you more calories to eat.:flowerforyou:

aippolito1

Sedentary. I'm guessing you're not at the gym for 3-4 hours per day, right? So, yeah, you're sitting on your bum all day ASIDE from exercise. You could still increase your calories a bit if you're burning a lot and not losing as much as you'd like. The last couple weeks, I've burned anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 calories in one week and was only eating 1200 and not losing at all. I increased to 1400, lost all my water weight and am working my way back down now. I lightened my work outs a bit this week as well but will go back to my regular vigorous exercise next week and see how I do. Also make sure to eat MOST of your exercise calories. I try not to leave more than 80 and stretch it out during the day and it turns out, I was a LOT hungrier on 1200 than I thought I was.

questionablemethods

If you really do pretty much sit the majority of the day (besides the gym), then I would say you are sedentary. But, as others have said, if you are doing housework and stuff like that, you might be lightly active. But that should really only be a difference of ~150 calories or so. I don't know that that would be enough to have stalled your progress. Instead you might consider changing up your workouts a bit. From the sounds of it, you are doing strictly cardio. I would consider adding/substituting in some resistance training to make sure that you are maintaining your muscle mass. You might want to think about doing some high intensity interval training too (either with cardio or with bodyweight exercises). HIIT workouts might not burn as many calories DURING the workout, but are thought to give a greater "afterburn" -- keeping your metabolism fired up longer than a steady-state cardio workout.

DrBorkBork

I'm just a stay at home mom. My kid pretty much takes care of herself. She plays well by herself and I get stuff done in my painting studio & on computer. If she needs something she comes and asks, and I try to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't draw on the walls or get into any other trouble. So if I didn't count exercise, I would say I was sedentary. I go for groceries once a week, but otherwise we hang out around the house. I burn about 2500 cals a week at the gym.

DrBorkBork

I figured I needed to start strength training soon, and I'd like to, but I take one look at that weight room & I'm completely overwhelmed. I'm clueless about what to do and how to do it. How do you go about doing a weight training session? I don't want to hurt myself by doing something incorrectly

miqisha

Sendentary is what you are......They based thist on your overall daily activities excluding workout......its based on what type of full day lifestyle you live......You sit all day so you are deffiantely sedentary......

How much weight are you loosing each week?

How many calories are you taking in daily?....alot of people try to keep it at 1200.....however some people need to be alot higher....so you may need to look into that to try and see why you arent loosing what you would like

Goodluck

DrBorkBork

I was losing 10 lbs a month, but it suddenly dropped to 5 lbs a month. I've been zig-zagging calories the last 2 weeks, trying to get my 10 lb a month loss back. I know I've lost a good deal, but I don't feel that I should be stalling like this until I get closer to my goal weight. I still feel like I should be pulling 2 lbs a week, and I'm only getting 1 a week.

nicolee516

Trish- Just remember, it takes burning 3500 cals to lose 1 lb. Strength training is a great way to get things going too. It takes more energy for your body to keep the muscle. The best thing would be to talk to the fitness staff and have then walk you through each machine and what it does. Most places will give you one complimentary walk through. Best way to tone is high reps with lighter weight. for example 3 sets of one exercise at 12-15 reps per set. the last couple should be a difficult to finish, but doable. I hope that makes sense!

questionablemethods

I figured I needed to start strength training soon, and I'd like to, but I take one look at that weight room & I'm completely overwhelmed. I'm clueless about what to do and how to do it. How do you go about doing a weight training session? I don't want to hurt myself by doing something incorrectly

I was first introduced to weight training in a group fitness class that was offered at my old gym. It combined weights with some cardio exercises and I just loved it. It made me feel comfortable with some basic moves that I could do for my shoulders, back, legs, etc. Are there any classes offered at your gym?

Another option is to invest in one or two personal training sessions to get some help navigating the weight room and putting together a routine. It could be worth the bucks to have someone show you the ropes so you can walk into the weight room confidently.

Personally, I don't like to go to the gym much. I have found that I make too many excuses and waste too much time at the gym, so I have found workouts that I can do at home. I have fallen in love with high intensity circuit routines with bodyweight exercises or light weights. Granted, these are somewhat different than more "traditional" weight routines but so far they seem to be getting the job done for me of helping me get both leaner and stronger. The 30 Day Shred is a popular DVD that is a good introduction to that type of workout but there are also lots of free routines to be found on YouTube, Exercisetv.tv or my own personal favorite bodyrock.tv.

For more of a weight-room routine, I have done the Body for Life routines and liked them a lot. They are free and I think you can find videos of all of the different moves on YouTube pretty easily to get you acquainted with the exercises or, if you do a session or two with a trainer, have him or her show you the moves. http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/weight-training

crystal_sapphire

i'd put sedentary and then add the amount of calories you burn at the gym under the exercise tab

DrBorkBork

Thanks everyone! You've been super helpful. I'll have to look into the weight classes, as a personal trainer isn't something we can really afford right now.

questionablemethods

Thanks everyone! You've been super helpful. I'll have to look into the weight classes, as a personal trainer isn't something we can really afford right now.

Cool! Keep us updated! Remember that when you begin doing resistance work, you will not only be pretty sore, but your muscles will retain some fluid for a bit and that can seem to stall your weight loss (or even look like a weight gain) but don't get discouraged. Once your body gets more acclimated to the training, the water weight will come off.

Also, don't forget that you don't necessarily have to be "pumping iron" to be doing resistance work. There are TONS of bodyweight moves that can be made more or less challenging. These exercises that can be done in a gym or in your living room. One good beginner routine that uses a lot of bodyweight moves is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWjezSMmDZ0&annotation_id=annotation_878249&feature=iv

DrBorkBork

I have no fear of being sore. That's what activon, icy hot, blue goo, and aspercreme were invented for!! LOL

questionablemethods

I have no fear of being sore. That's what activon, icy hot, blue goo, and aspercreme were invented for!! LOL

Haha! True. I was more mentioning it for the sake of what the soreness represents: muscles that are repairing themselves and holding water.

spicy618

Thanks everyone! You've been super helpful. I'll have to look into the weight classes, as a personal trainer isn't something we can really afford right now.

If you can spare $20 bucks get the Danskin 10lb, kette bell workout. It comes with the Kettle bell and the dvd :bigsmile: look for it online and order it site to store (free shipping). I had never touched a Kettle Bell and the instructor did a great job of explaing and demonstrating the correct form to use.

Also, I totally agree with Kaitlin's suggestion on taking a group class. Although, I "wasted" $$$ on a personal trainer just for the purpose of learning the correct form to use with the Free weights, I learned the best form for the exercises I like from the instructors in the group classes. If you use 24 hour fitness (24Lift & 24SET) .

Just a reminder that 1lb. a week is better than NONE :bigsmile: or a gain. I lost 1 or 1/2 a pound a week through my entire weightloss.:grumble: It felt long, but i just kept telling myself... My clothes fit better and a loss is better than maintaining or gaining.

Good luck!

Valtishia

Just a reminder that 1lb. a week is better than NONE :bigsmile: or a gain. I lost 1 or 1/2 a pound a week through my entire weightloss.:grumble: It felt long, but i just kept telling myself... My clothes fit better and a loss is better than maintaining or gaining.

Good luck!

I agree. I used to lose big.. and now it seems I get 1/2 lbs per week... sometimes a little more.
I think the slow loss makes you appreciate the work you put into more though... just knowing how hard it was to get there.

sassyg

You add all your gym workouts as extra aye?
So yeah, sedentary and keep adding the workouts... Otherwise I'd say active and NOT add the workouts.



My job has me doing different stuff each day sometimes I'm sitting all day sometimes I'm walking around and standing heaps.
On a typical sedentary day my pedometer (iPod nano) gives me around 80-100 calories burned for ALL my walking about that day. So I wear it each day and anything over and above the 100 I enter as exercise, and keep my activity level at sedentary always.

You could try that if you have one, see what you get on a typical sedentary day without workouts. If its under 2500 steps a day, I'd say sendary for sure.

I think people often over-estimate their activity level as a SAHP

DrBorkBork

I think I will strap my HRM one day and wear it for a 24 hour period on a rest day. I think that will give me a good idea.