1260 for "moderately active"?

Full4Life · September 2012

I recently switched my activity level to "moderately active" because I was getting sick of logging in all the dog walks I REGULARLY do. I walk more than 2hrs on some days because, aside from having a dog, I also live in a city without a car (it's actually easier that way).

When I was logging all that activity, it was between 3-400 on top of a regular 1200cal. diet. On some days I would run or do pilates, which are my exercises of choice. I could add up to 700 extra calories just from exercise.

Now that I've switched to "moderately active", my daily allotment is only 1260. That's only 60 calories more to what I was logging in as 300.
Granted, I'm only 5'2" (or 157cm) and I know your body gets used to certain activities, but I'm so hungry now, I want to gnaw my arm off!

For two days in a row I've eaten more (not a lot, maybe only 200cal.) and I think maybe it's not enough.

FitFabFlirty92 · September 2012

I agree, 1200 seems a little low for your activity level. Maybe you could try calculating your BMR and then using the Harris Bennedict Equation (similar to the activity level thing on here) and see if you get a number that makes more sense? That combination always works for me in figuring out a calorie goal, I rarely go with the first number I get from whatever calorie counting site I use. You'll probably get something a little more doable, like 1400-1500 calories a day.

cmriverside · September 2012

You're hungry because you're under eating. It's not your activity level, it's you too-aggressive goal.

Use this as a guide:

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

This site is a "dumb" tool, if you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week, it's going to try to help you do that. You can't set your goal that aggressively with the tiny amount of weight you have left to lose.

LorinaLynn · September 2012

You're hungry because you're under eating. It's not your activity level, it's you too-aggressive goal.

Use this as a guide:

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

This site is a "dumb" tool, if you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week, it's going to try to help you do that. You can't set your goal that aggressively with the tiny amount of weight you have left to lose.

This. With 6 pounds to your goal, you shouldn't be aiming to lose more than a half pound a week. Also be sure to track your progress through measurements, how clothes fit, and photos, because sometimes we can get our goal body long before reaching what we believed was our goal weight.

mommyrox05 · September 2012

I recently switched my activity level to "moderately active" because I was getting sick of logging in all the dog walks I REGULARLY do. I walk more than 2hrs on some days because, aside from having a dog, I also live in a city without a car (it's actually easier that way).

When I was logging all that activity, it was between 3-400 on top of a regular 1200cal. diet. On some days I would run or do pilates, which are my exercises of choice. I could add up to 700 extra calories just from exercise.

Now that I've switched to "moderately active", my daily allotment is only 1260. That's only 60 calories more to what I was logging in as 300.
Granted, I'm only 5'2" (or 157cm) and I know your body gets used to certain activities, but I'm so hungry now, I want to gnaw my arm off!

For two days in a row I've eaten more (not a lot, maybe only 200cal.) and I think maybe it's not enough.

I am 5'8" 129 lbs and set at lightly active...I am set at 1570 cal per day...before exercise.

I would say that if you are hungry like that your body is definitly tring to tell you that you are not getting enough.

CoderGal · September 2012

You're hungry because you're under eating. It's not your activity level, it's you too-aggressive goal.

Use this as a guide:

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

This site is a "dumb" tool, if you tell it you want to lose 2 pounds a week, it's going to try to help you do that. You can't set your goal that aggressively with the tiny amount of weight you have left to lose.

This. With 6 pounds to your goal, you shouldn't be aiming to lose more than a half pound a week. Also be sure to track your progress through measurements, how clothes fit, and photos, because sometimes we can get our goal body long before reaching what we believed was our goal weight.

This. I wanted to lose 30 lbs when I came here and this thing put me on 1200 calories...I jumped up to netting about 1700 and lost all the weight a lb a week. Figure out your TDEE, eat a little less then that. You'll get there. Sooner then you think.

26point2chick · September 2012

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that your activity level for was how you burned throughout the day, exclusive of exercise. So, your switch makes sense at 60 calories more, that is what the tool is allowing for a whole day of more activity. I think exercise is viewed separate from that by the tool, and still needs to be added in separately. I'm only allowed 1200 myself, and I'm training for a half iron man. I think I have it set to at least moderately active. I have to add in my exercise or I'll pass out! It might be annoying, but I think that's how the site is designed.

Full4Life · September 2012

I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that your activity level for was how you burned throughout the day, exclusive of exercise. So, your switch makes sense at 60 calories more, that is what the tool is allowing for a whole day of more activity. I think exercise is viewed separate from that by the tool, and still needs to be added in separately. I'm only allowed 1200 myself, and I'm training for a half iron man. I think I have it set to at least moderately active. I have to add in my exercise or I'll pass out! It might be annoying, but I think that's how the site is designed.

You're correct, you just read my post incorrectly ;-)
I mean I didn't want to continue to put the dog walks and the general getting from point A to B since it's my regular everyday activity, so I switched my activity level so that I wouldn't have to log all that as exercise.
Before, I WAS logging it as exercise and it was upping my calories by 300-400 a day.
Now, with a higher activity level, and NOT logging the regular stuff, my calorie allotment has only increased from 1200 to 1260. I still log running and pilates since I don't do it everyday. I DO eat back THOSE calories.

But my basic day-to-day active activity level allotment is only 1260 and I'm ravenous!!!!

And I didn't know it was "too aggressive" at 1lb. per week. I switched my settings to lose a half pound per week and now my daily allotment is 1500. We'll see how that goes!

kimberliiw · September 2012

You can manually program your calorie goal in and that way not have to log the dog walk every day.

bobie1978 · September 2012

I am 5ft 2 and have mine set at mine set at 1550. I also eat most or all of my exercise calories back.

1260 for "moderately active"?

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