Help with activity level??

I_GoT_ThIs
I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I am a stay at home wife and mommy. I was just wondering which "activity level" I should be under. I have it set at sedentary right now but would that be very accurate? Between laundry and cleaning, cooking, and taking care of a baby im really not just sitting all day so.. any insight would be helpful!!
Thanks! :)

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Unless you see huge weight loss I'd leave it alone. Being active all day burns minimal extra calories. Just add any intentional exercise separately.
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    I'm not really seeing much of a weight loss at all! That's why I was wondering if maybe I needed to up my calories.. just trying to figure this all out.
  • Weebs628
    Weebs628 Posts: 574 Member
    I would say lightly active. Sedentary, to me, is more for people who work desk jobs and such.
  • kdub67
    kdub67 Posts: 181 Member
    I'm a stay at home mom, but because my kids are teens, it's not like I'm burning any energy taking care of them during the day. Yeah, I clean up the house and do laundry and whatnot, but I still keep my activity level at sedentary. Based on how many calories I burn each day (according to my Fitbit and HRM) this is the correct setting for me. I do record exercise calories burned (doing actual exercise, where my heart rate is increasing or I'm lifting weights) but don't record other activities like cleaning, vacuuming, etc. It works for me...
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    I look at your diary...I'd start with cleaning that up and watch your net calories. Food is energy and when you don't get enough your body will hold onto what you feed it. Just be careful cuz you went pretty low a few times the last 10 days or so.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    From your diary and your budget I'm betting you've set yourself up for 2 lbs/week which is way too aggressive for only have a little to lose. Instead of upping your activity level set your budget to 1 lb/week and actually eat your budget instead of going way under. Not sure what you log as exercise but if that is intentional exercise you do everyday for 500 or so calories you may want to eat some of those back. If those 500 are from housework or childcare then I wouldn't count them or eat them.
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    I look at your diary...I'd start with cleaning that up and watch your net calories. Food is energy and when you don't get enough your body will hold onto what you feed it. Just be careful cuz you went pretty low a few times the last 10 days or so.


    That's the part i've been struggling with, some say just eat 1200 some say net, so yesterday and today i've been trying to NET as close to 1200 as I can, but have been leary because I obviously do not want to gain any weight.
  • megannxx
    megannxx Posts: 679 Member
    I'm a stay at home mom too, I have mine set to lightly active. Maybe try putting it at that. I've had it at that since starting in June 2012 and I've lost almost 50lbs.
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    From your diary and your budget I'm betting you've set yourself up for 2 lbs/week which is way too aggressive for only have a little to lose. Instead of upping your activity level set your budget to 1 lb/week and actually eat your budget instead of going way under. Not sure what you log as exercise but if that is intentional exercise you do everyday for 500 or so calories you may want to eat some of those back. If those 500 are from housework or childcare then I wouldn't count them or eat them.

    Majority of my exersize is from working out and weights. The only time I log cleaning is if i'm doing super duty cleaning scrubbing, rearraging furniture and stuff like that. I never log anything for taking care of the kiddos. I think i'm set at one pound a week, but i'll go check to make sure.
  • AmyBecky74
    AmyBecky74 Posts: 437 Member
    I've never known a mom to be sedetery :wink: I'd bump that up and see what it tells you that you should be at.
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    Ok, so i changed it to "lightly active" and goal to lose one pound a week and it put me to 1460. So I will no longer log any sort of house work no matter how "intense" it is. So does my NET need to be 1460, or will Netting 1200 still be okay?
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    I've never known a mom to be sedetery :wink: I'd bump that up and see what it tells you that you should be at.

    Only on tv. sitting around watching soaps and eating bon bon's. While in reality the baby is screaming because she wants to play, and while you go clean up the mess from the dog getting in the trash you have to rush over to the christmas tree because the baby is pulling ornaments off the tree and and trying to eat the presents. :)
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    Ok, so i changed it to "lightly active" and goal to lose one pound a week and it put me to 1460. So I will no longer log any sort of house work no matter how "intense" it is. So does my NET need to be 1460, or will Netting 1200 still be okay?


    Can anyone answer this one? I BELIEVE it's the last question I have. ;)
  • darynb
    darynb Posts: 7
    i have a lot of medical issues and physical limitations but I walk about 1hr a day (not all together) and do exercise in the pool. I have been following this plan for a little over a month and usually eat between 850-1000 calories a day but I have maybe lost 2lbs. Any suggestions?
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    i have a lot of medical issues and physical limitations but I walk about 1hr a day (not all together) and do exercise in the pool. I have been following this plan for a little over a month and usually eat between 850-1000 calories a day but I have maybe lost 2lbs. Any suggestions?



    Well, first off, you need to eat more than that. You need to consume NO LESS than 1200 calories a day. That is the absolute minimum a person should eat from my understanding.
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    Ok, so i changed it to "lightly active" and goal to lose one pound a week and it put me to 1460. So I will no longer log any sort of house work no matter how "intense" it is. So does my NET need to be 1460, or will Netting 1200 still be okay?


    Can anyone answer this one? I BELIEVE it's the last question I have. ;)

    I think the intent is for you to NET 1460 (eating back any additional calories from exercise but not your normal household/childcare routine). However, I donn't think it would be a big deal if you only netted 1200 here and there.
  • darynb
    darynb Posts: 7
    How do you loose weight than if I'm not burning many calories a day usually somewhere in the 200-500 range?
  • darynb
    darynb Posts: 7
    also are you looking at the actual calories consumed or the net calories after exercise subtracts it?
  • Keeda
    Keeda Posts: 21 Member
    I am a stay at home mom as well. I have my activity level as light. When I exercise I try to eat back half of the calories because I am not to sure how accurate MFP is for calories burned.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    How do you loose weight than if I'm not burning many calories a day usually somewhere in the 200-500 range?

    Because you burn calories through your metabolic rate and daily functions alone. And for many that is more around 1700 calories. And then you add in exercise and its more around 2200. So eating below that can help. Eating too little and hormones can prevent weight loss.



    OP, set your self at 1 lb per week and at least light active. If you are consistent with your exercise and don't want to chase exercise calories, than you can set it at moderate. It all comes out to about the same. Over time if you don't see weight loss, you can try to increase calories by 100-200 to see if it improves things.
  • I_GoT_ThIs
    I_GoT_ThIs Posts: 170 Member
    thanks for the help guys and gals. By golly I think i've got it. :)
  • rcthale
    rcthale Posts: 141
    Be conservative and set it at sedentary. If you set a higher level of activity, MyFitnessPal will assume that you're that active every day.
  • darynb
    darynb Posts: 7
    thanks for all of the advice. I was on weight watchers and the point system for a while and was loosing some weight but than it just stopped. Now that I also need to reduce sugar and gluten im trying this approach. Do any off you also use the strivv app? any idea how accurate it is?

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