Most people are not sedentary

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rose313
rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP gave me a TDEE of 1730 at sedentary. At lightly active, it gave me a TDEE of 1870. I thought, no way am I lightly active. If I don't include my exercise, literally all I do is work at my desk job and sit around at home. I thought if I set my activity level to lightly active, I wouldn't have a large enough calorie deficit.

Then I discovered this:

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

I have seen types like this before, but this one looks the most user-friendly.

Instead of just selecting "sedentary" or "lightly active", etc, you enter, in minutes, the activities in your average day.

Even sitting at your desk job typing or using the phone, walking to your car, studying, driving, watching TV, and eating is considered very light activity. That doesn't mean you should log it as exercise, but it's more than just laying in bed. If you can't walk or literally lay in bed ALL DAY, then you are sedentary. Most people are not sedentary.

Just my very light activity alone was enough to bump my TDEE up to 1856. Even though I didn't include any exercise, even if I sleep 540 minutes and sit at work or at home 900 minutes a day.

If I include my exercise, my TDEE bumps up to 1900-2000 depending on if I do 30-60 minutes.

So don't worry if you set your activity level to sedentary and accidentally go over your calories by a tiny bit. You will not get fat, chances are you have a plenty large enough deficit.
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Replies

  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Tried it. Wouldn't take it as gospel as it's telling me my Workout days generate a TDEE of 4088. Rest days are more reasonable but still on the high side at 3388. Could be right though - I did average about 3.5k before joining here and my weight wasn't going up any more.
  • BeetleChe13
    BeetleChe13 Posts: 498 Member
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    This makes sense. I've been eating at 1800 calories for maintenance mode because that's what MFP estimates my TDEE is. I always thought my lifestyle was between light and moderate activity, but the 1800 is not enough to sustain my weight, as I have accidentally been losing weight when I actually stick to the limit. This calculator has my TDEE at 2300, and I think that's more accurate based on my personal experience. I'm so lucky to have a job that keeps me active.
  • shanmackie
    shanmackie Posts: 194 Member
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    this kind of explains why even though my BMR is around 1100-1200 and i eat like 1800-2300 per day (and do work out at least 3-4 times a week) despite going over by 300-500 EVERY DAY i'm not gaining or losing. Says I should eat 1967 per day to maintain. Seems like a lot, but then again, like I mentioned, I'm not budging.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Also, if you have crazy intense 4 hour workouts 3 days a week, then are a couch potato the other 4, you can always take an average and focus on your weekly TDEE. Your body doesn't know when days start and end so it's okay to do weekly numbers if it works better for you. For example, 10k calories a week instead of 1430 a day. That method would just confuse me to no end, but it works better for others.
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
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    Agreed! I've always believed this. Sedentary means you're lying in bed all day doing next to nothing. Most people on here are at LEAST lightly active, even if they have a desk job. So many people make this mistake and wind up eating too few calories.
  • mag2906
    mag2906 Posts: 57 Member
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    My TDEE on a workout day is about 2100 (according to this website).
    This is exactly what I get using Fitbit and HRM.
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
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    Fascinating! I bumped up my cals to 1500 because another website estimated my lightly active TDEE to be around 1850. I still want to lose a few more lbs and start to gain some muscle, so 1500 seemed good to me. I've been slowly losing at that level. This website, however, seems to think I can eat around 2300-2400 to maintain my weight. That's a scary high number! I do tend to believe it the whole TDEE thing, however, so I plan to bump my calories up a little further and see what happens.

    I can always cut back, after all...
  • coolraul07
    coolraul07 Posts: 1,606 Member
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    *bump* for future reference AND to try the website.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Most people just LOOK sedentary.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    I wear a bodybugg, which puts me around 1600-1700 cals on a rest day where I work and don't do much. This calculator put me at 1900. 1900 is unreasonable.
  • PhearlessPhreaks
    PhearlessPhreaks Posts: 890 Member
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    Huh. That's interesting, thanks for posting! I considered myself "lightly active" when signing up for MFP; I'm a stay at home mom now, and even though I'm busy most of the day with my daughter, housekeeping and whatnot, I didn't really figure that to be very active, especially going from working in a busy restaurant.

    A little off topic, but it makes me wonder; given the OP assessment; should we log cleaning and such as "excercise"? I have some MFP friends who do, and although I've never done it, this makes me think perhaps I should. With a baby, I do a lot of laundry (about 3-5 loads a week) and I'm going up and down the stairs daily… What do y'all think?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Even if you have to do a totally different day for the weekend estimate, it is very eye-opening as you say, these types that let you estimate the day better.

    This is based on newer study from 1985, compared to the TDEE table based on study from 1919.

    This is what the spreadsheet activity calculator is based on, except it goes for a weekly total and avg's out to daily already.
    Unless you go to the Future You tab, then it's laid out in full blown glory so you can log your stats and include the weekend.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    See my post. I find every TDEE calculator puts me over what my bodybugg says, even if I pick the activity level below mine. And I find my weight change is exactly (within 50 cals) of what would be expected based on my food log and bodybugg, so I believe it is my true TDEE.

    Really, what matters is that you find conditions that get you towards your goals.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,060 Member
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    Absolutely agree. I've been preaching that exact same thing for years. Don't choose "Sedentary" and "Lose 2 pounds a week" just because it is an option here. Be honest, and not too agressive with goals. No one is really Sedentary.

    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.

    I know it's human nature to want to lose as much as possible as quickly as possible, but you are only hurting yourself in the long run by attempting this.

    Here's another fun gadgety website that I found to be right on with its numbers for me (plus it's just cool)

    http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Huh. That's interesting, thanks for posting! I considered myself "lightly active" when signing up for MFP; I'm a stay at home mom now, and even though I'm busy most of the day with my daughter, housekeeping and whatnot, I didn't really figure that to be very active, especially going from working in a busy restaurant.

    A little off topic, but it makes me wonder; given the OP assessment; should we log cleaning and such as "excercise"? I have some MFP friends who do, and although I've never done it, this makes me think perhaps I should. With a baby, I do a lot of laundry (about 3-5 loads a week) and I'm going up and down the stairs daily… What do y'all think?

    No, you increase the activity level so the base calories are more.
    And ya, Active is probably more appropriate. Those using FitBit's and such with desk jobs, on non-exercise days, discover they are at Lightly Active TDEE already. That's BMR x 1.35.
    Active is 1.45, not really that much more if you do the math.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    My rule for logging exercise is this: I go to Walmart and walk around and shop for half an hour. I did that when I was heavy and didn't lose any weight, so I don't log it as exercise with the goal of weight loss now. Same goes for walking up and down the stairs when I bring my cans to the redemption center. It feels like exercise for a couple minutes, but if it didn't make a difference when I was heavier, it won't now.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    LOL, this is what the site I linked to above says if you go to their BMI calculator:

    "BMI - A useless tool that doctors use to convince people they are obese, regardless of how much muscle mass they have."

    http://www.iifym.com/bmi-calculator
  • Brenda_1965
    Brenda_1965 Posts: 314 Member
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    Bump
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
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    I don't know if I by that. I have a bodymedia arm band and gives me the same amount of calories burned laying in bed, sitting on the couch or sitting at my desk.

    But, according to m bodymedia I am lightly active and not sedentary like I thought. The lightly active comes into play with walking around the office multiple times a day, cleaning, cooking or running errands.
  • Brenda_1965
    Brenda_1965 Posts: 314 Member
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    Just be careful though because food labels can be off by up to 20 percent (under) on some items.

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