Activity Level

writer190
writer190 Posts: 51 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I know this has been asked before, so I apologize. I keep going back and forth on what I think my activity level should be.

I am a high school student, so I spend a fair amount of time sitting in class. That said, though, I also spend some time walking across the school getting from class to class (my classes seem to be as far apart as possible!). Also, I walk to and from school on most days, I walk a dog, and I like to exercise (I was on track, running about 3 miles a day, but I hurt my leg and have been swimming, going on the elliptical, and resting for about two weeks).

My question is: would my activity level be considered lightly active, or sedentary. I like to log my exercise as extra. Would I be considered sedentary if I'm logging my walk to and from school, my runs/swims/etc, but not my walks between classes, etc?

Sorry about asking this again. I keep changing my mind about it, and I'm wondering what your (the general public's) opinion is! Thank you!

Replies

  • akb2006
    akb2006 Posts: 198 Member
    I would do sedetary and then log in the walking you do while your NOT at school. A nurse or salesman is classified as lightly active which I can't believe!
  • hooah_mj
    hooah_mj Posts: 1,004 Member
    Perhaps use a pedometer and use that count to determine your "normal" routine, then you can get a better idea of how your should be classified.

    I rarely sit down, but consider myself lightly active....I easily clock 7k a day non-exercise activity. 13k w/workout....

    Good going keeping it real.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I am a university student/instructor and I don't own a car, so I walk to campus and back (30 mins each way) and walk a lot around campus and on other errands.

    Here is what I do: I have my activity level set to "lightly active" and I do NOT log walking that I do throughout the day and for transportation, unless I do something like walk another hour on TOP of the regular hour-long walk that I would have normally done. I also don't log any trips by bike that are less than 20 minutes.
  • sngnyrslp
    sngnyrslp Posts: 315 Member
    I'm also a college student, and even though I walk to and from classes and my residence hall, I set my activity level to sedentary. I also don't log any of these things. I figure it's better off if I burn more calories than I think I do. This allows me to not stress too much over food. If I use a little more salad dressing than I calculated or if I have a piece of candy, I don't feel the need to log it, since the exercise I don't log cancels it out. I know that this is a less precise method of keeping track of my intake and activity, but I think worst case scenario, I'm eating fewer calories than I need to, and this is a good thing!
  • sngnyrslp
    sngnyrslp Posts: 315 Member
    Edited to get rid of a laaaaame double post! :)
  • writer190
    writer190 Posts: 51 Member
    *sigh* I was hoping that wasn't the case, but it's good to know! I had it on lightly active. I haven't been weighing myself, because my main goal isn't to lose or gain weight; it's to eat the right number of calories and feel comfortable. So I don't know what has been happening with my weight. I'll go ahead and change that to sedentary. Thanks for the input, everyone.
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