light or moderate???

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jrsnyder95
jrsnyder95 Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there!

I am currently NOT eating back my calories, but instead including it in my TDEE calculation. Can someone tell me if I should be light or moderate activity based on the following:

40 minutes of cardio 3 times/week
30 minutes of weight training (squats, arms, etc) 4 times/week
casual bike riding around hilly SF 1-2 times per week for about 30 - 40 minutes

thanks!

Replies

  • mcdonoughsr
    mcdonoughsr Posts: 3 Member
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    You should really just eat back the calories. You aren't doing the same workout every single day so each day your calorie needs will be different. But in your activity based on your job, or daily life without exercise and eat back the exercise calories when you do work out.
  • chels0722
    chels0722 Posts: 465 Member
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    I would say moderate. People tend to underestimate their activity level for fear of overeating. I think you will be fine with moderate activity TDEE. Then you don't have to eat back your exercise calories.
  • learnerdriver
    learnerdriver Posts: 298 Member
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    It's a bit iffy, isn't it? I'd put you on the light rather than moderate level if you have a reasonably sedentary job.

    The difference between the two for me, was 300 calories, so based on 80% to consume= additional 240 to eat. I figure it's easier just to adjust from -20% to -15%, and see how it goes.
  • valeriewxy
    valeriewxy Posts: 418 Member
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    I would say moderate. People tend to underestimate their activity level for fear of overeating. I think you will be fine with moderate activity TDEE. Then you don't have to eat back your exercise calories.

    I think definitely this. When I was eating at maintenance (as I was on holiday), I was averaging at about 2000 cals a day - and I was doing 30 DS for maybe 3 days a week? (2000 cals for me is in between light and moderate activity, I think) :D
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    I'm going to give you the better option: eat exactly the calories MFP sets for you and if you're losing 1 lb a week like it's calculating then you've correctly added it into your BMR if that's what you've set it as.

    Honestly, I don't eat back my calories, but then again I don't log my exercise because it allows for small deviations like pouring a little too much sauce or you ate a large egg when you only added a medium egg into your log. I don't think it really matters honestly if you're finding your scale weight loss to be on track. It's not like you can't adjust your caloric goals if it's not where you want them to be after 2 weeks.

    ... that's really the best answer. Choose one and track things carefully and after 2 weeks if you've lost weight too quickly then add back those exercise calories and if not, then don't.
  • jrsnyder95
    jrsnyder95 Posts: 53 Member
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    i tried doing the MFP calcs, and it gave me 1200 cals, and i wasn't really losing....now i'm losing a little less than 1/2 lb per week? my job is a SAHM for a toddler and we don't own a car. so anywhere we go is walking or taking a bus?

    any additional thoughts based on that?
  • jrsnyder95
    jrsnyder95 Posts: 53 Member
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    bumping for more input please!?

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