TDEE - how active am I?

haanmom
haanmom Posts: 90 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everybody!!

I am recalculating my TDEE after recovering from a foot injury, and starting my softball coaching season. In the past, I have had trouble losing weight while working out - I think because of undereating. (When I was working out regularly, my net calories were often at 800-1000 calories)

Anyway, I am not sure which activity level to use to calculate my TDEE.

I am a stay at home mom, so my typical "job" activity level varies, but I play with my 5 year old, cook, clean, work in our garden, etc. Pretty typical stay at home mom stuff.

Now that I'm back to exercising, I'm working out 4-5 days a week either 30 minute HIIT with a trainer, or training for a half marathon (running 30-45 mins a few days a week with 1 long run of 60-90 mins).

On top of that, I coach fastpitch softball 5 afternoons a week for 2 hours. This includes hauling equipment, throwing, hitting defensive practice and lots of walking around.

I'm thrown off by the coaching because it isn't "hard" or what I consider a workout, but I do occasionally get sore and early in the season (now) I can tell that it makes me tired in the evenings.

Anyway, what do you think? Moderate exercise? Heavy exercise? The difference in TDEE ends up being about 300 calories, so maybe it doesn't make that big of a difference? [I am in the "last 10lbs club" with not much left to lose, if that matters] I had been working from a sedentary TDEE # because of recovering from the foot injury and then eating back exercise calories, but with the softball I didn't want to try to estimate calories for that and I don't have a way to measure the calorie burn accurately.

Thanks for your help!

Replies

  • haanmom
    haanmom Posts: 90 Member
    Please? Somebody?
  • t2kburl
    t2kburl Posts: 123 Member
    I'd say moderate.
    If you re not seeing the results you are looking for after a month or so, adjust accordingly.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    I would really recommend some sort of tracker to get an accurate idea of how much you burn. I eat my TDE - 20%, but I wear a fitbit, so I have a pretty good idea of what I am actually burning. Also, my burn varies greatly from day to day, and I wasn't comfortable eating a lot more on days I didn't exercise.

    That being said, I follow the "if you only work out 30 minutes a day, and sit the rest, you are considered sedentary" rule. I would go with lightly to moderately active.
  • Sleepynita
    Sleepynita Posts: 82
    I used to think I was in a sedentary category and I am actually moderately active with the same kind of stuff you are doing. Sometimes even very active. I burn 2300 cals on a lazy day to 3400 on a busy day. Annoyingly I still under-eat but old habits die hard.
  • lafilleavectoi
    lafilleavectoi Posts: 125 Member
    I also have a hard time determining mine because while I do Insanity 6x a week, I am inactive for most of the day. I tend to select the more conservative activity level (Moderate). I think your activity level can be classified as "Moderately Active" as well because it falls under the 3-5 days of Exercise in this level. I am not too sure, but I hope this helps.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    I would say moderately active, then log your actual workouts (not the around the house stuff or the coaching, just the running, HIIT, etc.) on top of that.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    Having kids almost automatically puts you in lightly active. Now add your workouts- moves you to moderate. Now during softball season-probably throwing you (pun intended) into HIGH. You can't really go wrong setting it at mod or high. So if you set at moderate, I wouldn't worry as much if you go over in calories by a 100 or 200. It will probably stay below your TDEE. Since your ticker only has 4 lb left to goal go with MOD . If you set at MOD... if all else fails you'll lose it at closer to a 1 lb/wk vs. 0.5 lb/wk. Not a major deal. Good luck!



    Edited after I saw your ticker 4 lb to goal....Go with Mod...Sometimes those last few lbs can be a headache.

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