Having trouble determining my exercise level.

FrozenFlame22
FrozenFlame22 Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I joined MFP, I wasn't exercising much at all so I set my activity level at Light and made sure to do an exercise video or long walk at least 3 times a week. With my TDEE at -20% for calories, this seemed to work well. I felt fine, though a little sore from exercise, physically well and I was losing weight rapidly.

I know that this rapid weight loss is normal at the beginning of weight loss is normal, and I don't expect it to keep up at that rate. It has tapered off to roughly 1 lb. a week, which I am happy with.

Now my activity level has changed but I don't know how what level to set it at. My husband's company is doing a fitness event which will save money on health insurance for all participants. We were all given pedometers and cords to connect them to the computer at the end of the day and as long as we get 7000 steps most days we will get the insurance deduction. I did a baseline before I started and without exercise I was only doing 1000-2000 steps most days that I didn't exercise. I'm not doing any other exercise anymore, but I am walking a lot more. Previously I would walk 1 mile 3x a week with my 30 lb. daughter in a carrier on my back about half of the way. Now I'm doing about 3 miles a day, 6x a week with my 30 lb. daughter on my back half the way. I've also upped my activity level at home now that my son is out of school for the summer. This turns out to be between 8000 and 9500 steps per day 6x a week and 4000-5000 steps a day 1x a week.

At first I didn't feel all that much different, just had sore legs from the increased walking, so I didn't change my activity level or target calories. My weight loss has slowed as expected, but I have increasingly felt worse and worse. I've felt lightheaded at the end of most days and last night I had an intense dizzy spell bad enough that I went to bed 3 hours earlier than usual. I know I'm drinking enough water, even though I don't always record it on MFP and my diet is for the most part pretty wholesome.

So what do you think? Should I raise my activity level? Or should I chalk this up to being some medical blip that has nothing to do with all this walking?

Replies

  • FrozenFlame22
    FrozenFlame22 Posts: 9 Member
    Bump
  • LoudmouthLee
    LoudmouthLee Posts: 358 Member
    I wouldn't think the extra walking has anything to do with it... (besides the possible extra walking holding your child).

    You're sure that you're getting enough water? The dizzies sound like possibly dehydration. I'd see a doctor, since I only play one on MFP.
  • rachelwarner32
    rachelwarner32 Posts: 96 Member
    With added activity you need to also add the vitamins that your body needs to do these activities. I use a Nature's Sunshine Mega Chel vitamin and it made all the difference. I started Insanity 1 1/2 weeks ago and I really need the extra boost. A doctors advise is always best so if you keep feeling bad I would get a check up.
  • ElizaJay143
    ElizaJay143 Posts: 52 Member
    You're probably not eating enough, going from 1-2k to 8-9k steps is a HUGE difference in your daily routine.

    I still can't get the whole activity level thing sorted out in my own brain, but my suggestion would be to bump up your calories by 200-300 per day for a few weeks and see if that makes you feel better, and of course make sure you're still drinking enough water.
  • Tanaeah
    Tanaeah Posts: 1 Member
    i totally agree with suggestions others made. Hike up your water intake and add some protein in your diet! I was always light-headed and dizzy after workouts and was told that I may have low blood sugar. So i make sure I eat something before the gym or any physical activity to avoid this. Hope you follow these suggestions!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    My understanding is that the setting for activity level refers to your 'lifestyle...like if you have a desk job, you're considered 'sedentary'...etc.

    If you're adding the exercise to your diary, you really shouldn't need to change any settings. Are you adding the exercise as cardio (resulting in exercise calories to eat back)?
  • FrozenFlame22
    FrozenFlame22 Posts: 9 Member
    Re: LoudmouthLee
    I've got an appointment for other things scheduled for late next month, and I already plan to bring it up then. However I'd love to see if I can figure it out earlier than later.

    I drink through 2 quarts of water a day every day. I always drink at least 16 oz. before I head out for a walk and another 16 when I get back home.Lately it's been pretty hot here, so I've been drinking a little more than that in the past week.

    Re: rachelwarner3
    Good suggestion on the multivitamin! I had been taking one regularly, but then it just dropped out of my routine when school ended and our routines changed. Honestly I hadn't even realized that I had stopped. Thanks for the reminder!

    Re: ElizaJay143
    Actually I often have trouble getting near my target calories. Not every day but definitely 1-2x a week. Some days I just don't eat enough smaller snacks through the day and I have too much of a calorie deficit to eat back at dinner time. I do try to eat at least my BMR even on those days, but that is still not taking into account exercise calories.

    Re: Tanaeah
    I have had low blood sugar in high school and this feels exactly like it did then. I didn't consider that at first since my activity level is no where near what it was 15 years ago. I was a hyperactive machine back then and ate huge meals and snacked constantly, which is how I gained once my activity level dropped. Now my activity level is rather abruptly higher than it has been in years. I'll try the protein boost before walks.

    Re: Hellbent_Heid
    Before I started walking so much, I was adding exercise and eating back exercise calories. I haven't since starting the walking daily goals. I guess I just didn't consider that as exercise even though I'm doing two 1 mile walks per day minimum as well as a lot more movement the rest of the day.


    (I just noticed all the repetition in my first post. Ugh. I was typing that in the middle of a conversation with my husband and trying to get the kids fed. Sorry for the lack of clarity!)
  • WrenBlack
    WrenBlack Posts: 1 Member
    I think y our exercise level is fine and you are feeling dizzy because you need to up your calories. You have probably dropped down out of your ideal place for weight loss. DON'T GO WHERE I'VE GONE! Starvation mode for at least 7 years, even though I"m 247 lbs.
  • FrozenFlame22
    FrozenFlame22 Posts: 9 Member
    Re: WrenBlack

    I was looking back over my calories since I had my last major weight drop. Yup. I'd been eating 100-200 calories below target. When I'm already eating TDEE -20% those 200 calories make a huge difference. For the last week I've been trying to fill it in at the end of the day, but I've been consistently trying to eat half my target calories at dinner time. I'm also doing the most activity between lunch and dinner, but I'm eating lunch at 11 and dinner at 6-7 without anything in between. I've got to start snacking smarter earlier in the day.

    I'm coming to the conclusion that I need to pop up my activity level to "moderate" at least while I'm walking so much. I'd love to see an TDEE/activity level chart based on steps per day.

    Edit: That's not to say I'm going to exercise more, but that I'm going to use the moderate setting when figuring my TDEE, which should get me a few more calories per day.
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    You need to be eating back your exercise calories. The easiest thing to do is to adjust your goal to active.

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