Lightly or Moderately Active? HELP!

graciepecie
graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I always have trouble figuring out my Activity Level, so maybe you guys can help me with that.

I do heavy lifting (StrongLifts 5x5) 3 times a week and sometimes some cardio (walking/cycling).

So the big question: Am I Lightly or Moderately Active.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Depends on how much cardio and what you do for work. Do moderately to be safe.
  • R4eBro
    R4eBro Posts: 44 Member
    What do you do for work?
  • jhloves2knit
    jhloves2knit Posts: 267 Member
    With the excellent exercise you do, I'd say at least moderately active.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    I'm a legal advisor, so desk job (3 days a week) in my lunch break I often go for a walk or go cycling for an half hour...
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    What is your level of daily activity that you DON'T log as cardio exercise? That's the level to pick.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    What is your level of daily activity that you DON'T log as cardio exercise? That's the level to pick.

    I think that's not correct, because then I have to pick Sedentary because I have a desk job and then MFP tells me to eat 1200 cals which is waaaaay to low. I need to eat at least 1650 cals...
  • TaffyMichele
    TaffyMichele Posts: 19 Member
    What is your level of daily activity that you DON'T log as cardio exercise? That's the level to pick.

    I think that's not correct, because then I have to pick Sedentary because I have a desk job and then MFP tells me to eat 1200 cals which is waaaaay to low. I need to eat at least 1650 cals...
    Well you can't usually go off of what mfp says to eat, anyways, because it's usually too low. You should look at a few online calculators to find what you should be eating, and then manually put that number in here.
    As for your activity level, I would suggest doing your activity level on the days you do not exercise, and then you eat back some of your calories on the days you do exercise.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    What is your level of daily activity that you DON'T log as cardio exercise? That's the level to pick.
    this and then log and eat back most or all of your exercise cals.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    To be clear: I'm working with the TDEE-20% stuff. So I only need to know if all you guys think I'm Lightly or Moderately Active with the workouts I do...
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    the way it's "supposed" to work is you pick your level without exercise. so sedentary if you have a desk job and don't do much else otherwise, like walk to work, clean, garden, etc. then as you log your workouts you eat back your exercise calories. If you are using some other formula the way this website works will be of little use to you.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    the way it's "supposed" to work is you pick your level without exercise. so sedentary if you have a desk job and don't do much else otherwise, like walk to work, clean, garden, etc. then as you log your workouts you eat back your exercise calories. If you are using some other formula the way this website works will be of little use to you.

    That's not correct. If I work with another formula that says I need to eat 1700 cals, MFP gives you the opportunity to costumize your ccalorie goal qnd set it to whatever number you want. Tons of people here on MFP use thus method, including me and it works perfectly. I want to use the TDEE formula, but I only have difficulties figuring out what my Actuvity Level is, bevause they give yoi the options:

    Exercise 1-3x a week is Lightly
    Exercise 3-5x a week is Moderately

    So that's why I popped the question
  • SadFaerie
    SadFaerie Posts: 243 Member
    If you're not planning on logging exercises and eating back calories as MFP adds them, then I think you should choose "moderately active".
  • tigerlily_
    tigerlily_ Posts: 32 Member
    Why don't you work out the TDEE for lightly active, then work out the TDEE for moderately active, and then take the average of both of them? If you're not totally sure whether you quite reach the level of moderately active, I'd go for this :) I think you're definitely above lightly active though!
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    Why don't you work out the TDEE for lightly active, then work out the TDEE for moderately active, and then take the average of both of them? If you're not totally sure whether you quite reach the level of moderately active, I'd go for this :) I think you're definitely above lightly active though!

    That's a good idea! Thanks!!

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