What do you think I should set my activity level as?

shadowharuka
shadowharuka Posts: 92 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So currently I have my activity level set as lightly active. I work a restaurant job (my days vary greatly but usually at least 2-3 days (sometimes up to 6) a week) which is a lot of lifting, carrying things, cleaning and standing for 5 hours a day. Now on top of this I am beginning a fitness class at school 5 days a week, for an hour, where I will be playing sports, running and doing fitness tests. Should I bump up my activity level, leave it the same, or just track each activity I do in the class? I just figured it would be easier to do with an activity level than to try to figure out how many calories I burn each day since we will be doing a lot of different things all the time. Just figured I would see what others think on this. Oh and since I have started my fitness pal I have lost about the amount of weight it calculated I would at my calorie level, so I think I must be pretty close right now.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    MFP only asks for your activity level for a job you do 40 hours a week, it expects you to log exercise separately and eat those calories back. You only choose an activity level that includes all aspects of your life if you are using the TDEE method.
  • mtnhiker1
    mtnhiker1 Posts: 114 Member
    I agree with you, bump your activity level up a notch and do not track calories.. As long as that works for you.
  • janupshaw
    janupshaw Posts: 205 Member
    I would bump it up.
  • shadowharuka
    shadowharuka Posts: 92 Member
    I agree with you, bump your activity level up a notch and do not track calories.. As long as that works for you.
    You mean don't track calories at all or you mean for those activities that I do? I am wanting to get away from counting calories every single day though, some days it just gets a little too obsessive but I worry a lot that when I stop tracking I will overestimate how much I can eat and start to gain weight.

    I'm glad I have people that agree with me there. I started my fitness class today and feeling really hungry on my lower calorie setting.
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
    Exercise makes you more hungry for a reason. Your body needs the fuel. I would also increase your amount. A diet that leaves you hungry is not sustainable.
  • shadowharuka
    shadowharuka Posts: 92 Member
    Exercise makes you more hungry for a reason. Your body needs the fuel. I would also increase your amount. A diet that leaves you hungry is not sustainable.
    That is very true, if you go too long on too low of calories you end up binge eating usually. I bumped up my calorie level. I've lost the bulk (25 pounds) of the weight I wanted to lose. Now I just want to lose about 15 more and I am not in a hurry to lose it either, I'd like to have lost the rest of my weight in 6 months. I have been exercising a lot more lately and I do log the exercise I do at home but I feel pretty hungry still with the extra calories I earn. So it doesn't hurt to bump it up and just see how my weight responds, I know I won't gain at least.

Categories