Not sure if I'm Sedentary or Lightly Active for my TDEE

xProfLupin
xProfLupin Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to do TDEE but I'm having trouble figuring if I'm Sedentary or Lightly Active.

I work for MET team for Home Depot and we're always walking at least, but I'm only part-time (normally 28 hours a week.. one 8 hour day and then the rest of the week is 5 hour days from 6am-noon). We are always on the move and sometimes I get stinky (I never sweat.. ever ever ever..) because we have to go up and down ladders to stock freight to fill up the bay we are servicing.. then we go to the next available one and do the same thing. Some areas are easier than others.. spend 5 minutes in one section and then spend 30-40 minutes in another one.

Then I come home. I try for this schedule:

Monday: 30 min Kinect games (either Just Dance 4, Kinect Adventures, Zumba, Dance Central). Usually only get 15 min when doing Zumba. or Jillian Michael's Kickbox for 15-20 minutes. Strength for Core (5 min max since I barely can stand it),
Tuesday: Strength for arms (10 minutes max)
Wednesday: Cardio (as listed for Monday)
Thursday: Strength for legs (about 10 minutes)
Friday: Cardio
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

I eat good but the above is hit or miss. I usually do not ever miss out on the strength training but the cardio is.. meh. Sometimes I aim for 30 minutes but only get 15 minutes in. But let's say that I just go to work and then I do Strength training for the max of 10 minutes per time.. is that Sedentary? Or Lightly Active? Or is it only Lightly Active if I added in the cardio?

I know it's not much of a difference but I'd have to eat several hundred calorie difference so that could make the difference at 20% and potential weight loss.
Sedentary: 1838
Lightly Active: 2106.4

Recently, I had it set to Lightly Active and was doing TDEE 30% but I don't think it's correct (I'm pretty fat but I don't think I'm morbidly obese) so I'm going to do 20%.. just need to know what exercise level you think I am from what I've given you.

Thank you in advance :)

Replies

  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    when you say 'pretty fat' what do you mean? 500lbs or 250lbs?

    it's at least lightly active
  • xProfLupin
    xProfLupin Posts: 35 Member
    Pretty fat = 253 pounds.

    And thank you.. I'd like to say that I'm Lightly Active as well but bf swears up and down that I'm only Sedentary so I was unsure :)
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    I would only log intentional exercise (i.e. log your cardio each time and eat it back) and set your TDEE to lightly active because of your work life.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    Pretty fat = 253 pounds.

    And thank you.. I'd like to say that I'm Lightly Active as well but bf swears up and down that I'm only Sedentary so I was unsure :)

    Look, if you want an example of sedentary think stereotypical nursery home old people (no it is not a slight against old people, a lot of old people are a lot fitter then I). Sedentary is moving very little.

    Good luck, yes it'll be a journey, but you'll get there. Just start weighing everything, measuring only the liquids, log everything (even if you eat a lot one day, just keep going) and see how it goes :-)
  • haymancm
    haymancm Posts: 280 Member
    I started out burning 1000 calories/day & had my activity level @ very active. Now that I'm closer to my goal weight, I have it at sedentary & eat back just about all my workout calories. Just play with the numbers & see what results you get. I weigh myself daily to make sure I'm on the right track. So far, it's working for me. Every body is different, find what works best for you. Give your scale a deadline. I have mine @ about 10 days to drop to a new number.

    Add me if you'd like. ;)
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I'd probably set it to TDEE Lightly Active and not eat back exercise calories and see how it goes. With your work, it would be hard to log all of that separately, so any Sedentary + Exercise would be out (for me).

    I think Lightly Active + eating Exercise could work, but the difference might not be a whole lot, and MFP overestimates exercise calories often. Eat back half, maybe?

    Play around with it :) But you aren't sedentary if you climb ladders at work, my goodness! Silly boyfriend.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    IMO that looks like "lightly active", and don't eat back exercise calories. Try for a 3-4 weeks, and then reassess.
  • xProfLupin
    xProfLupin Posts: 35 Member
    I love y'all. Thank you for your quick replies :D. Glad I thought about asking here instead of Yahoo Answers.. I always forget that people here know health stuff relatively better than there :) I'll stick with Lightly Active for now :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I think people are confused. With the TDEE method you're not supposed to eat back exercise calories anyway, as exercise is included in your TDEE.

    I'd definitely put yourself at moderately active personally, as your workout alone make you lightly active.

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