I need help with selecting an activity level

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tinakowalik
tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Not sure if I should select lightly active or active. I do the p90X3 wo, ranging from 30mins to 45 with ten minutes of heavy lifting alternating days. Sometimes I'll do a cardio followed by some strength training video in the series, or just cardio. I don't sit that much during the day, I do a lot of housework during the day. I've been plateaued now since august I believe, but I wasn't too concerned because I hit my third weight loss goal. I'm trying to lose more, 5-10 pounds. I've been trying different weight loss goals per week, 1 pound loss a week, 2 pounds. Scale won't go down anymore, I'm stuck between 118, which is rare lately, to 124. And when I do go up, it takes a while for my weight to go back down. So I'm wondering what should be adjusted? Am I eating too much? Too little? My sugars tend to run high, is that my problem? Need some help please!

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  • pixeldust
    pixeldust Posts: 18
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    Assume you are only burning half the calories the MFP calculators give you, stop eating back all of them. Do you weigh your food?
  • tinakowalik
    tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
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    Yes, been weighing now for a cpl weeks. I was eating back most expended calories, I'll try half now. I was losing around 2 pounds a week in the summer, but was more active for sure, with farm work and cycling. I am glad I have found maintenance at least. Thanks for the tip!
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    I would say lightly active. You should also be logging your exercise and eating your exercise calories.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Not sure if I should select lightly active or active. I do the p90X3 wo, ranging from 30mins to 45 with ten minutes of heavy lifting alternating days. Sometimes I'll do a cardio followed by some strength training video in the series, or just cardio. I don't sit that much during the day, I do a lot of housework during the day. I've been plateaued now since august I believe, but I wasn't too concerned because I hit my third weight loss goal. I'm trying to lose more, 5-10 pounds. I've been trying different weight loss goals per week, 1 pound loss a week, 2 pounds. Scale won't go down anymore, I'm stuck between 118, which is rare lately, to 124. And when I do go up, it takes a while for my weight to go back down. So I'm wondering what should be adjusted? Am I eating too much? Too little? My sugars tend to run high, is that my problem? Need some help please!

    Your activity level does not include exercise - you track that separately. The activity level on MFP is strictly your normal day-to-day life without specific exercise. Depends on the amount of housework, but maybe set you level to sedentary or lightly active. In any event, if you're not losing, you should probably experiment with eating less calories.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Also, 30-45 minutes a day of activity can still only be "lightly active" if you are basically sedentary the rest of the time.

    I use my pedometer as a guide. The research on activiity levels suggests that anythign less than 5000 steps a day is "sedentary." I walk to work every day with a 30-minute brisk walk, and still have to do some other activity during the day to get over 6000 steps. Days that I walk to and from work, I still have to add activity to get to 10,000 steps, which is where "active" starts.

    Use "lightly active" but if you have to count yoru workout to get there, don't eat exercise calories back, since they're already included.
  • tinakowalik
    tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
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    Ok thank you all. I will reset and try that out. I did assume I was supposed to add my work outs into that!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    How tall are you? Can you open your diary and do you use a food scale?
  • tinakowalik
    tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm 5'3", I've been using a scale now for a few weeks, I'll check my diary, I opened it last night...
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    How are you measuring calories burned? Also, I would highly recommend dropping some of those carbs for protein. BTW, when you try a new plan, it has to be for 4-6 weeks before you change it. At this point, you are fighting vanity lbs... so it's going to take time.
  • tinakowalik
    tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
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    I just use what MFP Says I've burned, I don't have any type of a monitor.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Use http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Set it up at moderately active, and don't worry about exercise calories.
  • tinakowalik
    tinakowalik Posts: 73 Member
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    Thank you, I'll look into that!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Use http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Set it up at moderately active, and don't worry about exercise calories.

    pretty much this. I would also adjust macros to around 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats. After eating the same amount of calories for a month, then you can reassess

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