sedentry + activity?

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minniemaudkid
minniemaudkid Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering whether putting myself as sedentary and adding daily activities would be more useful for me as i'm either walking quickly all day and carrying 25+ kg for a big part of it, or i'm just standing and walking around not as fast all day, there isn't really an in between. if i were to go with this option, what is counted as sedentary? would i have to add exercise for walking at 2.5 mph for a couple of hours etc if that's what i've done, or does mfp count that in with being sedentary? i know this sounds like a dumb question but i'm just trying to work it out. thanks in advance for any help

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  • sarahbrown1015
    sarahbrown1015 Posts: 92 Member
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    It took me forever to work this stuff out too... If these activities are part of your weekly routine(job) I would enter myself as a lightly active person. Your body is already used to this level of activity and MFP tends to way over caculate calories burned when entered as exercise. I bought a heart rate monitor a year ago and was stunned at the difference in calories burned. MFP was almost double what my HRM says. Just my suggestion! Good luck!
  • minniemaudkid
    minniemaudkid Posts: 3
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    thanks for your input :) i would have said that on the days when i am most active i would actually (by instinct really) feel more than lightly active. i'd be pushing heavy pallets hundreds of meters, walking for most of the day at at least 5 mph and carrying heavy boxes, carrying them up ladders, lifting them above my head etc. i generally feel physically exhausted by the end of the day, and sweat a lot and have an increased heart rate etc. but then some days i'm not doing as much so idk
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    Sedentary is for people who don't do any exercise at all like those confined to bed or wheelchair.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    Sedentary is for people who don't do any exercise at all like those confined to bed or wheelchair.

    I don't find this ^ to be true, at least for me personally. I have been on MFP for about 16 months now with the setting of sedentary and adding in all activity outside of typical walking to/from the office copier or cleaning up my kitchen after a meal. This setting has caused me to lose at EXACTLY the rate I chose, 1.5 lb/wk for the first 65-70 lb and 1 lb per week for the later losses...I don't claim this will be correct for others, just saying it has worked perfectly for me, and several friends who chose "lightly active" due to chasing a toddler or walking around their offices a lot, didn't see the losses they expected until they switched over to "sedentary".
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    Sedentary is for people who don't do any exercise at all like those confined to bed or wheelchair.

    I don't find this ^ to be true, at least for me personally. I have been on MFP for about 16 months now with the setting of sedentary and adding in all activity outside of typical walking to/from the office copier or cleaning up my kitchen after a meal. This setting has caused me to lose at EXACTLY the rate I chose, 1.5 lb/wk for the first 65-70 lb and 1 lb per week for the later losses...I don't claim this will be correct for others, just saying it has worked perfectly for me, and several friends who chose "lightly active" due to chasing a toddler or walking around their offices a lot, didn't see the losses they expected until they switched over to "sedentary".

    It works fine for me and I lose an average of 1.5 lbs per week as well. I don't count the calories I burn from chasing my toddler grandson, walking around in the office, shopping, doing laundry, or cleaning my house because I do those things on a weekly basis. There isn't anything special about it so I elect to have my activity level set to "Lightly Active" and add in the exercise from my gym workouts. In addition, I get more calories to eat and still stay on target with the Lightly Active setting.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ETA: Added the above link in case the OP wants to read it for reference.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    Sedentary is for people who don't do any exercise at all like those confined to bed or wheelchair.

    I don't find this ^ to be true, at least for me personally. I have been on MFP for about 16 months now with the setting of sedentary and adding in all activity outside of typical walking to/from the office copier or cleaning up my kitchen after a meal. This setting has caused me to lose at EXACTLY the rate I chose, 1.5 lb/wk for the first 65-70 lb and 1 lb per week for the later losses...I don't claim this will be correct for others, just saying it has worked perfectly for me, and several friends who chose "lightly active" due to chasing a toddler or walking around their offices a lot, didn't see the losses they expected until they switched over to "sedentary".

    I have mine set to sedentary as well, because some days I am at my desk all day, and other days I have to go out on the factory floor to do things. Sedentary + activity seems to work best for me, but I don't track walking I do at work, so it is like slight bonus exercise (probably less than 50 calories per day anyhow.)
  • minniemaudkid
    minniemaudkid Posts: 3
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    thanks guys :) i'm really giving it some thought. atmgoing to try it with the daily calories set to my bmr and adding in (conservatively) calories burnt from activity
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    thanks guys :) i'm really giving it some thought. atmgoing to try it with the daily calories set to my bmr and adding in (conservatively) calories burnt from activity


    Good idea! Give it a week or more and you'll see results!

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