We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Deciding Activity Level?

Kamixa
Kamixa Posts: 18
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm having trouble deciding which activity level to choose out of the options. I was on sedentary, but I've been really hungry lately. I work in a lab, so I'm up a fair amount moving around doing experiments, but then i'm sitting at my desk for a couple hours a day too (or sitting down at a lab bench). I also do high intensity workouts (spin class) 2 times a week.

What do you think? sedentary or the level above?

thanks so much!

Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    You could manually adjust your calorie levels to somewhere in between "sedentary" and "light." Then it doesn't matter.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I move around a lot at work. I move around a lot (but a little less than at work) when I attend school. So overall, I am likely a 'lightly active'.

    Sometimes I work out, maybe I'm medium active?

    I couldn't figure this out either. I set mine as sedentary. That way, the extra calories I burn just by moving around help me out. Even on weeks where I went a little over on calories 5/7 days, I still lost weight!
  • Kamixa
    Kamixa Posts: 18
    You could manually adjust your calorie levels to somewhere in between "sedentary" and "light." Then it doesn't matter.

    i think its only a difference of 120 calories a day. I currently way 138lbs and im 5'4. if i list sedentary as my actvitiy level my calories are just at 1200.
  • might4
    might4 Posts: 99 Member
    your workouts should not be counted towards daily activity level.
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    I adjusted my calories to 1250 to give me those few extra calories daily to work with. I work out 4 days a week but I have a desk job and am rarely off my booty while at work. I hated going into the red all the time so I adjusted it manually so I wouldn't feel guilty if I ate slightly over 1200 lol.
  • I set mine on Light and only count exercise that is out of the way - running or lifting.

    Some people put sedentary and wear a pedometer. Whatever floats your boat.
  • heidiberr
    heidiberr Posts: 643 Member
    Here is an excellent post to explain what activity level you should be at: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
This discussion has been closed.