Caloric Needs The Same No Matter WHAT "Activity Level" I Put.

kteedot
kteedot Posts: 8
edited October 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
Confused here,

I am active 5 days a week. I do an hour and a half a day at the gym, so I guess I'm considered very active to MFP. Yet, I noticed in the goals where I set the level, the caloric need is the same if I'm very active or 'sedentary", 2180 calories a day.

This makes no sense. I synced MFP after I changed the activity level just to see if it worked and no change. This goes against what I know to be true about caloric needs.

What's the deal?

Replies

  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    edited October 2014
    The activity level on MFP is just a goal to hit a time number, I believe. Since MFP doesn't work on TDEE it won't change your calories for the day until you plug in a workout.

    It's just picking a number based on BMR (correct me if I'm wrong, can't remember for sure if that's the one) and subtracting a multiple of 500 based on how much you want to lose per week.

    If you wanted to do TDEE for your activity level, you'd have to override your daily goal and not plug in workouts.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    "TDEE"? What is that?

    And I don't have any workouts plugged in as it stands.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    I know, but when you do a workout you get bonus calories.

    TDEE is total daily energy expendature and you can find calculators online. These basically take what your BMR is and give youa number to eat every single day. You don't log workouts separately, it's included. A lot of people prefer this method as it keeps them consistent day over day.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    edited October 2014
    Are you changing actual activity level from sedentary to active or are you just changing your exercise goals? If it's the former, something is definitely not right as active should give you more calories than sedentary. If it's the latter, that's just a goal setting tool. MFP doesn't change daily goals regarding exercise until you actually log your activity in the exercise diary.

    shadowofender - close, but not quite. The daily goal is based on several things. Your BMR (based on personal stats) plus daily activity level (sedentary, lightly active, etc) minus a deficit based on the # of pounds per week you said you want to lose.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    What she is saying is that you need to add your activity as you do it in order to receive credit for it. If you work out for an hour and a half at the gym, you need to enter it in your log as cardio exercise.

    TDEE is "Total Daily Energy Expenditure." In this technique, you sum your total energy use, including average daily activity and consume that number of calories each day, instead of adding your activity separately. This works best if you have days of very high and days of very low activity, and a consistent schedule each week.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    likitisplit wrote: »
    What she is saying is that you need to add your activity as you do it in order to receive credit for it. If you work out for an hour and a half at the gym, you need to enter it in your log as cardio exercise.

    TDEE is "Total Daily Energy Expenditure." In this technique, you sum your total energy use, including average daily activity and consume that number of calories each day, instead of adding your activity separately. This works best if you have days of very high and days of very low activity, and a consistent schedule each week.

    There we go. I am no good at explaining things sometimes. Thanks for clarifying.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    I found calorie calculator site and it seems to have the right recommended intake. I'll just use MFP for calorie tracking.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    I just messed with my profile and going from sedentary to highly active definitely changed my calorie goal, so something isn't working right for you for some reason.

    Also, when you pick your activity level don't factor in your gym routine. Go by what you spend most of your day doing - sitting at a desk vs chopping down trees. When you work out, you enter that the same way you enter the food you eat, but it adds calories to your goal rather than subtracts them.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    Minnie, I am actually changing the ACTIVITY level, and nothing changes in my diary, even after a sync. My caloric needs it tells me are the same no matter what I put. All 2180.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    edited October 2014
    @extra

    Most of my day is working a slow paced job but a lot of walking, but I hit it pretty hard in the gym, so I thought that was what MFP meant by 'active'.

    I think you may be right about my app not working correctly.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    Just changed the activity level again. Went to my diary and the "goal" is the same. I feel this is wrong.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    edited October 2014
    I just browsed quickly through the Technical Support/Need Help forum and apparently there's a glitch with the daily goal on iPad and iPhone. If this doesn't apply to you, I'd suggest going to that forum and checking out the thread on How to Get Help, also under that forum.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    I did a little experiment.

    Changed the activity levels and tried each one. The daily goals changed with each one for about 20 seconds it worked. Then went back to being stuck at 2180 for every one. My app isn't working properly.
  • kteedot
    kteedot Posts: 8
    edited October 2014
    Thanks everyone I'll figure it out. VERY disappointed since I have been using the goals they recommend for a 2 months now, and on my weeks that I put 'sedentary' was wondering why I was plateaued. I think I have my answer.

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