What level to choose and how does mfp compensate? Sedentary, lightly active, so on..

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tomofnj
tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've lose a butt load of weight and have been walking about 30 min a day now for a while.

I've had it set to sedentary all this time but just got around to thinking about that setting. I moved it to lightly active tonight, but what changes take place when that I do that? Should I go to active instead? I do about 6k or more fitbit steps a day, mostly hit 10-12k on weekends, and have hit 15k a few times.

Thanks !

Replies

  • gdyment
    gdyment Posts: 299 Member
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    If you track those activities separately, you don't need to count as active. When you look at exercise for the day does it show "you earned 300 cals from walking"? Depends if your fitbit is updating here or not.

    If it's not counting them, lightly active makes sense for walking.
  • barbiereynolds701
    barbiereynolds701 Posts: 98 Member
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    My understandinf is under 5k steps is sedentary and between 5k-7500 steps is the next setting.....since your jumping up and down a bit in steps I'd set it to sedentary and let mfp caculate your extra burn.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    If you have your Fitbit linked to MFP, go with the setting you most feel comfortable with. The higher the setting, the higher your base, but the lower the adjustment you'll receive from Fitbit.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I work at a desk; I choose sedentary. My principal exercise is walking and running (160km - 200km a month) - the application I use to track these things (Strava or Garmin Connect) feeds MFP. Since my running is highly variable I choose to eat back daily calories as needed rather than average out. Losing 1kg a week.

    If you have a phone app or device like a Fitbit that is tracking your steps, have it feed MFP and eliminate guesswork.

    I don't even log my walking at all unless it is strenuous and uphill (hiking) or strenuous (brisk 3.5mph and up) and long (45 - 60 minutes). I find the calorie estimates for less intensive walking are way out of whack from most devices and apps, by comparing them to a 30 or 60 minute run at much higher effort.

    For my purposes step counts are good for ensuring I'm not sitting on my butt all day or for too long, not so much for calorie burn.
  • tomofnj
    tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
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    Ah, so thats what I figured it compensates by making me get more cals burned to get more added. I like it. And yep, fitbit is calculating for me.

    I'm in deficit every day, but have gone over my base a few times using that cushion.

    Thanks

  • tomofnj
    tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
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    Although I didnt see it change my 'base' by going to lightly active.
  • barbiereynolds701
    barbiereynolds701 Posts: 98 Member
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    It won't change your base calories per se....it just won't give you extra calorie burn until you've gotten more steps in.
  • tomofnj
    tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
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    Ah ok. I'll see - I do have neg enabled so I guess I'll see in the AM.
    Thanks all :)
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    thomaspavlick wrote: »
    So I've had it set to sedentary all this time but just got around to thinking about that setting. I moved it to lightly active tonight, but what changes take place when that I do that? Should I go to active instead? I do about 6k or more fitbit steps a day, mostly hit 10-12k on weekends, and have hit 15k a few times.

    If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments, you can set your activity level any way you wish. You'll still be eating TDEE minus deficit—you'll just start with more calories and get smaller adjustments.

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • tomofnj
    tomofnj Posts: 88 Member
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    I see now that it starts me out with a greater deficit, expecting that higher activity. That's actually good for me, it makes me want to more quickly 'make up' those calories earlier in my day.

    Thanks all

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