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Sedentary or Lightly Active

exact0ninja
exact0ninja Posts: 33 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I am just starting my diet and am wondering if I am off on my calories due to being hungry all of the time. I know that since this is only my 2nd week, I will feel hungry as I adjust. I am 5'1, 135, and am on a 1200 calorie a day diet for a bit. No issues.

But, I am wondering if some of my hunger comes from not enough calories. The reason I ask is because I did martial arts for 8 years and only within the past 5 or so months have stopped due to injury. I would think my metabolism is still elevated? I am not so sure how long it takes to adjust. Secondly, I still try to get in 1 to 2 days a week exercise. every now and then I skip due to my schedule. I have a desk job, but most of my time after work is spent doing misc chores, cooking, etc.

I have my activity set to sedentary. Should it really be lightly active? Any help would be great :)

Replies

  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    I work a desk job but I found that lightly active is more representative of my non exercise calories. I also log and eat my exercise calories as that is how MFP is designed to be used.

    Anyways, at Sedentary activity level, your maintenance (excluding exercise) is ~1550. So, eating 1200 + exercise calories you should lose ~0.7lb/week. If you are losing faster than that, then your activity level should probably be set to lightly active.

    I believe maintenance at lightly active would come out to ~1780 and eating at 1200 + exercise calories would lead to ~1.16lb/week loss. If you are losing closer to this rate, then it confirms that you should be set to lightly active. If you are losing even faster, then active would be appropriate.

    Two weeks is to short of a time to determine a trend though. You may want to set your activity level to lightly active and your goal to 1lb/week and monitor that for ~6 weeks and see how that goes and adjust accordingly.
  • DrFever100
    DrFever100 Posts: 5,899 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist..... but, are you eating a goo breakfast and having a healthy snacks in between meals? I was told that those are the keys to not feel too hungry. Also lots and lot of water. Perhaps someone with better nutritional knowledge can weigh in. The above tips helped me.
  • exact0ninja
    exact0ninja Posts: 33 Member
    edited September 2015
    My downfall is usually eating a small breakfast. But, I usually have 5 snacks of veggies throughout the day every 2 or so hours, and a light lunch. I've been trying to increase my breakfast as I am going to attempt to exercise more often.

    And, I think @nordlead2005 is right. Since I am not sure where I stand to start, I need to pick a level and adjust accordingly.

    This last weekend. I weighed myself and I was 135 from 140 the week before. I'm not so sure I should count water weight etc into that. I will wait until next weekend and see how that goes.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    DrFever100 wrote: »
    I'm not a nutritionist..... but, are you eating a goo breakfast and having a healthy snacks in between meals? I was told that those are the keys to not feel too hungry. Also lots and lot of water. Perhaps someone with better nutritional knowledge can weigh in. The above tips helped me.

    It is all personal preference. I skip breakfast and do not really eat snacks between meals. I also hate drinking water on an empty stomach, it typically makes me feel worse. The key is finding what works for you.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited September 2015
    See what works based on what the scale is telling you. I think you would be Sedentary if you have stopped activity for a 5 month span, especially if you have a desk job.

    Maintenance calories at those stats are at follows for a Sedentary State:

    Assuming 22% bodyfat = 1685 cals/day to maintain or 1348 to 1517 cals/day to cut.
    Assuming 27% bodyfat = 1605 cals/day to maintain or 1284 to 1445 cals/day to cut.
    Assuming 32% bodyfat = 1526 cals/day to maintain or 1221 to 1373 cals/day to cut.

  • exact0ninja
    exact0ninja Posts: 33 Member
    Ahh.. Body fat percentage. That's another good variable. I will have to calculate that and review your percentages. I think within the next 2 weeks, I should be able to adjust my cals with all this info.But.. it will yoyo again due to exercise increase. Oh.. this will be fun. . . .
This discussion has been closed.

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