TDEE help please...step count
hookilau
Posts: 3,134 Member
I forget, should I have my activity level set at sedentary, since I allow 'map my walk app' to add calories according to my step count?
I'm not in maintenance, was hoping to lose the last 10 vanity pounds
I'm not in maintenance, was hoping to lose the last 10 vanity pounds
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Replies
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This is really an individual need. If you want the most honest data, be really honest about whether you are sedentary. If you need that extra "kick in the pants", yep set that sucker at sedentary but understand that by looking at that criteria may be akin to CICO thinking.
Could you give more information about your personal situation? Are you doing LCHF? Keto? What fitness tracker are you using...a wrist-worn tracker or a web-based tracker?
Knowing these things will bring a wealth of info from other forum members who have loads of personal experience.0 -
I'm not 100% familiar with mapmywalk though have used it simultaneously with runkeeper to compare it to runkeeper.
If you are using mapmywalk only during designated fitness walk time, then enter mfp activity level to whatever it is daily WITHOUT the designated walk time/exercise. That might be sedentary, it might lightly activer or higher.
Using myself as an example, I am truly sedentary the vast majority of the entire day (think sit at a desk and/or read or watch TV so I am set to sedentary in MFP. If I had runkeeper (or mapmywalk) synced with MFP, it would add only the number of calories burned during the time I had it on for my walk.1 -
Oh doh! completely missed the mapmywalk reference!0
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Thank you both for weighing in
Some background, I have been keto for 4 years now (T2D) and I am a professional pet sitter.
My daily activity is 5, 25 minute dog walks at an easy pace. I average about 2000 steps per appointment. Some dogs can move faster than others due to age, so my pace varies according to the dog.
I get about 11k (for mon-fri daily appointments) to 14k steps per day depending on whether or not I have additional appointments.
I use my cell phone's app (S health) to monitor my steps. It's always running and I use it to keep track of time during walks. As an side, I sometimes forget to start the mmw app at the beginning of walk & stop it at the end of walk, so when I drive, the dumb thing gives me extra steps. So I check my S health app & adjust the steps because it doesn't activate during driving.
I started to use the mapmywalk app simultaneously so that it would communicate to mfp. Some days when it's really cold out, I get really really hungry. I'm out in alllllll weather. So if it's happening, I'm out in it. Dogs are suited up for the weather & so am I
I'm not a CICO girl, but I'd like to lose 10 or so vanity pounds, so I'm trying to take into account the amount of calories I take in. My diary is open, btw
I also do weight training 3 x a week, so I'd like to make sure I'm not doing anything goofy with the caloric budget I've calculated using this calculator, http://ketodietapp.com/Blog/page/KetoDiet-Buddy
I'm wondering if setting my mfp goal to active & allowing the app to add my activity, is double dipping. I have had difficulty reaching my caloric goal & I'm usually under.
TLDR; I'm a dog walker, I get better than 10k steps per day.
I do weight training 3x/week the usual big lifts, compound etc. 3 sets/10 reps
T2D, keto for 4 years, looking to lose 10 or so vanity #'s.
Should I set activity level to active or sedentary to lose (hopefully fat), taking into account calories?
48
female
5'
131#
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Looks like you're just getting started monitoring calories in/calories out based on you having only 4 recent entries. Correct? No problem.
Using a couple of TDEE calculators (fitnessfrog and sailrabbit) your 1575 calories looks about right for you to MAINTAIN your current weight at SEDENTARY. With your desire to lose your last 10 pounds, you can theoretically use your daily acvtivity which over the last 4 days (per mfp) has averaged 400 calories/day to lose your 10 vanity pounds. 400 calorie per day x 7 days =2800 weekly calorie deficit = ~.8 pound per week loss.
I think you realize you need to get your starting point and from there evaluate the outcome for a period of time then adjust accordingly which is the reason for your question.
No one needs to "justify" or apologize for using CICO to me.
I've been using it for 3.5 years and it has worked through weigh loss and maintenance. I've changed macros and weight loss or weight maintenance "diets" a few times over that 3.5 years and CICO (calories in calories out) still worked for me regardless of my macros, food or "diet" choices. I digress...
In regards to which tracker to use, I guess I'd probably go with S-Health since it runs all the time so you don't have to worry about turning it on and off and it doesn't give you walking credit when in the car. LOL. I had that happen with mapmyfitness. If you want the calories to sync with mfp and S-Health does not, then continue to convert the S-Health calories over to mapmywalk (or mapmyfitness) and sync that with mfp. If 2 or 3 weeks pass and you haven't lost a pound or two, you might want to consider that the calorie burn is not accurate (too high). None of these trackers are 100%. Or you might need to evaluate your food entries. The MFP database is full of incorrect data.
I don't lift so know zero about calories burned with those workouts.
TL:DR Select a calorie goal. Select a best estimate for calories burned. Evaluate over time. Adjust accordingly.
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Ok, read and re-read your response.
Sounds like you're saying I'm on the right track...maybe....adjust as needed in a week or so.
Which sounds good to me, because neither MFP or any other app I use, gives me calories for the weight training I do. So that would go towards a weekly deficit.
Annd, yes I am absolutely starting again, as I've not tracked, as you can see, in 2 years.
Though I've gained 6# since my last weigh in 2 years ago after my initial 30# loss, I'm wearing pants that are 3 sizes smaller....so there's that.
Yes, I'm painfully aware that MFP's database of food cannot be depended upon for accuracy. I mostly use recipes that I put into the recipe builder and double check nutritional info on the google. I eat very little in the way of prepared food or food that hasn't been cooked by me...too much sugar in most stuff for me.
Thanks again for your input, I'll see how it goes
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@hookilau ...wow! you have made incredible progress and could "school" us all on what to do. It does appear that you are at a point where CICO combined with LCHF may be the turning point to shedding those last few pounds. Keep us posted as to how you are doing...I think we can learn a lot from your journey.1
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@ idocdlw,
One of the reasons I quit logging in the first place is LCHF did all that was promised for me, weight was just falling off & I just didn't have the need to monitor my calories. I've been weight training for about 15 years now, and pet sitting/dog walking for 5.
For a while I tracked macros, but after a bit, it became second nature.
You are right, I am at the point that as long as I stay keto, my blood sugar stays below 100 mg/dl, 1 hour after meals (my target) and my fasting stays in the 80-90 mg/dl range.
So YES!! this means I can now work with calories to decrease weight or size as it were
Thank you for that insight!...I hadn't thought of it that way before =D0 -
You just might have the record here for the longest on keto! 4 years is pretty incredible. I think there are a couple others but you're right up there!0
