Setting up activity level?

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GirlVersusFat
GirlVersusFat Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work a desk job from 7 to 5 I only get up for 15min breaks, but I do strength training 20-30 minutes 3x a week and HIIT 25-30 minutes 3x a week sometimes I do yoga on rest days

I always set my activity level as sedentary because I spend most of my day I'm sitting, but someone on another forum just told me I should have it set as moderate, and another person told me It depends on how many steps I take in a day, but I never track my steps. I've read different things but I'm not sure what I should go with.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    MFP's activity level doesn't include exercise (TDEE calculators do include exercise, which is probably where that person was confusing you), so sedentary sounds right
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,432 Member
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    Don't agonize. Pick a good guess at activity level, log carefully for 4-6 weeks. then look at your average weekly weight loss (if loss is what you're after). If that's at a sensible level, you're golden. (But if you have negative health symptoms, like fatigue or weakness, before 4-6 weeks, eat more, of course!)

    There are many sources of variation between a calculator-estimated calorie goal and actual results: Food label errors, food estimating discrepancies, variations in exercise intensity or device estimates of exercise calorie burn, fidgetiness vs placidity, body composition, and more. Activity level is just one piece.

    The calculator estimates of calorie needs are just a starting point, anyway. Actual real-world loss rate is what counts.
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    edited March 2018
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    MeVersusFat wrote: »
    I work a desk job from 7 to 5 I only get up for 15min breaks, but I do strength training 20-30 minutes 3x a week and HIIT 25-30 minutes 3x a week sometimes I do yoga on rest days

    I always set my activity level as sedentary because I spend most of my day I'm sitting, but someone on another forum just told me I should have it set as moderate, and another person told me It depends on how many steps I take in a day, but I never track my steps. I've read different things but I'm not sure what I should go with.

    I would say your activity levels seems to be sedentary. Most of your days (even on workout days), you are not moving around much.

    Hopefully you will be fit enough to increase your physical activity as you get fitter.

    As you increase your activity intensity and duration you can switch to lightly active and so on (first, ask your dr how much and what types of excercise would be good for you to start with).
  • GirlVersusFat
    GirlVersusFat Posts: 31 Member
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    1houndgal wrote: »
    MeVersusFat wrote: »
    I work a desk job from 7 to 5 I only get up for 15min breaks, but I do strength training 20-30 minutes 3x a week and HIIT 25-30 minutes 3x a week sometimes I do yoga on rest days

    I always set my activity level as sedentary because I spend most of my day I'm sitting, but someone on another forum just told me I should have it set as moderate, and another person told me It depends on how many steps I take in a day, but I never track my steps. I've read different things but I'm not sure what I should go with.

    I would say your activity levels seems to be sedentary. Most of your days (even on workout days), you are not moving around much.

    Hopefully you will be fit enough to increase your physical activity as you get fitter.

    As you increase your activity intensity and duration you can switch to lightly active and so on (first, ask your dr how much and what types of excercise would be good for you to start with).

    So I'm getting enough exercise? I use to do 45-60 minute cardio sessions, but when I switched to HIIT I read everywhere that you shouldn't do more than 30 minutes is that not true? Also, with strength training I'm following a program that states the duration of time spent doing the workout should be 30 minutes I usually finish a little earlier I've been doing HIIT for a while now almost a year and the strength program for 6 weeks I'm about to move to a more difficult one when I complete the 8 weeks.
  • GirlVersusFat
    GirlVersusFat Posts: 31 Member
    edited March 2018
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    MFP's activity level doesn't include exercise (TDEE calculators do include exercise, which is probably where that person was confusing you), so sedentary sounds right

    I didn't think about the TDEE , thanks
  • Sakura_Tree
    Sakura_Tree Posts: 142 Member
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    I am wondering the same, i usually workout 3-4 days a week 30 mins of intense cardio and 30 mins weightlifting, but i work in a restaurant so i am always on my feet and walking around.

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