What activity setting should I use?

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dark_sparkles37019
dark_sparkles37019 Posts: 114 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a factory worker on my feet 8-9 hrs a day, 5 days a week. Should it be the lowest one or lightly active? I haven't added in exercise yet. I've been trying to stick to 1500-1600 Cal's a day. I'm 5'8 32, 266 lbs.

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  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    I'd say you are probably "active", 1500-1600 is probably too low.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,739 Member
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    While how many calories you will really end up needing will also depend on the accuracy of your logging of your caloric intake, in terms of ACTUAL calories OUT you are probably in the active to very active range.
  • dark_sparkles37019
    dark_sparkles37019 Posts: 114 Member
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    Okay, I don't mind losing at a faster rate, but I have been tired, but that just might be because of the extra hour each day I'm working.My protein bar(250 Cal) didnt hold me over until lunch today..a little over 5 hrs between breakfast and lunch.
  • rsj7799
    rsj7799 Posts: 74 Member
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    I'd guess active as well. If you have your phone in your pocket at work you can install a step tracking app and know for sure.
  • RunnerGrl1982
    RunnerGrl1982 Posts: 412 Member
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    dark_sparkles37019 wrote: »
    Okay, I don't mind losing at a faster rate, but I have been tired, but that just might be because of the extra hour each day I'm working.My protein bar(250 Cal) didnt hold me over until lunch today..a little over 5 hrs between breakfast and lunch.

    Just remember, faster loss doesn't always = better loss. You want to lose weight at a reasonable weight. If you lose weight too quickly, you run the risk of having muscle mass included in that loss, and your heart is a muscle - so take that into account.

    Some food for thought! Best to you!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,599 Member
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    How does a step tracking device determine your activity level?

    I’m retired, so the “work” descriptions don’t really apply to me.I spend a lot of time seated at a desk volunteering, or curled up with my nose in a book. Or lurking here.

    But, I hit 10k steps with ease at least six days a week, stretch a minimum half hour daily, do pilates 4-5x a week, yoga 3-4x per week, and weight train 2x per week. I average 6.7 miles per day, a lot of it walking to gym and studio.

    I know there’s a lot of people here who do more than me, so I’m hesitant to call myself the most active level. I set my thinggy at moderate activity.
  • dark_sparkles37019
    dark_sparkles37019 Posts: 114 Member
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    I tracked with a pedometer at my work, I got around 6k steps.
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
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    I saw this on another post.
    Just did a copy/paste for you.
    1) <5000 steps.d (sedentary);
    2) 5000-7499 steps.d (low active);
    3) 7500-9999 steps.d (somewhat active);
    4) > or =10,000-12,499 steps.d (active); and
    5) > or =12,500 steps.d (highly active)
  • rdthoms
    rdthoms Posts: 61 Member
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    I'd say err on the lower side. Maybe "somewhat active". And don't shoot for 1500-1600 cals but rather for 80% of the calculated calorie intake if you choose "maintain current weight" option. Maybe that is 1500-1600 or maybe it works out to 1800 or more. 20% deficit is maintainable anything more can be difficult (for me anyway).

    For motivation try tracking your shape change with myshape.fitness (google it) - shape change can be more dramatic than weight loss.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited March 2019
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    dark_sparkles37019 wrote: »
    Okay, I don't mind losing at a faster rate, but I have been tired, but that just might be because of the extra hour each day I'm working.My protein bar(250 Cal) didnt hold me over until lunch today..a little over 5 hrs between breakfast and lunch.

    there is zero way 250 calories would hold me until lunch either - and i'm at a desk job, 5'1 and 119. I eat a minimum of 320 calories (steel cut oats and fruit) for breakfast then a 90 calorie mid morning snack.

    loosing faster is not better if you are very hungry and less likely to keep it up long term (weight loss is a long term project). and there can be health repercussions (loss of muscle mass, hair loss, etc.)

    in your shoes i'd start with active. pick a reasonable rate of loss. eat back exercise calories. see what your rate of loss is after 3-4 weeks.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    I would choose Lightly Active and log purposeful exercise that's above your normal workday activity. Eat a little more on days you exercise.

    The only way to dial this in is to log food as accurately as you can, weigh yourself, and use the numbers long enough to see a trend. So pick an activity level and stick with it for a couple months while you monitor your weight. Adjust as results dictate at the end of a couple months. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is something no one can help you figure out, it's an experiment we all have to run on ourselves.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,599 Member
    edited March 2019
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    Thanks @Talan79 That’s helpful!
  • ladybug4233
    ladybug4233 Posts: 217 Member
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    On a side not I was getting at least 10,000 steps a day aside from exercise and after watching the numbers for a couple of weeks I realized I wasn't always in the active category based on the steps. I was more in the somewhat active so I moved my activity level to lightly active and I know I have a small cushion. I think it has to do with exertion levels. Sometimes those steps were just lightly walking while reading.

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