Slightly active or active

Lildarlinz
Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
edited December 25 in Getting Started
Hello guys
I’m a healthcare assistant and I work 12.5 hour shifts.At work I’m always on my feet
But on my days off I’m gunna be honest I’m a couch potato because as you know you spend the rest of your days off trying to catch up on sleep from the other days u have worked haha

I work 3 shifts a week so would I put slightly active or active? Xx

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    I would use active.
  • jenlefleur31
    jenlefleur31 Posts: 21 Member
    Hi! So I’m a retail manager and I’m on my feet 5 days a week sometimes for 11 hours a day.
    I put myself down as lightly active as although some days I can do 20,000 steps it’s something that I do every single day. So my body I used to that level of activity And that way then anything else I do would be considered being active.

    I hope that helps in some way? 😃
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,891 Member
    jenlefleur31 wrote: »
    Hi! So I’m a retail manager and I’m on my feet 5 days a week sometimes for 11 hours a day.
    I put myself down as lightly active as although some days I can do 20,000 steps it’s something that I do every single day. So my body I used to that level of activity And that way then anything else I do would be considered being active.

    I hope that helps in some way? 😃

    It's not because you're used to it, that your body burns less calories...
  • jenlefleur31
    jenlefleur31 Posts: 21 Member
    edited June 2020
    Lietchi wrote: »
    jenlefleur31 wrote: »
    Hi! So I’m a retail manager and I’m on my feet 5 days a week sometimes for 11 hours a day.
    I put myself down as lightly active as although some days I can do 20,000 steps it’s something that I do every single day. So my body I used to that level of activity And that way then anything else I do would be considered being active.

    I hope that helps in some way? 😃

    It's not because you're used to it, that your body burns less calories...

    It’s just my opinion. ☺️
    That’s how I’ve been taught and it’s always worked for me ☺️
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    edited June 2020
    vhopkins, I find this app underestimates my calorie needs by quite a lot, so I choose an Activity Level that's way above my actual level and it gives me the right number.

    Obviously jeniefleur31 feels she wants it to give her a lower calorie goal - for whatever reason.

    I figured out my Activity Level by logging food and exercise over time and making adjustments. That's what you'll need to do, too.

    The best thing to do is pick one and log food and exercise as well as you can for 4-6 weeks. At the end of that time you will have gone through one full menstrual cycle and you will have good trending data. Make small adjustments if needed after that experimental time.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    If unsure pick the higher one and adjust if you need to after you have some reliable and personal data to work with.
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
    Thank you xx

    I’m finding it really hard to be honest at the moment to eat less than 1490 calories in a day (maybe it’s the menstrual cycle as it makes h crave crappy stuff and binge)
    So I set it to active as it’s letting me have 1790 calories :D x
    When I’m on my days at work I eat less though...as it’s very hot where I work and it find it’s too hot to eat!
    I haven’t got a lot to lose about 12lbs xx so it won’t take me long xx
    cmriverside wrote: »
    vhopkins, I find this app underestimates my calorie needs by quite a lot, so I choose an Activity Level that's way above my actual level and it gives me the right number.

    Obviously jeniefleur31 feels she wants it to give her a lower calorie goal - for whatever reason.

    I figured out my Activity Level by logging food and exercise over time and making adjustments. That's what you'll need to do, too.

    The best thing to do is pick one and log food and exercise as well as you can for 4-6 weeks. At the end of that time you will have gone through one full menstrual cycle and you will have good trending date. Make small adjustments if needed after that experimental time.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    edited June 2020
    vhopkins, you can also set your own calorie goals...so if you would like it to be (say) 1600, you can set that in Goals > Edit.

    With so little weight to lose, and with your job, I think 1700-1800 is a good place to be. It's not really easier when you have only 12 pounds...because it's easy to yo-yo between eating too much and eating too little.

    If you have trouble sticking to 1490, then that is something to listen to. with 12 pounds to lose, it really should take a while if you don't want to get into a binge/restrict cycle.

    It took me nine months to lose the last 15 pounds, and I had been logging food for a long time so I knew how much to eat. It's just hard to stick to a deficit when you have very little body fat. I had a lot of WAY over days. It's okay, I lost the weight and now it's easy to stick to my maintenance range.
  • jenlefleur31
    jenlefleur31 Posts: 21 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10070162/choosing-the-correct-activity-level

    I used this to help me decide what to put my self down for to begin with too. I think the advice off everyone else is really good and it’s also helped me a little bit too, to see that maybe I’m being a bit hard on my self! ☺️
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
    I’m 11 stone 3 at the moment
    I want to get to 10 stone if I can but I’m doing it bit by bit..
    So the 12lbs loss will be 10 stone 5 and if I can get to there...I’ll be happy
    It’s alcohol! Due to lockdown I drank 4 ciders in one day that was 1300 calories and the. I ate pizza and then obviously just did it daily and then it ended up going on :( booo!!
    I thought to at least lose a 1lb a week I’d have to do 1500 calories?
    I think it’s just the period! It’s making me want to eat sugary stuff as normal! Lol! As soon as that’s been and gone eating 1400 calories won’t be a problem
    I suppose it’s boredom aswell and maybe a bit of depression.I feel like all I do at the moment is go work, come home,pay bills sleep, repeat! I know everyone’s In the same boat too so I’m not just saying it’s just me xx but I would like to try lose them extra lbs I ate in Pizza and drank in ciders haha!
    cmriverside wrote: »
    vhopkins, you can also set your own calorie goals...so if you would like it to be (say) 1600, you can set that in Goals > Edit.

    With so little weight to lose, and with your job, I think 1700-1800 is a good place to be. It's not really easier when you have only 12 pounds...because it's easy to yo-yo between eating too much and eating too little.

    If you have trouble sticking to 1490, then that is something to listen to. with 12 pounds to lose, it really should take a while if you don't want to get into a binge/restrict cycle.

    It took me nine months to lose the last 15 pounds, and I had been logging food for a long time so I knew how much to eat. It's just hard to stick to a deficit when you have very little body fat. I had a lot of WAY over days. It's okay, I lost the weight and now it's easy to stick to my maintenance range.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    edited June 2020
    vhopkins, you're definitely not alone.

    I'm also on a sobriety forum and lots of people are struggling with alcohol and all the free time and the stress. It's understandable I guess, but a slippery slope.

    I had a very hard time losing and keeping off those last few pounds when I drank. I also had a hard time keeping my emotional state steady. I finally just threw the white flag of surrender and quit drinking completely. It's much easier (all of life is much easier) without the alcohol.

    Keep tweaking your plan! You're okay, you'll figure it out. :)
    jenlefleur31 wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10070162/choosing-the-correct-activity-level

    I used this to help me decide what to put my self down for to begin with too. I think the advice off everyone else is really good and it’s also helped me a little bit too, to see that maybe I’m being a bit hard on my self! ☺️

    Jen, if you're using a FitBit or Garmin or some body tracking device, my advice is completely different. That thread talks a lot about FitBit which is a different system and different calculations.

    vhopkins has not mentioned a FitBit or step counts which would point to a device being used.
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
    Awww I’m always here if you want a friend :) thank you so much for your friendly advice! I don’t normally drink just it’s boredom and obviously hot weather sit in garden have a few beers...ends up 1 too many calories whilst painting the fence! If it’s not beer it’s crisps!! I love crisps and I can eat a whole bag of say sensations Thai sweet chilli and I could sit there and eat the whole bag! And they are like 700 calories for one bag!
    I don’t know why I do it to myself ha ha but I have yours and everyone’s support on here!
    I’ll get back to it once this period is over eurghhh!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    :)
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