I don't trust the "activity level"

jconner1984
jconner1984 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss

So I'm trying to lose 10 lbs from 190 to 180. But I don't trust the activity level in the goals section…

I work as a janitor/housekeeper.

I bike home from work every day for 3 miles. And I've picked up kettlebell training for 3 times a week at 20 minutes each time.

So I set the activity to "sedintary" and that gives me 2k calories a day. And yet if I set it to moderately active, it's more like 2800 calories a day if I want to lose 1 lb a week.

I am dang sure that my calorie cut is way too severe. But I'd be lying if I said it doesn't make me paranoid to pound back 2500 calories a day.

But at 2k a day; the food noise is an absolute nightmare.

Can the activity level be trusted? Because I don't know how to call it and if I set it to "moderate", I can eat 700 more calories today and I would feel so much better.

Answers

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 2,198 Member
    edited November 15
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10952067/i-dont-trust-the-activity-level

    Why in God's name would you have it at sedentary with the amount of activity you are doing? You would be considered active at least, if not very active. That might solve your calorie problem.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 38,362 Community Helper

    As is so often the case, I agree with Sollyn: Active. Definitely not sedentary.

    I want to add this, which is an old Russian proverb: Trust, but verify.

    Your calorie goal is basically the statistical average calorie need of someone who filled in the same profile values you did. In practice, individuals vary.

    Your calorie goal based on profile entries is just a starting point. Yeah, try to be accurate: You sure as heck aren't sedentary.

    Now, follow your starting calorie goal fairly closely for 4-6 weeks, say around +/- 50 calories on average per day. Log everything you eat and drink that has calories, as accurately as practical. For people who have them, go for at least one full menstrual cycle to compare weight at the same relative point in two different cycles.

    At the end of that time, compare actual average weekly weight loss to your target loss rate. If it's close, you're all set: You're close to average. If it's noticeably high or low, adjust using the concept that 500 calories per day is a pound a week, applying arithmetic for partial pounds. Most people are close to average, with accurate profile entries. A few may be noticeably high or low, and a rare few surprisingly far off. You'll get your best estimate of your actual calorie needs from your logging and your weight changes over multiple weeks.

    It's only a matter of trust at the start. A statistical average is a better starting point than a guess, and better than some other random person's individual experience, that's all.

    Best wishes!

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,566 Member

    you need to take a week and you need to count all your calories and if you weight has been fairly stable that is your actual maintenance based on all your activities and lifestyle and diet. That number is going to be a lot more important than trying to get numbers off of some calculator because when you do that, you can basically spin your wheels for over a month until you figure out that is an incorrect amount of calories

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,941 Member
    edited 2:44PM
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48835421#Comment_48835421

    I'd say a week isn't long enough. Too many factors can influence weight in a week. A month at one calorie amount is more likely to give a good data set.

    Sure, you can try to speed the process by using one week's results. I just think it's wishful thinking. The body does not turn on a dime.

    @jconner1984 try it at the calorie level that quiets the food noise. Do that for a month, then adjust in small (like 200-300 per day) increments, not 500-800 calories per day. You can Edit your calories manually, you don't have to use the default numbers. This is your experiment to run, don't get too hung up on myfitnesspal's numbers, they're not always the right numbers. They're based on statistical averages and as you've already learned, the Activity Level settings are hard to pin down. Same with Exercise calories. Hard to guesstimate accurately.

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,566 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48836181#Comment_48836181

    a week gets you close enough without having to spend another month at maintenance.

  • SuzanneC1l9zz
    SuzanneC1l9zz Posts: 515 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48836434#Comment_48836434

    Not necessarily. I can't see OP's gender stated anywhere and for a woman with a menstrual cycle it definitely doesn't.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 38,362 Community Helper
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48836434#Comment_48836434

    Maybe, maybe not . . . but 'maybe' applies only because OP's profile says he's male. For sure, a week is not enough for women who are not solidly into stable menopause.

    Besides, there are multiple signs that OP is at risk of undereating, not at maintenance.

    If ten pounds is all he has to lose, a month at maintenance isn't life-threatening anyway; and getting a solid experience-based estimate of personal calorie needs is information with some long-term value.

Categories