Stay at home moms (or dads)

lilsassymom
lilsassymom Posts: 407 Member
edited October 6 in Food and Nutrition
I am a stay at home Mom of 3 daughters aged 4 and under. I am just wondering what people like me should set their settings to on MFP? I have it set to "sedentary" but I am wondering if I should have it set to "lightly active" instead?

Even if you don't have kids or are a stay at home parent please tell me what you think I should set my settings to because I really have no clue:huh: ...it will be a difference of 130 calories---and so I am just curious what I SHOULD be eating.

Anyone else a stay-at-home parent---what are your settings set to? Thanks!

Replies

  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    I am not a stay at home mom (but my hubby is a stay at hom dad :) ). Anyway, I would say you are up and down a lot chasing after your little ones so I would say lightly active. Plus, I'm sure you are picking up toys, cleaning, etc. throughout your day.
  • AEcklar813
    AEcklar813 Posts: 184 Member
    I am a SAHM mommy to a 2 yr old daughter. I have mine set at lightly active. This is mainly due to the fact that I do vacuum, do laundry, and dishes daily as well as other cleaning. I also exercise 5-6 days a week as well. Hope this helps a bit!
  • kiwi_dee
    kiwi_dee Posts: 160 Member
    When I was at home I had it set to sedentary and logged any workouts I did and any vigourous (out of the ordinary housework). Anything else was just bonus calories burned :smile:
  • Mom2Asa
    Mom2Asa Posts: 109 Member
    I am a SAHM and originally had mine on sedentary and then changed it to the next one becuase I do not sit often and constantly running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I think it has worked better for me since changing it and upping my calories. I think my calories were too low because I could be spot on them and feel sick like it wasn't enough, when I changed it I feel much better and still loosing weight, maybe at a better rate (prior to the holidays).
  • ktndj82104
    ktndj82104 Posts: 85
    i have mine set at sedetary
  • lynzobp
    lynzobp Posts: 16 Member
    3 kids 4 n under u r def active thats not easy give urself credit wer credit is do im sure ur cleanin up messes doin laundry dishes.play time cleanin the house chasin them let alone dr apts n reg arrons grocery shoppin cookin im not a mom yet but i fully understand what it intales n it takes more than a sedentary person to run a household with little ones
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    I used sedentary but then I added stuff like cooking and housework. The bonus for me personally was extra motivation to clean. It worked for me. Lost 40 pounds.
  • Mom2Asa
    Mom2Asa Posts: 109 Member
    3 kids 4 n under u r def active thats not easy give urself credit wer credit is do im sure ur cleanin up messes doin laundry dishes.play time cleanin the house chasin them let alone dr apts n reg arrons grocery shoppin cookin im not a mom yet but i fully understand what it intales n it takes more than a sedentary person to run a household with little ones

    You are AWESOME!! For not having kids and recgonizing what it takes to stay at home is well I don't have a word LOL.....I love it and I run 2 businesses from home but some days I think about going back to work 8-5 in an office for a break--I feel like I work harder now than ever before in my life!!
  • PetersonMatthew
    PetersonMatthew Posts: 111
    Hello, I am a stay at home dad. We only have one son at 14 months. I have mine set at Lightly Active. Feel free to add me
  • Marley112586
    Marley112586 Posts: 168 Member
    I have mine set to sedentary. I have 2 daughters ages 2 and 1. But like you said its only a small difference in calories. I was wondering the same thing though. I just figured but under than over :)
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I set mine at sedentary, and then if I do housework or whatever I'll add it in as exercise. But that's just me. I *am* sedentary. It's really up to you. There are definitions beside each choice. If you're on your feet around 8 hours a day, that's lightly active. If you're walking for much of the day, that's the next one up. I don't think most stay-at-home moms are on their feet 8 hours a day, but you might be, I don't know. You're the only one who can answer that. Try one out, and if it's not working for you, change it. :)
  • Lainn
    Lainn Posts: 281 Member
    I am a SAHM with 3 girls too! :happy:

    I put mine as "lightly active" because I really never stop moving during the day. Between laundry, cooking , home schooling, errands, 3 VERY active girls, and house cleaning I never sit for longer than 1hr at a time. But I also am still breastfeeding...so I have to take that into consideration. While I have not upped my calories due to that, I think the difference between lightly active and sedentary makes up for it.

    Hope you get it figured out!
  • karenhs2
    karenhs2 Posts: 197
    My four children are older (23, 21, 15 and 10) and I do a lot of stuff at my computer and I am not a great housekeeper so I set mine to sedentary and then I log any substantial activity. However, with toddlers, I think that lightly active would probably work just fine even though you would often be VERY active! Remember you can always change it if you find it isn't working as well as you would like.
  • Sd0510
    Sd0510 Posts: 295 Member
    My son is 1 and a half, but I just put sedentary. I figure it will make up for when MFP over exaggerates my calories since I do not own a HRM yet.
  • kenzietea
    kenzietea Posts: 614 Member
    I am neither, but I am a nanny to a 2 year old when I am not in school. I would definitely say lightly active. That girl has me running around all day, and when she is taking a nap, I am cleaning up. Sometimes I pop in a work out video while we are together and she does it will me (<--slightly off topic but it is hilarious to watch!)
  • prolifegirly
    prolifegirly Posts: 8
    I guess it really is going to depend on what you honestly see yourself doing most of the day. I am a SAHM of an almost 2 yr old and an almost 3 yr old, and 2 dogs in an apartment. My husband is gone most of the time so I am "busy" but I honestly know that most of the day I am sitting so I set mine to sedentary. I have only been on MFP for a month, but have continued to lose weight (lost about 6 lbs so far---after having lost 15 with WW). I think you need to analyze what you are doing most of the day and guess the most accurate. I saw results the first week, so you should know whether or not you need to change your setting,

    I have been keeping my net calories at or under my 1470 goal (after exercise etc), and it's working very well. And of course the more you exercise the faster your metabolism. I know I clean a lot and have a lot of responsibilities..diapers...feeding...laundry...dogs..., but they stress me out, more than work me out. Good luck!
  • skinnyjess15
    skinnyjess15 Posts: 82
    Mine is set to moderately active, I think? I have 5 kids and am constantly on the move, whether it be doing laundry, running errands, cooking meals, cleaning house, etc, etc. You get the jist.
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
    I have mine set to lightly active. I also spend most of my day standing.
  • LauraPankratz
    LauraPankratz Posts: 12 Member
    I had mine set to sedentary but just recently changed it to lightly active.
  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    I did have mine set to sedentary but combined with a weight loss goal of 1 lb per week I was also really really hungry all the time. I left my activity level at sedentary but changed my goal to 0.5 lb per week and have found it a lot easier to stick at my amount of calories, and I've still been losing at least 0.5 lb per week, if not more. It works out to much the same as if I had my goal at 1 lb per week and activity level at lightly active. Either way I just find it easier to hit a calorie goal of 1500-ish rather than 1200-ish. That's me...I'm a hungry person. :ohwell:
  • kp_88
    kp_88 Posts: 53 Member
    Mine is set to lightly active. I am up and down all day, picking up toys, making bottles, changing diapers, doing dishes, vacuuming, running around playing, cooking, giving baths, cleaning up messes, going to the grocery store, lifting my kids, going to the park. I'm definetly not sedentary, and up can't imagine that with that many little ones you are just sitting around all day. Being a mommy is tough business, give yourself some credit! I only have two little ones, so I'm sure you are working much harder than me! Good luck on your journey!
  • Izzywishes
    Izzywishes Posts: 10
    I have 5 kids aged from 16 to 3 years old. I set mine to sedentary even through I am always doing jobs like school runs, washing, cleaning, picking up toys etc.
  • krista010105
    krista010105 Posts: 149 Member
    i have 4 kids ages 9,7, 2 and 3 months. i set mine at the lowest level with no activity cause you really dont burn calories until your heart rate is elevated for a good amount of time. doing laundry, dishes, general cleaning and general playing with legos, coloring and other mommy tasks for me dont break a sweat and dont keep my heart rate elevated for very long. mine says 1200 calories should be my intake though i did move it manually to 1500 since i should add 300 calories a day since im breastfeeding so mine is currently at 1500 calores a day.
  • beckyyoungers
    beckyyoungers Posts: 18
    I was wondering the same thing! I just joined and I'm trying to choose between lightly active and moderately active. There's no way I'm sedentary, I live in a three story house and am up and down the stairs all day, running errands, walking to/from school, standing while cooking, etc. If I set it to lightly active then I only get 1660 cals/day. That just seems like such a small amount to me. :(

    I haven't actually started tracking yet, I'm kicking it all off on New Year's day so I have a couple more days to think about it...

    Forgot to add, I have three kids ages 8, 6, and 2.
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