Setting activity level for weight maintenance. Topic

QueenMab 11/27/16
Hi
I'm trying to maintain my current weight but am a bit unsure as to what activity level to set for myself. I'm a stay at home mum but both my children are at school. I set my level at low active as my day is spent mostly on housework, shopping and running errands.
I log exercise but only if I go to an exercise class or go for a run. I don't log housework, grocery shopping, gardening etc as exercise - for me that is just general daily activity.
Is this OK? Will this still enable me to be reasonably accurate for the number of calories I should be consuming?
Thanks in advance,
QM.

Dietitian 11/28/16 replied to QueenMab
Overall activity level setting - Hi QueenMab, generally, if you have lost weight and want to maintain that lower weight, it's a good idea to err in the direction of underestimating your total calories expenditure vs. overestimating. Ideally, we want the estimate to match the actual, but alas, there is always some error.

I use "sedentary" for my overall activity level setting since it still includes up to about a mile of incidental walking through out the day. I also log what I consider exercise, not activities of daily living. But if I choose to walk to the grocery store and it is a solid 15 min of continuous walking I'll log that. But then I don't log the shopping time.

I also use "Step Bonus" so I get credit for more active days (from activities of daily living) that are far above my activity level setting. I would recommend that option instead of "low active" activity setting. If you have Maximum membership, you can turn it on in your Settings. It will read from your Health app if you sync it to read Steps. You can also log your steps manually if you have a way to monitor it (most smartphones automatically log steps now).

More basics here:
Calories: http://www.mynetdiary.com/customizing-calorie-goals.html
Step Bonus: http://www.mynetdiary.com/step-bonus-your-reward-for-moving-more.html
Weight maintenance http://www.mynetdiary.com/weight-maintenance-with-food-diary.html

Let me know if you need more assistance.

Best,
Katherine Isacks, MPS, RDN, CDE

QueenMab 11/28/16
Thanks. Will switch to sedentary.

U1197419240 Feb 4
If that is "sedentary", is there a "less than sedentary" setting. True question for those of us that have mobility problems and can only do very basic daily activities.

Dietician Feb 5 replied to U1197419240
HI U1197419240- Currently there is not a "less than sedentary" setting. Calorie budgeting is individualized and sometimes folks need a different budget than calculated by the equations. Thus, Premium membership with MyNetDiary allows you to customize your calorie goal to best suite your situation. In good health, Joanna (MyNetDiary Dietitian)

Setting activity level for weight maintenance.