What activity level would you say I am?

[CRSunrise]

I was just on a post where someone posted this information:

Here is a guide to the activity level when you do the calculation.

Sedentary.  Little to no regular exercise.   (factor 1.2)

Mild activity level: Intensive exercise for at least 20 minutes 1 to 3 times per week. This may include such things as bicycling, jogging, basketball, swimming, skating, etc.  If you do not exercise regularly, but you maintain a busy life style that requires you to walk frequently for long periods, you meet the requirements of this level.  (factor 1.375)

Moderate activity level: Intensive exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 4 times per week. Any of the activities listed above will qualify.    (factor 1.55)

Heavy or (Labor-intensive) activity level: Intensive exercise for 60 minutes or greater 5 to 7 days per week (see sample activities above).  Labor-intensive occupations also qualify for this level.  Labor-intensive occupations include construction work (brick laying, carpentry, general labor, etc.). Also farming, landscape worker or similar occupations.     (factor 1.7)

Extreme level: Exceedingly active and/or very demanding activities:  Examples include:  (1) athlete with an almost unstoppable training schedule with multiple training sessions throughout the day  (2) very demanding job, such as shoveling coal or working long hours on an assembly line. Generally, this level of activity is very difficult to achieve.  (factor 1.9)

I'm wonding what level I might be considered. I exercise every day at least 5 miles, although I'm trying to increase that mileage. Would I be considered Heavy or Labor-Intensive?

[A_Lurker]

Duration of extended exercise times is the key, not just how many miles you walk during the day.  Look at the active time in your profile (it's not visible, so I'll use mine).

The lightly active is the highest line, so I tend to consider myself lightly active.  I have the premium account that has a few more reports (nice, but not necessary) and the activity report usually reports me as lightly active, although sometimes active.  Look at yours and see which of your lines is highest.

Heavy activity level means that you are exerting yourself for 60 mins a day or greater on 5-7 days a week.  This would be sustained work-outs, and 60 mins usually means plenty of sweat. 

[COLLINS1962]

if you achieve in 5 miles one hour i would say you are a moderate

[shipo]

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@CRSunrise wrote:

I'm wonding what level I might be considered. I exercise every day at least 5 miles, although I'm trying to increase that mileage. Would I be considered Heavy or Labor-Intensive?

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When you say "every day", does that mean 7-days per week?  If so, I'd rank you as a 1.60-1.65 on the scale.

[brerbill]

@CRSunrise - Based on the model you provided, I would classify you as being on the lower end of "Heavy" because you not only exercise for 5 miles 3-4 times a week as reqired in the "Moderate" level, but you do that 7 days a week, which is a significant increase over the parameters of the "Moderate" level (assuming your 5 miles is about an hour each time).

[CRSunrise]

@brerbill - if I do my 5 miles straight, I'd take me close to 2 hours to do so.

[Ukase]

Maybe I can learn something here. 

What difference does it make if you're light or heavy or in between? You're still eating X and burning X+Y (we hope). The Fitbit counts the steps as you take them and extrapolates that information into an estimate of calories burned. Whether you're working up a lather, or just moseying down the road - the numbers are what they are. Aren't they? 

My understanding of the Sedentary or Active setting on the food log page has to do with estimating your caloric burn at the end of the day based on either sedentary or active data. Seems to me, the safest thing is to tell it you're sedentary, regardless of your activity level. Or - are you talking about something else entirely? 

[WendyB]

Well you are not this: Walking is not labor Intensive

Heavy or (Labor-intensive) activity level: Intensive exercise for 60 minutes or greater 5 to 7 days per week (see sample activities above).  Labor-intensive occupations also qualify for this level.  Labor-intensive occupations include construction work (brick laying, carpentry, general labor, etc.). Also farming, landscape worker or similar occupations.     (factor 1.7)

I agree it really doesnt make any  difference. As long as you are moving that is what counts

[emili]

Walking at a normal pace for five miles is not heavy activity. Walking is not considered intense movement. Running for five miles.. is a different story. If you are running your own numbers to figure out your TDEE then this information is useful. Otherwise, keep doing what you're doing- provided its working and don't worry about all the extra stuff that just takes up space...

[GershonSurge]

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@CRSunrise wrote:

I was just on a post where someone posted this information:

Here is a guide to the activity level when you do the calculation.

Sedentary.  Little to no regular exercise.   (factor 1.2)

Mild activity level: Intensive exercise for at least 20 minutes 1 to 3 times per week. This may include such things as bicycling, jogging, basketball, swimming, skating, etc.  If you do not exercise regularly, but you maintain a busy life style that requires you to walk frequently for long periods, you meet the requirements of this level.  (factor 1.375)

Moderate activity level: Intensive exercise for at least 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 4 times per week. Any of the activities listed above will qualify.    (factor 1.55)

Heavy or (Labor-intensive) activity level: Intensive exercise for 60 minutes or greater 5 to 7 days per week (see sample activities above).  Labor-intensive occupations also qualify for this level.  Labor-intensive occupations include construction work (brick laying, carpentry, general labor, etc.). Also farming, landscape worker or similar occupations.     (factor 1.7)

Extreme level: Exceedingly active and/or very demanding activities:  Examples include:  (1) athlete with an almost unstoppable training schedule with multiple training sessions throughout the day  (2) very demanding job, such as shoveling coal or working long hours on an assembly line. Generally, this level of activity is very difficult to achieve.  (factor 1.9)

I'm wondering what level I might be considered. I exercise every day at least 5 miles, although I'm trying to increase that mileage. Would I be considered Heavy or Labor-Intensive?

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In my opinion, the categories above are to estimate a person's daily calories burned based on their lifestyle. They multiply their Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) by the factor to get the calories.

You can find your factor by dividing your average calorie burn by your RMR. Use this to determine your activity level.

[Vic007luvl]

where did you find the graph

[Dominique]

@Vic007luvl: if you referred to the graph posted by @A_Lurker, it’s available under your profile. With your current settings, it’s only visible to you and your (Fitbit) friends.

[Vic007luvl]

This is the graph I found:

I dont know where I'd put myself in the active level

 

[Dominique]

OK, so you’ve found the graph with the activity curves for the last 30 days. Now, why is it important for you to know which standard activity level category they would put you in? These standard activity levels are typically used by calculators such as this one, in order to estimate your TDEE. However, as a Fitbit user, you already have an estimate of your TDEE that is based on your real activity level for each day: it’s the "calories burned" number reported everyday. If you are more active one week and less active the next week, your Fitbit should be able to take this into account. Likewise, if you have one or two resting days during the week, while the remaining five-six days are more active, this should also be reflected in your calories burned for each day. Thus, as I see it, it’s more important to assess how accurate calories burned reported by Fitbit are, rather than where you stand with regards to the five standard activity levels.

[Konababe]

I looked under my profile and didn't find a chart, but it isn't essential for what I do each day.

[Dominique]

@Konababe: if you look at your profile as yourself, you should see that very same graph: