Activity level

[frobie]

Hello,


Last year I hit my weight goal of 170lb however, once again I have regained over 40lb due to uni and a GF.


However, I don't feel as I have taken a big step back as (i hope) some of it is muscle gain and I have learnt alot and believe I can do it much more better this time.


Anyway back to the topic


Question 1


I'm trying to work out my BMR and would like to know what my activity level is?

I work a desk job and I exercise between 6-7 times a week.


I do around 1hr 30 min of exercise.


1 hr on a bike, around 9-13 mph. Usually end up covering a distance of 10 miles at high resistance (level 7 / 8)

30 min on weights and sit ups.

Occasionally clean up the office around once a week, which usually takes 30min - 1hr

Occasionally clean up my kitchen once a week, which usually takes 30min - 1hr



I am using this formula to work out my BMR (Thanks to a post by CaraCooks)


66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)
For women:
655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years).

The official multipliers for activity are the same for men and women:
1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training): BMR x 1.9


I am assuming my activity level is 'very active' however it states 'hard exercise' and I'm not sure if that is the level of exercise I am doing.


Question 2


I weigh 212.6lb (weighed myself in the morning )

I am 5ft 10 and I am eating around 2000 calories a day.


I weigh myself before I go sleep (for science) and weigh myself again when I wake up before I go to the bathroom.

Every morning I notice that I weigh around 0.3-0.5lb less. I havn't been to the bathroom, so everything that was in my system last night is still there in the morning. I havn't been sweating in my sleep.


Where does the 0.3-0.5lb go? Is that my fat leaving my system? Where does it go? How does fat leave the body?


I know that fat is used as energy but where does it go? It has to go somewhere.

 

[allcdnboy1]

1) Just count the calories you eat during the day and watch the scale. Much easier than all that math because the math is only a standard and isn't catered to you.


2) heat and sweat. Most of what you are losing at night is just water.

 

[frobie]

I'm confused. How can I know how many calories to eat, if I don't do the math.


Everybody has a different BMR.


I don't see how counting the calories I consume and watching a scale will make me lose weight.

 

[PLB]

Hey frobie,


1. For the amount of activity that you do, I would put you at "moderately active", given the amount of activity that you're doing. It doesn't sound like you would fit into the "very active" category.


I think what AllCdnBoy was maybe trying to say was not to get too stuck on the BMR calculations. Without proper testing, you will never know what your BMR actually is. I also think that he meant to say that you should keep track of the calories that you eat per day, keep track of your weight, then adjust your daily caloric intake as needed if you're not losing weight.


Now I will say it - don't get stuck on these BMR calculations! People tend to underestimate the calories that they eat and grossly overestimate how many calories they burn while they exercise. You will probably find this article useful: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/


2. As AllCdnBoy already said: heat and sweat. Your body still has to use calories to survive when you are asleep. As a result, part of some of the calories burned get released as heat energy. Also, even though you weigh yourself before going to the bathroom in the morning, you may still lose some body water through sweating during the night.