activity level upped & adding exercises & calories burned?

I think I have asked this before, and I'll ask it again, since I don't know what it is on the forum here.

I bumped up my activity level from sedentary to light.  I was told that working out 4 or 5x weekly would/could put in that category instead of sedentary.  I am sedentary, for the most part on days I am not working out.

MY QUESTION IS THIS:  How do I account for my workouts & calories burned during those workouts?  Would I use the number offered to me here on the site.  I don't take the numbers of the machines too seriously as they do not take in enough information about me, personally.

When I had my activity level set on sedentary I accounted for every calorie burned.  Now I don't know if I can/should still do the same.  I don't want to cheat myself in either direction.

I would appreciate those who are really know about this to answer. 
I don't mean to sound stand-offish by any means.  I know everyone will have an opinion.

What I am looking for are some hard facts.

Thanks to all of you

and have another great day!

r

Either leave the setting on sedentary and account for your activities or use the light setting (depending on the intensity of exercise you may even want to go to 'moderate') and that will include your activities in the general daily burn. But keep in mind that neither of these is going to be particularly accurate because there are a lot of factors that go into how many calories people burn. 

Personally, I gauge my calorie burn by measuring and documenting my calorie intake so I know the specific number going in and tracking the results over a few weeks. If I lose weight, I know I'm burning more than I'm taking in. If I gain, I'm eating more and if I maintain I'm about even. Then I adjust according to what my goals are. You start to get a feel for keeping the balance over time. There are some new tools for monitoring calorie expenditure like the bodybugg, but they are expensive and I don't know if they are accurate.

Good luck.

Thanks for answering, wallpaper.

When I work out I do so pretty vigorously and I work out for a good two hours, at the very least one and a half hours.  That's four or five times a week, which, I guess is why it was suggested to up my level.  Not getting enough nurtients & calories can hinder the results I am looking for, which is to be a couple pounds less and definetly quite LEAN!  That's why I upped my protein intake as well, and lowered my fat intake.  Even though all my fats were healthy, from organic p.b. and sunflower seeds, flax seeds, etc.  I still cut down on those.

I'm 54 and am 5'3".  So getting to where I want to be is a lot more difficult than it was even five or six years ago.  Darn!

Ego and vanity, whatever would we do without a little of these in our lives?  LoL!

I bought a HRM and let me say that the calories I burnt was off from what it says on the activity log is much less! I would say like 25 to 35% less.