how do I know which activity level to choose...

Hey - wondering if I could get some help...

I am starting up running again and plan to run 4 times a week - about 35 minutes per run. That will be about it - other than regular daily routine (desk job and Mum of two small kids)...

When I get there (to running 4 times a week for 35mins) what activity level would you think that was - light or moderate? The definitions seems very vague to me (and really 2 hours walking a day is light??).

I always put in sedentary for my days off of work since I sit around a lot, then add the calories I burn during work out. I have a serving job in which I'm on my feet for 12 hours running back and forth, so for those days I put light activity and then add the calories I burn if I go to the gym afterwards. I guess it's up to you how you do it though.

If *all* you're doing exercise-wise is the running, I'd say that's "lightly active".  If you have kids at home to chase or stand up a lot at work, that'd bump you up to "moderately active".

Yes, two hours of walking a day is "light".  Your body gets used to exercise, so those two hours of walking would likely only burn a couple of hundred calories per day over and above your resting metabolic rate. 

I've had the same question since I joined CC...  I literally do nothing but sit at a desk all day, but I run 3-5 miles every morning, 4-5 times a week.  If you're asking this question based on how many cals you should be eating, I recommend checking out these links for more specific answers on how many cals you burn:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/

http://www.phord.com/cc/

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calc ulator.htm

I hope it helps!

ever site i check for how many cals i should eat a day gives me a different number...errr

2babettermom-- yeah i noticed that too... I just tried them all and ended up going with the one that felt best for me and my level of workout

i just went with my own lol i'm eating 1500 cal a day give or take alittle and for the past 4 weeks i've lost 2lbs a week...so i'm going to stick with this as it seems to be working!

I'd realy appreciate some similar advice, I do power pilates for 30 mins first thing 4/5 mornings a week and I do 45 mins aerobics once a week, my days are quite actitve (I'm a first year medical student so I spend minimum 30 mins walking moderately fast carrying heavy textbooks on weekdays and spend 1 day a week on my feet all day in the hospital)

Any ideas what my activity level would be?

if your trying to lose weight go to sedentary....it's better to low ball your calories. then add on extra activities that are high impact (like at the gym).  I run 7-12 miles a day....so i keep mine at sedentary and log my run.  Any extra walking around i do etc is just kind of negligible...like if i eat an extra hanful of rasins..no big deal.