What DOES sedentary include?

I've been on this site for over a year now, and I've never been really sure where to set my activity level...

so can anyone say what "sedentary" actually includes? I feel like the description under tools are too vague for me.

I currently have my setting at sedentary and add my daily runs, nothing else. Most days I do a fair amount of walking, and going up and down 3 flights of stairs a minimum of 3 times per day. However, there are some days that I spend several hours sitting and reading or watching tv. My job (4 nights a week) is bartending, some nights it's crazy busy, but some nights I'm pretty much just standing around for 9 hours...I can't seem to lose the last 5 lbs, so I"m wondering if my activity setting could be the culprit---ie. too few calories.

So to reiterate...what the heck does "sedentary" include?

I would not consider you sedentary, you are probably 1 or 2 levels above that especially on the days you exercise. Buy a pedometer and you'll get an idea of what sedentary really looks like. The goal with a pedometer is reach 10,000 steps, that's about 5 miles of walking, putting most people in the light active or active category. I was shocked to find out on days when I don't exercise and just go to and from a desk, I walked only 2,000 steps, about one mile. That means I really only burn about 1500 calories a day. That's sedentary. Even on the lowest sitting of calorie count, it says I need 1700 calories, so obviously it overestimates what I do on a daily basis.

I think if you imagine a typical office worker - that's sedentary. 8+ hours sitting at a desk, with walking to the car or bus stop, to the office, a little bit around the office (maybe a few flights of stairs), back home, sitting at home, cooking, daily cleaning (not a full fledged spring cleaning), cooking, grocery shopping, light lawn care.

Even if you are just standing for 9 hours but especially if you are running around, that's still more than sedentary, in my opinion. For me, I'd burn 90 calories sitting, and 140 standing. That 50 calories doens't mean much if it's just for an hour, but over 9 hours... I'd be burning 450 more calories than if I'd spent that time sitting. I'd say make your activity level at least "light" and still log your daily runs.

Thanks so much for the replies guys...I have a pedometer around here somewhere, maybe I should dig it out!

I usually run every day, but I've been trying to take a day off (symptoms of burn out!) So do you think that I should leave my activity at "light" on that day off, or lower it?

Thanks again!

If you are setting your activity level to "light" for the bartending,  you are still going to be logging the running. On the days you don't run, you just don't log it. If you want to set your activity level so you don't have to log anything, put it to at least moderate, but I'd say keep it there even on days you don't run - it'll even out.

Hello,

Here is a chart from a powerpoint class I teach, maybe this will be helpful;

Sedentary; a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

Moderately active; a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour

Active; a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour

Jennifer

The Healthier You

Even if you're just standing in one spot for your bartending job, you're still burning more calories than somebody sitting down at a computer because you've got to hold yourself upright against gravity... you need to log your working time to account for those extra calories.