The five activity levels
| Level | Typical week | Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise, mostly sitting (desk job) | ×1.2 |
| Lightly active | Light exercise or sports 1–3 days a week | ×1.375 |
| Moderately active | Moderate exercise or sports 3–5 days a week | ×1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise or sports 6–7 days a week | ×1.725 |
| Extra active | Very hard daily training, or exercise plus a physical job | ×1.9 |
The factor multiplies your BMR to give your TDEE. Each step up adds 0.175 × BMR (17.5% of BMR), so for many people one step is worth a few hundred calories a day.
How the suggestion works
Your daily routine and your planned exercise each add points: a seated day adds none and heavy physical work adds the most; no exercise adds none and hard daily training adds the most. The total maps onto the five standard levels. For example, a desk job with three to five workouts a week comes out as moderately active, and a job on your feet with no extra exercise comes out as lightly active.
Activity levels and the official PAL categories
Nutrition scientists describe activity with a physical activity level (PAL), the ratio of total to basal energy use. The U.S. Institute of Medicine’s 2005 Dietary Reference Intakes used four categories: sedentary (PAL 1.0 to under 1.4), low active (1.4 to under 1.6), active (1.6 to under 1.9) and very active (1.9 to under 2.5). The calculator’s factors (1.2 to 1.9) sit on a similar scale but are a separate, widely used convention.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as sedentary?
Sedentary means most of your day is spent sitting and you do little or no planned exercise. Many office workers who don’t exercise fit here, even if they walk around a bit at work.
What is the difference between lightly and moderately active?
Lightly active usually means light exercise one to three days a week, or a job with some walking. Moderately active means moderate exercise three to five days a week, or a desk job plus regular workouts that raise your heart rate for 30 minutes or more.
Does walking count as exercise?
Yes, especially brisk or long walks. A daily brisk walk of 30 to 60 minutes can move many people from sedentary to lightly active. Short walks around the house are already assumed in the sedentary level.
What if my activity changes from week to week?
Choose the level that matches an average week over the past month or two. If you are between two levels, start with the lower one; it is easier to add a little food than to notice a slow upward drift.