Activity Level?

I recently read from a couple of sources that jogging is considered vigorous activity. All this time, I was considering it so far away from vigorous that I wasn't even factoring it in to my calorie calculations. For a while, I've been trying to figure out why I've been craving more food and I was trying to tell myself that this is how I'm supposed to feel on a caloric deficit. Now, I'm thinking I need to eat more, but I'm still reluctant to increase my activity level from the usual "Moderately Active" to the "Very Active" category.

Could I please have your assessments based on these activities?
-Wendler 5/3/1 program (main lift + 2 assistance lifts) (3 days/week)
-Jogging 5mph for 30 minutes (everyday)
-Walking 30 minutes (done only when I work up the motivation, estimate a conservative 2 days/week)
-My lifestyle also has me walking at least 45 minutes everyday (walking from my barracks to work and back a few times a day)
-A couple quick ab workouts on off days just to ensure I meet the standards for our PT tests

Yes, I am in the military if you couldn't tell from above. No, that does not factor in because I am on voluntary PT and the work is mostly sedentary.

Jogging everyday will definitely bring up your TDEE. It looks like you are fairly active, so your maintenance calories will probably be quite high.

Use the stickies if you want to calculate an accurate number, and definitely include all of those points.

Try one level, monitor your weight change for a few weeks, adjust as necessary. The activity factors just provide "best guesstimates" but you still need to observe and tweak. It's not a critical issue if your initial guess is incorrect. Going from 1.4 to 1.5, at my stats, is a difference of 180 cals -- essentially 2 pieces of bread.

[QUOTE=MrBillson;1069929681]Jogging everyday will definitely bring up your TDEE. It looks like you are fairly active, so your maintenance calories will probably be quite high.

Use the stickies if you want to calculate an accurate number, and definitely include all of those points.[/QUOTE]

By stickies, I assume you refer to just the one titled "Calculating Calorie & Macronutrient Needs" as it seems to be the only relevant one there. I have already looked at it, but I had to stop pursuing it once I reached the TEE part. First of all, as is typical of all calorie calculators, the activity level isn't specific enough. It increases 3 factors at once (daily lifestyle, frequency of workouts, and intensity of workouts). This makes it difficult for me to guess which one I am because I can say I workout 7 days a week, but intensity varies and outside of exercise, I'm pretty much sedentary. Also, I was unable to determine if jogging is considered hard exercise. It certainly doesn't feel like it, but other sources say otherwise. Judging my 5/3/1 program is equally confusing. On the one hand, I know intensity is high, but I'm only doing it 3 days per week. So does it fall under moderate exercise 3-5 days/week, or hard exercise 6-7 days/week?

Anyway, I know I'm not supposed to rely totally on calorie calculators, but if I made the mistake of setting my calories too low, I will lose weight and think everything's fine. But what I won't realize until much later is that some of that weight will have been muscle. Obviously, I want to prevent that. But also, I've been feeling really deprived, which might be due to too few calories. If I can eat more and still lose weight, than I need to know so I can make adjustments.

[QUOTE=atmetal;1069969711]By stickies, I assume you refer to just the one titled "Calculating Calorie & Macronutrient Needs" as it seems to be the only relevant one there. I have already looked at it, but I had to stop pursuing it once I reached the TEE part. First of all, as is typical of all calorie calculators, [B]the activity level isn't specific enough[/B]. It increases 3 factors at once (daily lifestyle, frequency of workouts, and intensity of workouts). This makes it difficult for me to guess which one I am because I can say I workout 7 days a week, but intensity varies and outside of exercise, I'm pretty much sedentary. Also, I was unable to determine if jogging is considered hard exercise. It certainly doesn't feel like it, but other sources say otherwise. Judging my 5/3/1 program is equally confusing. On the one hand, I know intensity is high, but I'm only doing it 3 days per week. So does it fall under moderate exercise 3-5 days/week, or hard exercise 6-7 days/week?

Anyway, I know I'm not supposed to rely totally on calorie calculators, but if I made the mistake of setting my calories too low, I will lose weight and think everything's fine. But what I won't realize until much later is that some of that weight will have been muscle. Obviously, I want to prevent that. But also, I've been feeling really deprived, which might be due to too few calories. If I can eat more and still lose weight, than I need to know so I can make adjustments.[/QUOTE]

Start with the one that is closest to your activity level, and see how it works. Adjust after a few weeks, if necessary. It's not going to be perfect the first time.

[QUOTE=atmetal;1069927441]I recently read from a couple of sources that jogging is considered vigorous activity. All this time, I was considering it so far away from vigorous that I wasn't even factoring it in to my calorie calculations. For a while, I've been trying to figure out why I've been craving more food and I was trying to tell myself that this is how I'm supposed to feel on a caloric deficit. Now, I'm thinking I need to eat more, but I'm still reluctant to increase my activity level from the usual "Moderately Active" to the "Very Active" category.

Could I please have your assessments based on these activities?
-Wendler 5/3/1 program (main lift + 2 assistance lifts) (3 days/week)
-Jogging 5mph for 30 minutes (everyday)
-Walking 30 minutes (done only when I work up the motivation, estimate a conservative 2 days/week)
-My lifestyle also has me walking at least 45 minutes everyday (walking from my barracks to work and back a few times a day)
-A couple quick ab workouts on off days just to ensure I meet the standards for our PT tests

Yes, I am in the military if you couldn't tell from above. No, that does not factor in because I am on voluntary PT and the work is mostly sedentary.[/QUOTE]

Aware.
I considered myself sedentary as I walk only about 75 minutes/day at a moderate pace with intensive weight training 3x a week, roughly 75 minutes per...
Did the little online test thing, told me I was 'very active'.

Try this: [url]http://www.shapeup.org/fitness/assess/level1.html[/url]

[QUOTE=Hunttarded;1069996441]I considered myself sedentary as I walk only about 75 minutes/day at a moderate pace with intensive weight training 3x a week, roughly 75 minutes per...
Did the little online test thing, told me I was 'very active'.[/QUOTE]

I can't describe in words how long I've been looking for a test like that. Sure enough, it declared me as "Very Active" as well. This might explain why recovery has been an issue for me for a while now (not eating enough). Thanks everybody