Thread: TDEE Activity Multiplier Question

Does anyone have expert knowledge about how the activity multiplier is calculated in the Katch-McArdle formula from "Exercise Physiology" by Katch and McArdle?

I use the formula for basal metabolic rate and i think it is pretty accurate, but when I get to the activity multiplier section for total calories burned daily I feel like it may be overestimating the amount of calories that are burned above the BMR.

The options are:

Sedentary (e.g., you do no exercising and have a desk job) = 1.2
Lightly active (e.g., you participate in light exercise or sports 1 to 3 times per week) = 1.375
Moderately active (e.g., you participate in moderate exercise or sports 3 to 5 times per week) = 1.55
Very active (e.g., you train hard 6 to 7 per week in exercise and/or sports) = 1.725
Extremely Active (e.g., you exercise or play sports hard everyday & have physical job or 2X day training, i.e. marathon, contest etc.)

Personally I:

weigh around 200lbs at 11%bf

BMR calculation would be: 370+(21.6*178/2.2) = 2118

Sleep 9 hours per night
am pretty much sedentary at a desk for 14 hours per day
Exercise vigorously for 1 hour per day.

Would I use the "sedentary" multiplier or the "very active" multiplier? There is a HUGE difference in calories for each one. For maintenance for me it would mean the difference between eating 2500 calories per day and 3600 calories per day.

Anyone have any insight into how this is supposed to work?

Hope someone knows im dealing with same thing.
181lb 10% train 2X day but don't have energy during day.
Burning 500-700cals morning(before breakfast)and 600-800cals in evening.(weights/training)
Im eating 3000cals now.