Swimming... exercise calories disappear
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LadyLilion
Posts: 276 Member
I know I should understand this... but I just don't get it. At 6:00 I had a 175 calorie adjustment based on my steps. I went swimming for an hour. Tried to put it in fitbit, but the stupid thing wants distance! So I put it in MFP. It says i burned 600 calories. Fitbit took them virtually all away. Why? It now shows zero steps and 225 calories burned. (I'm estimating all these numbers because I got pissed off and deleted the fitbit adjustment altogether.)
If I have an exercise adjustment... and do MORE exercise...why do I get this tiny adjustment for it...like 50 calories...and lose my steps? I definitely burned more than 50 calories swimming laps for an hour. I do not have negative adjustments turned on.
If I have an exercise adjustment... and do MORE exercise...why do I get this tiny adjustment for it...like 50 calories...and lose my steps? I definitely burned more than 50 calories swimming laps for an hour. I do not have negative adjustments turned on.
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Replies
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You entered a workout for 600 calories on MFP.
That synced over to Fitbit and replaced whatever it had for that chunk of time. Obviously an increase (that would be some hard swimming too to reach that per hour).
Fitbit synced back over to MFP a new daily calorie burn total which was higher.
MFP did math and came up with new adjustment to match Fitbit.
Since MFP already knows about the 600, and it knows Fitbit knows about it - it must remove it from the adjustment.
So the adjustment will only match or go higher if you were still more active than MFP thought _outside_ of the exercise you entered.
Some pretend figures for math.
Prior to adjustment @ 6pm (25% of day left)
Fitbit 1675
MFP total daily 2000, at this point figures 500 left for day, or 1500 burned already.
Fitbit 1675 + 500 rest of day = Fitbit adjusted 2175
2175 - 2000 MFP = 175 adjustment.
Eating goal say is 500 cal deficit to 2000 daily burn - so 1500 eating goal base.
goal 1500 + 175 adjustment = 1675 new eating goal.
(2175-1675 still 500 cal deficit).
Let's say you did swim logging on MFP right then at 6pm (since nice even % to day), for what took place from 5-6pm when Fitbit saw nothing but BMR 1600 level burn (no steps are given that rate).
BMR 1600 / 24 hrs = 67 cal/hr BMR burn
Fitbit 1675 replaced 67 with 600 you logged = 2208 Fitbit
Fitbit 2208 + 500 rest of day = Fitbit adjusted 2708
2708 - 2000 MFP - 600 exercise = 108 cal adjustment.
base eating goal 1500 + 108 adjustment + 600 exercise = 2208 new eating goal.
(2708 - 2208 still 500 cal deficit)
Steps show on MFP is merely reported from Fitbit - not used in any math. If they disappeared then syncing issue, or Fitbit account issue.
MFP receives total calories burned from Fitbit - that's it. It figures the adjustment.
This is assuming all the extra syncs happened correctly - hence the reason to log workouts on Fitbit - which also calculate calories better. Then only 1 sync. Not 2 extra required.
Fitbit for swimming also allows option for intensity instead of known distance. Still need an idea of speed.
Basically keep the fact in mind - that adjustment is NOT a workout calorie burn.
As shown above - it's merely the difference between Fitbit calories burned and MFP expected calories burned.
You've likely noticed days with no workout but big adjustment from increased daily activity.
Or big workout but really tired and a small adjustment.0 -
Fitbit 1675 replaced 67 with 600 you logged = 2208 Fitbit
Fitbit 2208 + 500 rest of day = Fitbit adjusted 2708
2708 - 2000 MFP - 600 exercise = 108 cal adjustment.
base eating goal 1500 + 108 adjustment + 600 exercise = 2208 new eating goal.
(2708 - 2208 still 500 cal deficit)
But I don't get 2208...i get more like 1700. I get 2208 for a hot minute (sometimes just long enough for me to go out to eat depending on that number) then it drops... and my steps drop to 0.
If I didnt use fitbit, I would get a calorie adjustment for the swimming.
Any Fitbit won't showany burn when I'm swimming because it's in my locker.
I'm sorry. I don't think I'll ever understand this. I recognise that I'm mathematically challenged...but this makes no sense to me at all. It sounds like, if I'm going jogging in the rain so I leave the fitbit at home, and I log it in MFP that I ran a marathon, it won't give me any adjustment for it because I wasnt wearing my fitbit. Because that's basically what happens. I put in the workout swimming, but I don't get any adjustment for it.
And if my steps don't count, why do I get a much higher adjustment when I walk more?
To be honest, all I really want is for my exercise to give me some more calories.
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You are having a syncing issue then if the math doesn't occur as I've shown it.
You do have to look at the details of the adjustment though - what time was it, and for how much, giving how much adjustment?
And then go look at the Fitbit side - is it showing the synced workout from MFP in it's list?
Because if Fitbit didn't really go up by receiving that workout, then MFP taking it out of course is wrong effect.
So there are potential issues.
The math as I've shown it is what happens when it's working correctly.
For instance - do a test with today.
Look at the MFP listed Fitbit adjustment details first - what was time and for how many calories at last sync - and what was the adjustment total for Fitbit.
Notice the math for the eating goal.
Find an hour block of time with nothing but resting timing - make it 5am perhaps.
Log 1 hr swimming at 600 calories on Fitbit.
Confirm the Fitbit daily burn when up by almost 600 (it won't be 600 exactly, you are replacing calories - not adding to).
After some moments go look at the MFP side again.
Note all 3 stats again for that Fitbit adjustment.
Notice eating goal math again.
How does it all compare - give me your figures right here.0 -
Here's mine - both grabbed at same instant.
Notice Fitbit was not 100 calories higher since prior sync, just short a few calories so in about 10 min - so it hasn't sent anything new over to MFP to do math with yet.
Now I just added a 1 hr swimming on MFP. I confirmed it showed up on Fitbit.
But notice that MFP hasn't gotten or dealt with a new sync from Fitbit yet - so it's using old info as to Fitbit daily burn that doesn't include the workout yet - but it's doing the math on it's side correctly because it expects Fitbit to have it and send it back.
And I know I have a syncing problem - I get 1 good sync a day - that's it until midnight.
Doesn't matter if it goes up by the normal 100 - doesn't matter if it goes up by the 911 as in this case.
The math is working correctly - the syncing isn't.0 -
Ok. So my app won't let me do a photo. But it said:
Fitbit calories burned 2517
MFP calories burned 2427
Fitbit calorie adjustment 90
I added 50 minutes of swimming while I was at the movies.
Now it says:
Fitbit calories burned 2517
MFP calories burned 3055
Fitbit calorie adjustment 0
It is giving me 628 calories, which is only the swimming.
So if I understand you right, since MFP has given me more of a burn than Fitbit thought I would get all day, the fitbit adjustment is 0? Basically taking away the 90 I already had? For a Chang's, my steps of 3518 did stay instead of dropping off. (Yes, today was a very lazy day. )
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To see what would happen, I also put the exact same entry on Fitbit...50 minutes of swimming at 6pm. It doesn't have a "General, leisurely" so I just picked the lowest intensity. It gave 271 calories.0
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You are having a syncing issue just like me.
Notice the Fitbit calories burned is exactly the same.
And you just added I guess 628 calories - if you look at the time stamp, it's probably like mine and the same past time, not updated.
But the Fitbit calories should have gone up.
You'd likely have the same effect if you entered it directly on Fitbit's site. Though, perhaps not - try that next time as test. Be aware use real swim, don't enter test workout. After you delete it, Fitbit won't sync again until value is 100 higher than last time - and it likely never will until midnight.
Now I'll bet on the Fitbit side - it went up 628 calories to 3145 and shows that synced workout in the list.
And it should have or did send that 3145 back to MFP - but MFP isn't getting it.
If it did the math would be:
Fitbit 3145 - 3055 MFP = 90 adjustment.
Eating goal whatever + 90 + 628 exercise = eating goal 718 higher.0 -
And no w my steps havdd dropped to zero!0
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See - syncing issue.
Figure out how to get screen shots - you'll need them to open a case with MFP to investigate.
Just confirm the time zones on both apps and web accounts all match up.1 -
You do have the MFP app set to rely on steps from Fitbit as source, right?0
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Okay. That does help.
Having put the workout in Fitbit, it still says the 2517 calories burned.0 -
See - syncing issue.
Figure out how to get screen shots - you'll need them to open a case with MFP to investigate.
Just confirm the time zones on both apps and web accounts all match up.
I can take screen shots all day. MFP app doesn't have any way to post them on my tablet. I can on my phone, but its harder to use.0 -
Actually, Fitbit app shows calories burned as 2512, less than mfp says it shows by 5 calories.
Or is that actual as opposed to estimated?0 -
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Good lord,
Now it says Fitbit cal. Burn 2714, MFP 3055.0 -
LadyLilion wrote: »Actually, Fitbit app shows calories burned as 2512, less than mfp says it shows by 5 calories.
Or is that actual as opposed to estimated?
Yes, what MFP says is Fitbit calories is the full day projected from what is actually shown in the details - go back to my screen shot to see.
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LadyLilion wrote: »Goid lord,
Now it says Fitbit cal. Burn 2614, MFP 3055.
The order you are doing these tests are going to screw things up - unless you totally understand what is going on, I'd skip trying to discern anything from them now.
You have a confirmed syncing issue - that's it.
Again - unless you are looking at the details of that last sync, that change in stats is merely the progress of time and how MFP estimates rest of the night.
If this is in the evening - simple solution until they fix it.
Log any extra exercise on Fitbit directly (the reason they left out "swimming" at such a high calorie burn is because it has no intensity, and compared to actual speeds of swimming calorie burn, it is fast).
Look at your total daily burn projected to end of night by Fitbit. (which is different than MFP method)
Subtract 500 or whatever your deficit is.
Plan to eat that much.0 -
Ok. I'll do that. Thank you for your help.
Just to see if I've got this though, shouldn't it have said fitbit burn 2788, the 2517 + 271 for the swimming?0 -
Did you delete the MFP workout that synced across of 628?
Then indeed 271 + whatever the real Fitbit value was at that time, higher now after some minutes. (just like MFP increased too).
But correct idea. So some extra calories for the extra minutes, but still:
Fitbit 2788 - 2427 MFP = 361 adjustment (271 and prior 90)
Eating goal whatever + 361 + no exercise = higher eating by activity adjustment and workout adjustment in essence - even though MFP didn't know what made up the total Fitbit calories.0 -
Okay...so here's the thing...Fitbit STILL this morning shows my total burn at 2714. It never did go up by even the full 271 it said I was getting for swimming, nor did it seem to acknowledge the 628, other than to list the MFP entry in the activity list.
I never deleted anything.0
