Fitbit: Do you eat the calories?

xLyric

I've had my Fitbit for a while, but I haven't connected it to MFP because I don't understand what it's telling me. Do you eat the calories it gives you, and if so, does it work for you?

For example, I just got back from the store and it gave me ~150 exercise calories. For walking around the store?

Basically, I'm wanting to know more about it so I don't eat the calories and regret it. I don't generally eat back exercise calories anyway, so it might not matter.

malibu927

That 150 will adjust each time you sync, so you may end up earning more or less. I eat them back, trying to leave about 50-100 calories since it's also an estimate.

QueenE_

I try to eat some back.

Chieflrg

No because calories for walking around at a store or your job are already accounted for when you set your activity level.

I do eat back calories when I run/cycle/ or a very small amount for when I lift weights.

dorkyfaery

I use the calories given to me by MFP as the target calories I want to eat for the day. Syncing your fitbit is not a guarantee that you will get to "eat back" calories. If you set it the way I have, it will actually deduct calories if you are less active than you say you are on an average day, so even though you might have "earned" 150 calories walking through the store, if you didn't do anything else the rest of the day you still might lose calories. If that makes sense.

SoFLpeg

Generally every last one of them, or most anyway. Your base calories assume a certain level of activity. If you do more than that, you "earn" more calories. You are still at a deficit. For just a few earned from other than purposeful exercise, you can choose not to or choose to and it won't matter much. But for me, given I run long distances I ate them while losing, I eat them maintaining. I need to fuel those long runs.

dbmata

I don't, I found my fitbit to be so horribly inaccurate that I bought a second. It was equally inaccurate. I look at their input as nice, but non-actionable data.

Cc215

Yes! Omg yes! But then I tell both fitbit and MFP that I'm sedentary - when I know that I really am not - not even close.

I have MFP set to create the deficit I want - if I move at all - fitbit tells MFP I've got off my butt and done something. So MFP has my deficit covered - fitbit rewards me for doing something - anything - more than sitting on my butt!

At the beginning of this week I tried going over to TDEE with a deficit - but I just couldn't make it work for me - I've had to give it up already - it seems counterintuitive to eat the same amount each day regardless of activity.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I set my activity level to sedentary, link with fitbit and eat back every last calorie. I've been doing it that way for about 6 months and so far it seems accurate for me. I know others do not find it so, so I imagine it's at least somewhat individual.

LiftAllThePizzas

I have been eating back all my fitbit calories for almost two years and it has been accurate enough for me to bulk, cut and maintain.

Kevalicious99

Still waiting for a good Fitbit. Maybe by Christmas they will release it. Kinda surprised it is not out yet, but I think they do not want another Fitbit Force mess.

Oishii

Fitbit, like every calorie counter I know, underestimates my needs, so I lose if I eat my fitbit maintenance calories/mfp maintenance calories set to highly active (whichever is the higher). But I'm weird and not trying to lose fast.

xLyric

Kevalicious99 wrote: »

Still waiting for a good Fitbit. Maybe by Christmas they will release it. Kinda surprised it is not out yet, but I think they do not want another Fitbit Force mess.

I've got the clip (can't remember if that's the actual name). I clip it to my bra and I've found it to be accurate as far as steps go.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. It's very helpful!

perseverance14

I have a Fitbit One too, and I clip it to my bra most of the time. I eat enough to stay in a 300 calorie or so deficit, more some days, I am trying to lose slowly and steadily and keep my muscle, I also lift and I need to eat enough to support that. It is working for me, although I don't lose for a while, then I will lose a few pounds all at once. I have to say I don't find it accurate for me, if I ate what it said, I would lose too fast and lose muscle, and I don't want that...I am getting close to goal and the closer you are the more important it is to keep the muscle and lose the fat. I do think I have learned how to work with it, but do I take it as gospel? No way, it is always under what I actually burn, and I am not wrong about that or I would be gaining not losing. I have had the bit for a few months.

shadow2soul

I eat all of mine back. It slightly underestimates calorie burns for me.

Docbanana2002

I set MFP to sedentary with 1 pound per week loss and then eat back the calories fitbit adds based on my activity. Over the last 5 weeks since I started using this method, my logging would predict a 5.1 pound weight loss and I actually lost 5.2. So, it's very accurate for me. Its a great method to make sure you are fueling your body more on days you are active. Gives me an incentive to stay active...I can eat more!