Help: Fitbit giving me calories that I don't want!
carolinamombo
Posts: 28 Member
How do I stop Fitbit from adjusting my calories? It's giving me calories for exercise and I don't want it!!! Thanks 
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Replies
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If you have connected your fitbit to MFP then you would need to disconnect it so that you don't automatically get those calories0
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If you never want it to give you extra calories then you may want to do what sark1971 said and unlink the two accounts. If it's just certain times that you don't want it to give you the extra calories, you can manually log something during a time that fitbit says you earned calories and give yourself zero calories. For example, I just gave my husband my old Flex since I updated to the Charge HR. He is getting steps/calories for rocking in his chair. I guess I never rocked much because I had never seen this problem. We just logged that time is his chair as driving and it took the extra steps away.0
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So you prefer MFP to estimate roughly what you burn daily to set your eating goal, rather than a more accurate Fitbit is going to help MFP correct with?
Why?
To lose fat, you must merely eat less than you burn by a reasonable amount.
If you want to lose muscle mass also and do this again next year, then do it by an unreasonable amount.0 -
So you prefer MFP to estimate roughly what you burn daily to set your eating goal, rather than a more accurate Fitbit is going to help MFP correct with?
Why?
To lose fat, you must merely eat less than you burn by a reasonable amount.
If you want to lose muscle mass also and do this again next year, then do it by an unreasonable amount.
The problem is that if you set up your MFP settings to lightly or moderately active, MFP sets your calories based on that. If your fitbit is synced then it gives you calories AGAIN for just your normal every day walking around which MFP already gave you credit for when you selected your activity level.0 -
Exactly what mrsmknitta said!
I'm already eating 2100 calories at 15% cut of my TDEE. I workout 6 days a week and do not "eat back" my exercise calories. For example: I log my workouts in MFP as "1 calorie burned for 25 min of T25 Cardio 2.0" or something similar. The calories Fitbit gives me are usually less than 200 per day. I'm frustrated because it just started doing this and it doesn't always sync up until the end of the day. Meaning some times I'm eating the 2100 + whatever Fitbit gave me. Ok, it only happened one time but now I'm paranoid!! I'm having to get out my calculator to make sure I'm eating the correct amount! It's really just a hassle lol and I'll probably end up un-syncing the two.0 -
mrsmknitta wrote: »So you prefer MFP to estimate roughly what you burn daily to set your eating goal, rather than a more accurate Fitbit is going to help MFP correct with?
Why?
To lose fat, you must merely eat less than you burn by a reasonable amount.
If you want to lose muscle mass also and do this again next year, then do it by an unreasonable amount.
The problem is that if you set up your MFP settings to lightly or moderately active, MFP sets your calories based on that. If your fitbit is synced then it gives you calories AGAIN for just your normal every day walking around which MFP already gave you credit for when you selected your activity level.
Very incorrect - you don't understand how it works. And there is no Moderately Active anyway on MFP.
Fitbit is going to send over a daily burn amount no matter what the MFP activity setting is.
So say it sends over 2500 burned.
If you had MFP set to Sedentary, non-exercise daily is estimated at say 2000.
2500 - 2000 = 500 cal adjustment
If MFP set to Lightly Active, daily is estimated at 2200.
2500 - 2200 = 300 cal adjustment
If MFP set to Active, daily is estimated at 2500.
2500 - 2500 = 0 cal adjustment
If you selected 1 lb weekly loss, or 500 cal deficit, your eating goal with no exercise and estimated what you'd do daily would be.
Sed - 2000 - 500 = 1500
LA - 2200 - 500 = 1700
A - 2500 - 500 = 2000
So your eating goal with adjustment added back, whether that be from exercise or increased activity or combo, would be.
Sed - 1500 + 500 = 2000 eating goal
LA - 1700 + 300 = 2000 eating goal
A - 2000 + 0 = 2000 eating goal
No matter how you slice and dice it, MFP is going to try to correct it's rough estimate with the calorie burn from a better estimate, adjust your daily burn, take your deficit, and make your eating goal.
If you have the accounts synced.
And it doesn't matter what the activity level is set to - you reach the same eating goal
So no - Fitbit is NOT giving the same calories MFP already figured you'd burn. You are ONLY getting credit for calories burned above and beyond MFP's rough estimate with no exercise included.0 -
carolinamombo wrote: »Exactly what mrsmknitta said!
I'm already eating 2100 calories at 15% cut of my TDEE. I workout 6 days a week and do not "eat back" my exercise calories. For example: I log my workouts in MFP as "1 calorie burned for 25 min of T25 Cardio 2.0" or something similar. The calories Fitbit gives me are usually less than 200 per day. I'm frustrated because it just started doing this and it doesn't always sync up until the end of the day. Meaning some times I'm eating the 2100 + whatever Fitbit gave me. Ok, it only happened one time but now I'm paranoid!! I'm having to get out my calculator to make sure I'm eating the correct amount! It's really just a hassle lol and I'll probably end up un-syncing the two.
That's not the same then.
You are trying to use a method different than MFP's method of actually using the TDEE for each and every day no matter what it may be.
You are attempting to use a weekly average TDEE.
Unsync the accounts then, you are attempting to use the tools different then how they were designed, of course it won't work right.
You can tweak it to get mighty close if you want it synced.
But if you are already correcting on Fitbit's site any non-step based calorie burn with better estimate (if non-HR device), then just use their weekly report of weekly burn, divide by 7, and there's your better estimated TDEE to take a deficit from.
I hope you aren't relying on your guess of 5 rough levels from a TDEE chart when you have a device willing to give you infinite levels.0 -
carolinamombo wrote: »Exactly what mrsmknitta said!
I'm already eating 2100 calories at 15% cut of my TDEE. I workout 6 days a week and do not "eat back" my exercise calories. For example: I log my workouts in MFP as "1 calorie burned for 25 min of T25 Cardio 2.0" or something similar. The calories Fitbit gives me are usually less than 200 per day. I'm frustrated because it just started doing this and it doesn't always sync up until the end of the day. Meaning some times I'm eating the 2100 + whatever Fitbit gave me. Ok, it only happened one time but now I'm paranoid!! I'm having to get out my calculator to make sure I'm eating the correct amount! It's really just a hassle lol and I'll probably end up un-syncing the two.
I'm in the same boat. I used the Scooby method and calculated my TDEE and am eating at a -15% deficit and I don't track exercise and I don't eat back my exercise calories. So when fitbit adjusts my calories, I get confused. So I unsynched. I wish there was a way to synch food but not add in more calories.
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Well, with MFP being the eating and diet side of the equation, would it really matter if your meals ended up over on Fitbit?
What would that actually provide, since the meals are clumped together that way, you don't exactly get any nice reports on Fitbit regarding them?
Merely curious what benefit.
And MFP's reports on exercise were never that great anyway, but Fitbit's are better.
It's actually about the same number of clicks to get a report for either, you just start in different place.
And as long as you manually log non-step based exercise on Fitbit to have most accurate TDEE figure, you can keep adjusting your TDEE and deficit as weight drops.0 -
Well, with MFP being the eating and diet side of the equation, would it really matter if your meals ended up over on Fitbit?
What would that actually provide, since the meals are clumped together that way, you don't exactly get any nice reports on Fitbit regarding them?
Merely curious what benefit.
And MFP's reports on exercise were never that great anyway, but Fitbit's are better.
It's actually about the same number of clicks to get a report for either, you just start in different place.
And as long as you manually log non-step based exercise on Fitbit to have most accurate TDEE figure, you can keep adjusting your TDEE and deficit as weight drops.
So you are suggesting not linking the accounts and using MFP to track food and fitbit to track all exercise?
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Well, with MFP being the eating and diet side of the equation, would it really matter if your meals ended up over on Fitbit?
What would that actually provide, since the meals are clumped together that way, you don't exactly get any nice reports on Fitbit regarding them?
Merely curious what benefit.
And MFP's reports on exercise were never that great anyway, but Fitbit's are better.
It's actually about the same number of clicks to get a report for either, you just start in different place.
And as long as you manually log non-step based exercise on Fitbit to have most accurate TDEE figure, you can keep adjusting your TDEE and deficit as weight drops.
Why bother using MFP then? Might as well log everything on paper or in excel. The whole point of integration is convenience.
Currently the way MFP and fitbit works... is it compares the TDEE calculated by MFP with Fitbit and ignores your custom settings. It will then add the difference on top of your custom settings without accounting for whether it was higher or lower than MFP TDEE estimation.
This leads to either a huge surplus or deficit.0 -
Many folks are not happy with the way the integration with Fitbit and MFP works. I could swear last year Fitbit only sent over my logged exercise activity, where now it gives these crazy calorie adjustments for everyday walking/etc.0
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Well, with MFP being the eating and diet side of the equation, would it really matter if your meals ended up over on Fitbit?
What would that actually provide, since the meals are clumped together that way, you don't exactly get any nice reports on Fitbit regarding them?
Merely curious what benefit.
And MFP's reports on exercise were never that great anyway, but Fitbit's are better.
It's actually about the same number of clicks to get a report for either, you just start in different place.
And as long as you manually log non-step based exercise on Fitbit to have most accurate TDEE figure, you can keep adjusting your TDEE and deficit as weight drops.
So you are suggesting not linking the accounts and using MFP to track food and fitbit to track all exercise?
What were you doing prior to Fitbit - logging exercise as 1 calories?
Hardly tracking it. Perhaps by time.
Did you ever use the reports for exercise regarding time?
Did you ever use the Exercise diary page for the goal sessions and minutes?
I merely ask because vast majority don't. I've only found a few prior to being told that even noticed the Exercise diary had goals on it, so they obviously never used them.
I'm suggesting if you are wanting to manually set your calorie eating goal using an all activity included TDEE with deficit - then don't be shocked that using a website that does NOT operate that way along with a device that does NOT operate that way will not give you the best of experiences.
As evidenced by the desire to not have it do that by almost anyone that was already doing average TDEE deficit method.
So long as you use the Fitbit weekly reports as to what your best estimated average daily TDEE is as time goes on, and then correctly take a deficit and set a new eating goal on MFP - yes then, unsync them.
If there is some concern about friends list not seeing your workouts - shoot, manually make a wall post about them with more details to inspire or share with others as to progress. Look at my profile as example.Why bother using MFP then? Might as well log everything on paper or in excel. The whole point of integration is convenience.
Currently the way MFP and fitbit works... is it compares the TDEE calculated by MFP with Fitbit and ignores your custom settings. It will then add the difference on top of your custom settings without accounting for whether it was higher or lower than MFP TDEE estimation.
This leads to either a huge surplus or deficit.
Because MFP has some great food logging abilities, that's why use it.
What exactly in convenience are you missing out on if you don't have it synced - since you don't want the eating level adjusted?
Your workouts as tracked on Fitbit aren't shown on MFP for others to see.
Your food items aren't broken out on Fitbit for looking at in any detail.
You get a step count brought over to MFP, but there are no goals or challenges or anything that uses that stat.
So where exactly is the convenience?
Or just use Fitbit's so wonderful food tracking ability that they stopped development to just sync with better sites, and manually set your goal over there and just use their site.
Yes, that is exactly how it works, and you can tweak the MFP activity level to be as close to your average Fitbit TDEE so that the daily adjustments are as minor as possible.
But your eating goal will still be adjusted.
I'm just seeing much ado about nothing, especially from users that have likely even barely used either system to know if they really are or are not missing out on something.0 -
Sorry if this is not the right place to ask this question. I am new to Fitbit. I just bought a Surge yesterday and am trying to figure out how it all works. I have MFP set to a weight loss goal of 2lbs/wk. I have my activity level set to sedentary because I have a deskjob where I sit pretty much all day. (Hopefully this will be changing as I try to be more active now.) My weight as entered in MFP and Fitbit are the same. The goal weight is the same as well. What I can't figure out is why MFP shows one goal (not considering exercise or activity) and Fitbit shows another. MFP gives me 1,690 calories not including gained exercise calories and Fitbit gives me 2,174 calories. How do I get Fitbit to go by what the calorie allowance is from MFP?0
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I would ignore the Fitbit goal and go with MFP. As you use your Fitbit for a few days you will start to see calorie adjustments and it will give you a much more accurate idea of how many calories you are burning and you can adjust your calorie intake accordingly.0
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Sorry if this is not the right place to ask this question. I am new to Fitbit. I just bought a Surge yesterday and am trying to figure out how it all works. I have MFP set to a weight loss goal of 2lbs/wk. I have my activity level set to sedentary because I have a deskjob where I sit pretty much all day. (Hopefully this will be changing as I try to be more active now.) My weight as entered in MFP and Fitbit are the same. The goal weight is the same as well. What I can't figure out is why MFP shows one goal (not considering exercise or activity) and Fitbit shows another. MFP gives me 1,690 calories not including gained exercise calories and Fitbit gives me 2,174 calories. How do I get Fitbit to go by what the calorie allowance is from MFP?
And the calorie allowance you see in exercise will make that match within 10-20 calories.
Because MFP is going to take the same daily burn that Fitbit is taking a deficit from, and take the same deficit from it.
So Fitbit says you burned 3174 and removes 1000 for eating 2174.
MFP started estimating daily burn as 2690 for no exercise and removes 1000 for eating 1690.
But as soon as it sees the Fitbit 3174, then...
3174 - 2690 = 484 calorie adjustment
1690 + 484 = 2174 eating goal.
The same.
The difference will be during the day as partial day burn is given to MFP, and how often you sync your device so Fitbit is dealing with real data, not estimated daily burn to supply.
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Thanks for the explanation!!! 0
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This "feature" bugs me. I know how to manage my calories - I don't want the Fitbit managing it for me. I want my food calories to feed over to Fitbit (so that I can easily see "calories burned" and "calories eaten" on the Fitbit Dashboard), but I don't want the Fitbit adjusting my MFP calories. I have my MFP calories specifically set where I want them, in full consideration of my daily activities and training regimen. I don't need Fitbit assuming that I need them to tinker with 2 years of experience and fine-tuning.
It's irritating that we're just not allowed to manage which app feeds what to where - it's an all or nothing proposition. I guess I may just have to un-sync them, but that sucks. 1) It's convenient to be able to see both in one place without having to enter info twice and 2) I want my calories eaten and burned on my Fitbit profile, since it's a convenient place that I can direct people when they ask me what I do to get my results.1 -
Your other solution is to start using Fitbit for the eating goal - manually set it there.
No adjustments will occur.
Food entered on MFP will sync over in meal blocks.
But why do you need your Fitbit daily burn coming over to MFP, or food over to Fitbit, if you aren't going to make adjustments to eating level based on what you burn?
BTW, MFP adjusts the MFP calories based on Fitbit daily burn stat it receives. It's merely correctly the daily burn it estimated you'd get with better estimate from Fitbit.
Yes, it would be nice to recognize that if you manually set your eating goal rather than accepting the calculated, don't mess with the math at all.
But they didn't think ahead with the whole arrangement, and now it's annoying on several fronts.0 -
Heybales, just curious, how do you have yours set up? What do you log in which app? Why? Do you sync, etc?
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Fitbit is the burn side, MFP is the eating side.
I log all my strong workouts on Fitbit account for more accurate calorie burn (just the Zip) so the daily burn is best estimate.
Then the sync with MFP means MFP adjusts it's daily burn.
I have MFP set to maintain, so my Food Diary eating goal is my maintenance calories.
I do a sliding deficit, big TDEE days gets bigger deficit, non-exercise days gets no deficit.
I put in my Diary notes what the amount of deficit is for that day - and leave that much uneaten in the green as my deficit.
I make a wall post about my workouts. Several have said they find good tidbits in the extra info, as well as nailing me when I appear to be overdoing it.
So basically, the Zip is just helping out with the daily activity, the other 22 hours of the workout day, which can vary enough. I'm between levels in MFP's activity chart, so while I could almost skip the Fitbit and just manually log calorie burn here, that extra 200 cal deficit is really not needed or desired on many workout days.0 -
I just got a fitbit and I am having the same issue. Mine is even more complicated because I use runkeeper for my exercise and MFP for my food diary. It seems that fitbit is giving me double the calories burned because it is calculating my steps while I run but also integrating runkeeper into the overall totals. I wish that they did a better job at integrating the info, but I have been using MFP and Runkeeper for too long to stop and exclusively use fitbit.
I actually wish that I could turn off the calorie adjustment in MFP-That is why I came onto this forum. I was hoping to find that there was a way to turn off the calories burned so that I do not unintentionally eat back the calories that I burned from exercise. I just have to pay closer attention now when looking at the totals #firstworldproblems0 -
You can turn off Fitbit adjustments by paying for MFP Premium.
But first, connect Runkeeper to Fitbit (not MFP), enable negative calorie adjustments in your MFP diary settings, and trust your Fitbit for two weeks. Do not log exercise in MFP. Log non-step exercise in Fitbit.0 -
I just got a fitbit and I am having the same issue. Mine is even more complicated because I use runkeeper for my exercise and MFP for my food diary. It seems that fitbit is giving me double the calories burned because it is calculating my steps while I run but also integrating runkeeper into the overall totals. I wish that they did a better job at integrating the info, but I have been using MFP and Runkeeper for too long to stop and exclusively use fitbit.
I actually wish that I could turn off the calorie adjustment in MFP-That is why I came onto this forum. I was hoping to find that there was a way to turn off the calories burned so that I do not unintentionally eat back the calories that I burned from exercise. I just have to pay closer attention now when looking at the totals #firstworldproblems
They are integrated better than you think.
While you may have an activity record in Fitbit because you pushed the button on the device, that is only a snapshot of the Fitbit stats for that time/duration - not added to the daily total.
But the workout that comes over from Runkeeper directly or via MFP replaces those calories with whatever it has, but the snapshot of what the stats were stays the same.
No doubling.
So you are trying to create a deficit merely from exercise - while eating at maintenance otherwise?
Or you actually have a deficit in your eating goals on MFP - and trying to create even bigger deficit with exercise too?
Depending on your deficit built in to eating goals - that's a fine way to make your workouts not be what they could be and improve your body as well as they could.
You merely need to eat less than you burn in total for the day.
Guess what Fitbit is giving MFP to help you obtain that.0
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