MFP vs Fitbit daily calories

marcar4

I just got my fitbit and linked it to my mfp account. Based on my height, weight etc it determined my daily calories burn just from being alive is 1581.
On mfp, based on the same information my daily calorie burn is 1980. (with sedentary selected)
Why are these numbers so different?

TimothyFish

Sedentary includes your normal activities, not just being alive.

StaciMarie1974

I think Timothy is right. MFP uses your specified activity level to estimate what you burn moving thru your day.

I have my Fitbit set on sedentary calories, so at any time during the day it tells me what calories I have 'left' based on the assumption of what I've actually burned so far + BMR that remains for the rest of the day. Of course unless I'm truly done for the day, I know I'll burn more. But I use that detail to know how much more I need to move to meet my goals.

Right now I've logged all but dinner. That is 1434 for breakfast, lunch, snacks. I expect my Fitbit burned # by end of day (midnight) to be 1700-1800 today. Fitbit shows as of right now I've burned 1130, and says I have 77 left. So as of RIGHT NOW I'd only end up at 1434 + 77 (1511) if I went to bed and slept til midnight. Not gonna happen though.

Note: On the Fitbit app ignore where it shows your in/out comparison. Its comparing all you've logged with your burned as of now #. So if you're like me and get a decent # of activity calories in the evening, it will never be happy lol.

Ps-I'm at maintenance and have learned I need to eat a little more than Fitbit shows I've burned. By eating at or just below, I've continued to lose weight...

shadow2soul

marcar4 wrote: »

I just got my fitbit and linked it to my mfp account. Based on my height, weight etc it determined my daily calories burn just from being alive is 1581.
On mfp, based on the same information my daily calorie burn is 1980. (with sedentary selected)
Why are these numbers so different?

Because Sedentary includes some activity. On the other hand if you have calorie estimation off on Fitbit (which it sounds like you do) it doesn't account for anything other than your BMR until you do it. Here is an example:

My fitbit calories burned. As you can see on the graph, it lacks bars past 4pm. This is because they haven't happened yet and as such are not added into my calories burned. Only what I have actually burned is accounted for:



Now MFP will take that calorie burn number and estimated approximately how many more calories you are going to burn before the day is over. It uses this estimate to give you an adjustment. Depending on how often you sync, will depend on how often it will update.