Help needed on first day with FitBit One

Teamcampo

So, I am on my first day with FitBit One and have synced it with MFP. I am confused at how to read this and act upon the information. So far ( at 6 pm), it says I have burned 1278 (5 feet tall and 106) calories and only 3759 steps. I did an hour and 15 minute Body Pump class today that I manually logged into FitBit as a 200 calorie estimate. I put in my goals on FitBit. I also selected my goals as usual on MFT and put in my net calorie goal of 1300 along with sedentary (they suggest 1200 so not sure if I just really need to go off that). I prelogged my dinner and it says I am "over", but I assume that is just because I prelogged and the day is not done? After pre-logging my entire day, MFP says I have 287 calories remaining b/c it added back my step activity and body pump calories. Am I really supposed to eat all that (I guess it would be 100 less if I let MFP give me the goal) or leave a 250 deficit to lose 1/2 lb? I have read that FitBit sets up your daily goal, but don't understand where I see that goal. I didn't see a new goal on MFP other than what I put in. Also, am I supposed to wait a week to see my average TEE? Sorry for all the questions. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me out! Thanks!

carolann_22

If it says you have X left for the day you should be able to eat them all. Your goal is 1300 plus activity calories. But you don't have to eat the activity calories if you don't want to. I get well over 10,000 steps daily with my Fitbit One - My calorie goal is 1500 and I get another 700 exercise calories (I weigh a LOT). I eat about half of those and I'm steadily losing since I started.

Teamcampo

Thanks. Right now, my fitbit app says I am 148 calories over. However, MFP says I have 113 remaining. Both numbers seem to be changing everytime I sync?

carolann_22

That happened to me until I disabled negative adjustments. But, then I saw on the MFP Fitbit boards that you shouldn't disable that - so I hope someone else can chime in on this!

Teamcampo

okay, thanks. I have them enabled. Maybe I shouldn't. This is so confusing. Why don't they make all this clear in the instructions?

JAT74

I've only had mine for a few days but I think it's because the goals you set might be different. For example I've set my Fitbit goal to lose 1.5 lbs per week based on being sedentary so it says I have to eat 750 calories less than I burn every day. This means that even if I eat less than my goal sometimes I am still under on calories but over my goal of eating at a 750 calorie deficit.

On the other hand I have manually set my goal on MFP a to a goal of 1000 net calories based on sedentary because I know I don't lose weight at more than that (I can lose 1lb per week eating 1000 cals and doing no exercise) but with the Fitbit and my workouts I had a calorie total to eat of over 2000 ie. 1000 plus the amount I burned off.

I think, if I'm right that the Fitbit bases your initial calorie allowance on your BMR or their minimum recommendation for you to eat and then adds on your activity for the day which is why it gives me a higher total in terms of what I've burned and therefore what I can eat to create the deficit I've specified. I have also enabled negative cal adjustments.

Teamcampo

Hmmm...thanks so much! I believe I set them both at the same, but I don't recall being asked to choose my activity level for fitbit one, just MFP. I made sure I chose the same goal though (1/2 pound) and am using MfP's calorie allotment. Right now, Fit Bit tells me that I have 66 calories left. MFP tells me I have 313 remaining. Maybe that is the 250 plus the 61ish? I did enable negative calorie adjustments too. Thanks for the insight.

shadow2soul

Teamcampo wrote: »

Hmmm...thanks so much! I believe I set them both at the same, but I don't recall being asked to choose my activity level for fitbit one, just MFP. I made sure I chose the same goal though (1/2 pound) and am using MfP's calorie allotment. Right now, Fit Bit tells me that I have 66 calories left. MFP tells me I have 313 remaining. Maybe that is the 250 plus the 61ish? I did enable negative calorie adjustments too. Thanks for the insight.

You don't tell fitbit your activity level because it measures it.

On fitbit, go to "Log" and change this setting to Sedentary:

This should minimize losing calories at the end of the day when you go to bed.

As for why there is such a big difference in your calories, that I couldn't tell you. Mine generally are only 50-100 calorie difference. Fitbit generally being lower. It probably has something to do with how MFP does the math with the calorie information it receives from Fitbit. I do know that part of the reason for my difference is that I weigh daily on an Aria Scale and MFP won't adjust my calories until a 10lb loss or I manually prompt it. On the other hand fitbit auto adjusts. I tend to go with who ever is lower (usually fitbit).

Teamcampo

ahhh...thank you. I saw someone mention something like this, but couldn't figure out how to get to it. I appreciate it. I will try this. Also, since I am so new, maybe it hasn't gotten an accurate estimate. I will try both out (this setting change and waiting). If nothing else, I think I would rather unsync them and watch the numbers independently (just knowing htat I need 250 less than my TDEE). Thanks, again!