Charge HR monitored workouts vs input on MFP

71starpuck

So, I've been the owner of a Polar HRM for the past 7 years and love it. I use it for every workout I do; mostly because my main form of exercise is hockey - which is just best monitored by a traditional chest strap HRM.

Today I wanted to see the differences between the Polar and the Fitbit Charge HR - now, I did go with the Charge HR because I wanted a way to estimate my NON-intense activity and daily burn.

As I began my strength workout (push ups, squats, planks, lunges, dips, and burpees) - I started the 'log workout' on the Fitbit as well as started my HRM.

My question is less about the differences in totals, I know there will be some and am not bothered by that. But I am wondering how to make sure that MFP does not take the workout input TWICE. The Fitbit shows a 42 minute workout for 309 calories. When I input my own workout on MFP, for 42 minutes at 309 calories based off the Polar HRM. So on Fitbit Dashboard, is shows 2 workouts. Same minutes, same calories, same time. But two separate lines.

MFP shows the following:
Strength training (weight lifting, weight training) 41 309
Fitbit calorie adjustment N/A 226

I have the settings on MFP to allow NEGATIVE fitbit adjustments. So I'm unsure if MFP is grabbing both workouts, or if it's grabbing the one and adjusting the Fitbit input to account for SOME of the Fitbit calories coming from the same time as my manually input workout.

Ugh, lol! I have confused myself trying to word this question - hopefully, someone knows what I'm trying to ask.

taniamccarthy

I'm trying to figure out the same thing. Based on what I'm reading, you're not supposed to "log" your exercise using your fitbit device, just input your start time and duration on myfitnesspal so it can grab the data from fitbit. I haven't tried to see if that works yet, but my problem is I really like how the fitbit app shows the detailed HR graph in my iPhone app, and if I don't log the exercise with fitbit then it'll only have my HR in the daily graph where you can't really see it in detail.
I am wondering if I'm understanding this correctly as well since I would think more people would be complaining about this.

shadow2soul

I don't bother with logging workouts on MFP. Fitbit sends over total calories burned for the day so the only point to log it on MFP is so that it shows in your news feed and exercise log.

As for whether it's affecting your calorie burn (doubling the workout) that I couldn't tell you. I've never logged them in both places before.

editorgrrl

Any exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time. so you're never "double dipping calories."

heybales

Why are you manually logging a workout of the exact same calorie burn that Fitbit already had?

If merely to post on your wall, then just make a post on your wall about your workout.
It's not like MFP's exercise diary or reporting is so great, especially not compared to Fitbit.

And those 2 lines on Fitbit.
One is the workout, in this case synced from MFP, though it could have been manually entered in Fitbit too.
The other is an activity record based on you hitting the button. It's merely a view at the data Fitbit collected for just that block of time, instead of buried in the daily stats.

The record adds nothing, it letting you view the workout with relevant stats.

So no double posting.

But you can delete the activity record if you manually log it, since the time and calorie burn are already viewable then. Unless curious about the steps and distance seen when doing that workout.

Then again, as I said, don't even log a manual workout anywhere with the same calorie burn, just wasted time, opportunity for screwed up sync to take place, ect.

Just make a wall post with more info - see my profile for example.

heybales

taniamccarthy wrote: »

I'm trying to figure out the same thing. Based on what I'm reading, you're not supposed to "log" your exercise using your fitbit device, just input your start time and duration on myfitnesspal so it can grab the data from fitbit. I haven't tried to see if that works yet, but my problem is I really like how the fitbit app shows the detailed HR graph in my iPhone app, and if I don't log the exercise with fitbit then it'll only have my HR in the daily graph where you can't really see it in detail.
I am wondering if I'm understanding this correctly as well since I would think more people would be complaining about this.

Several things wrong there.

Putting in start and duration time isn't for MFP to "grab the data from fitbit" - but rather to replace the calorie burn Fitbit came up with.

And you are indeed correct about wanting to see the data separated from the daily stats - hence the device button to create an activity record - read the post right above this one.

71starpuck

Ah ok. That makes sense.

As for why I am manually logging on MFP -it's because the Fitbit Charge HR cannot come close to an accurate count on calorie burn during hockey games. Too much wrist movement, and the elbow pads/gloves wreak havoc on the positioning of the Fitbit on my arm.

I wanted to do a couple of tests on how well the Fitbit kept up with heart rate during my usual forms of exercise. But on a lot of occasions, my Polar HRM will read HR's much higher than the Fitbit (and I trust the Polar more because my body's response more accurately matches the reading on it than on Fitbit.)

So long as I can rest assured that the manual input on MFP (which I am taking from the Polar HRM readings) overwrites any Fitbit data from the same time, I am good to go!

Thanks all!