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MFP and Fitbit calorie recommendations different

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Madison_LH
Madison_LH Posts: 28 Member
in Social Groups
Hi all, this is my first time posting but I've been using MFP on and off for a couple of years and have had a fitbit for about 6 weeks now.

Anyways, I'm noticing a disconnect between the calorie information in each app. I have MFP set to maintain my weight because I want to be able to see the deficit on my weekly nutrition report, but I have the fitbit app set to a 500 calorie deficit. The issue is that MFP always tells me to eat more calories than Fitbit says I have burned, which wouldn't lead to weight maintenance like it should be.

For example, today Fitbit tells me I have burned a total of 1,568 calories. I consumed 1,282 calories, and MFP tells me I have 488 calories left. This means that MFP is trying to get me to eat 1770 calories for some reason. Does anyone know why this is?

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  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited May 2015
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    No idea. Which is why I track everything on mfp. Comparing the two sites just makes things confusing. ..

    what I'm trying to say is, I've got mfp and fit bit synced, it's just that I take all of my info from mfp
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Fitbit said you burned 1568 up till what time?

    So how many minutes left to the day?

    And MFP was going to have you eat 1770 for the entire day.

    So 202 calories for how many more min?

    202 / minutes = per min calorie burn MFP is assuming for rest of the day x 1440 is daily maintenance MFP is set to for activity level.

    And ditto to above.

    Recommend you don't attempt to follow 2 roads to the same destination at the same time - just asking for a wreck and frustration.

    And if you want to see the math behind the adjustments, read the 2nd section of the FAQ in the stickies.
  • Madison_LH
    Madison_LH Posts: 28 Member
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    It was at the time of this post, so 45 minutes left in the day. I doubt I burned 202 calories with 45 minutes of lying in bed.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (aka your maintenance calories). If you eat at a reasonable deficit from that, you will lose weight.

    Ignore Fitbit's calorie goal and follow MFP's, eating back your adjustments. If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments, you'll be eating TDEE minus deficit: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    After several weeks, reevaluate your progress. We should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose weight (or maintain)—never the minimum.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Madison_LH wrote: »
    It was at the time of this post, so 45 minutes left in the day. I doubt I burned 202 calories with 45 minutes of lying in bed.

    Hence the need to read the FAQ 2nd section, because that's not what MFP is estimating.

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