should the calories remaining be the same at the end of the day regardless of activity level?

debrag12

So I'm experimenting with my calorie goal.

I would have thought the lower the activity level on mfp the more the 'exercise' calories but the remaining calories would be the same.

Example from today:

Weight loss = 0.5lb a week
Calorie burns so far today = 2211 (estimated total burn is 2278)

Activity level (active) = 2230
Calorie goal = 1980
Calories remaining = -143
Adjustment = 49

Activity level (sed) = 1740
Calorie goal = 1490
Calories remaining = -633
Adjustment = 49

Is there an error here or am I understanding the whole thing wrong?

debrag12

Also there is something off with the mfp app.

website

17th May:
goal = 1490
activity level = 1740
calories out = 2265
calories in = 2182
calories remaining = 320 (this appears to be high)
adjustment = 522

Why does my mfp calorie goal (TDEE) change each day

My settings are the same on the app (activity level + weight loss goal) but it says my calorie goal is 1980.

NancyN795

I've thought about trying to answer your question, but to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what you're asking. I'll take a stab at it, though.

At the very end of the day, your remaining calories should be the same no matter what activity level you set in MFP. But until midnight, they won't agree.

The number of calories you start with in MFP should be pretty much the same every morning (with a bit of variation due to Fitbit adjustment). As your Fitbit sends calorie burn information to MFP throughout the day, the number will change and will depend on how active you've actually been that day.

debrag12

I understand the calories change throughout the day.

I was playing around with activity levels and there must be a sync issue. Adjustment/exercise was the same regardless making the 'remaining calories' different.

The app is still saying my goal is 1980 when I have selected sedentary which should be 1490

Example today:

website -

goal 1490 | food 2017 | exercise 1169 | net 848 | remaining 642

app -

goal 1980 | food 2017 | exercise 1169 | remaining 1132

fitbit calorie burn = 2889
mfp calorie burn = 1720

I've been playing around with calorie goals/activity levels for a while and the remaining calories never appear to match.

My main issue I think is using sedentary would be good but not when I appear in the red some days.

debrag12

ignore me lol

I'm thinking in too much detail. I have manually set my calorie goal on the app to be the sedentary amount so that fixes that issue.

So I am set to sed and from 4th May till yesterday I was in the red every day, wheras before I only had a few days in the red.

heybales

The example from today was not really the end of the day - right?

So rest of the hours of the day are estimated to burn whatever activity level you selected - so that's different between them.
So the estimate from now until the end of the day will be different, therefore different daily TDEE.

But by the end of the day, yes, they would indeed be the same.

The 2nd section of the FAQ spells out the math on that.
And why if you go to bed early you may want to use sedentary even though you are easily Lightly Active or higher.