Couple Questions

Somebody_Loved

Hi All,

Another former Weight Watcher switching over to MFP. I just have a couple questions (my apologies since they've probably been asked several times before). I have a Fitbit Charge HR and am curious if the Fitbit calorie adjustments are accurate? I thought I read somewhere to only eat back half of the calories given, but that may have been referring to manual exercise entries rather than the synced Fitbit.

Along the same lines, if I work out one day and don't use the extra calories, would there be any reason not to use them another day within the same week? I'm assuming I can so long as I'm still at a weekly deficit but just wanted to see how you all do it.

Thanks!

futuremanda

Yep, trust your Fitbit calories from lifestyle (steps). If you find you're getting huge adjustments and that that is annoying, up the activity level set in MFP. Like if you're actually active, but put sedentary, you'll keep getting huge Fitbit adjustments. Putting MFP closer to your Fitbit read would give you less adjustments because they'd match better. (Some people like the big adjustments, others don't.)

It's exercise that is more suspect -- meaning purposeful workouts, like swimming or zumba or lifting weights. Those things are often (but not always) overestimated, sometimes by a little, sometimes by a LOT. So it's good to start conservative with that and see how you do, then adjust.

And yes, save up calories and use them later, by all means! It doesn't even have to be the same week. Think of your target as an average over time, because your body isn't constrained by the clock or calendar in any way.

SezxyStef

Not sure about fitbit but with my activity tracker I set my activity level to sedentary and enable negative adjustments.

I don't eat them all back...about 80%.

The 50% is for exercise logged in MFP...for most people it's too high.

As for "saving" calories yes...I look at my weekly totals rather than daily most of the time.

Somebody_Loved

Awesome, thanks so much for the help!

editorgrrl

Somebody_Loved wrote: »

I have a Fitbit Charge HR and am curious if the Fitbit calorie adjustments are accurate? I thought I read somewhere to only eat back half of the calories given, but that may have been referring to manual exercise entries rather than the synced Fitbit.

Along the same lines, if I work out one day and don't use the extra calories, would there be any reason not to use them another day within the same week? I'm assuming I can so long as I'm still at a weekly deficit but just wanted to see how you all do it.

I lost the weight & have maintained for a year using Fitbit + MFP.

Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit

Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight, and enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings. You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

As for banking calories, look at your nutrition for the past 7 days, not just today. (It's easier in the app.) All that really matters is your weekly deficit.

Somebody_Loved

Very helpful, thanks!