FitBit and Calories...

AMom613

I have my FitBit synced up to My Fitness Pal. With the exercise I do, it automatically adds the extra calories on. The more exercise I do, the more the calories increase. I'm just curious to see who eats those extra calories and who doesn't.

DuckReconMajor

I eat them (using FitBit Charge HR), and so far it's been working out for me but I haven't been at it for a super long time. The general consensus around here is that the fitbit calorie adjustment is pretty accurate and that you should be able to eat all of those back without an issue. But if you are worried about it just eat between 50-100% of them back and see how things are in about 3 weeks or so.

btw join this group http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

theawill519

I generally don't, but I would if I were hungry.

TeaBea

MFP gave you a deficit BEFORE any exercise, and FitBit is comparing your actual activity to the activity level you set in MFP.

So ideally you should be able to eat back every single calorie & get back to the same weekly weight loss schedule you signed up for. BUT, a lot is going to depend upon what your activity is. My cardio is step based....FitBit does pretty well. If your cardio is cycling (for example)....not so much

To get a better idea take a look at the information here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

editorgrrl

AMom613 wrote: »

I have my FitBit synced up to My Fitness Pal. With the exercise I do, it automatically adds the extra calories on. The more exercise I do, the more the calories increase. I'm just curious to see who eats those extra calories and who doesn't.

If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings, eating back your adjustments means you're eating TDEE minus deficit: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

italstallion1975

I usually have some of those calories left over but I let my body tell me if I need them. I think it also depends on what your doing, if your weight lifting you are probably going to need to eat a little more then you usually do.

leahgoldgirl

I never eat back my calories. MyFitnessPal's calorie intake suggestions are BS in the first place (seriously, don't use them), so I set my own, along with macro goals, using my TDEE (you can look up these calculators online). I eat the proper macros (protein, carbs, fat), in roughly the same calorie total everyday. I don't eat significantly more on days I workout harder, but I do eat more calories in carbs and less in fat on those days. On days I don't workout/ don't workout very hard, I eat more fat and fewer carbs. It's almost always between 2,000 and 2,300 per day though.

TeaBea

Thea519 wrote: »

I generally don't, but I would if I were hungry.

Hunger isn't really a good indicator of adequate nutrition.

OP - the purpose of eating calories back - when calorie deficits are large it is harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. I choose to eat calories back because I am older (less muscle than younger people) and I want to lower my body fat %.

This is going to depend upon how aggressive your weekly weight loss goal is, how much you exercise, and how accurate your food logging is. Your best bet is to pick a number.....eat back a certain percent. Then gauge over time whether that percent needs to be higher (or lower) based upon actual weight loss results.

DuckReconMajor

leahgoldgirl wrote: »

MyFitnessPal's calorie intake suggestions are BS in the first place (seriously, don't use them),

They seem to be working just fine for a lot of people

MamaBirdBoss

1) Fitbit is super accurate for step-based exercise IF you have negative adjustments enabled.

2) I try to get in at least 500 calories above sedentary a day, and I try to reduce my intake by 400 calories from my sedentary setting. Anything beyond that, I eat back every scrap of, whether or not I'm hungry, because that's the maximum safe deficit for me. If I'm *actually* hungry, I eat back more of my exercise calories. I don't do hunger, and my body is pretty decent at telling the difference between bored/craving/etc. and actual hunger.

3) How much you can safely and sanely NOT eat back depends on your own body fat mass and your MFP settings. I have mine set for 1lb a week weight loss. I can safely lose up to 1.8lbs a week or so. So I stay in between those numbers and eat back EVERYTHING above it.

TeaBea

leahgoldgirl wrote: »

I never eat back my calories. MyFitnessPal's calorie intake suggestions are BS in the first place (seriously, don't use them), so I set my own, along with macro goals, using my TDEE (you can look up these calculators online). I eat the proper macros (protein, carbs, fat), in roughly the same calorie total everyday. I don't eat significantly more on days I workout harder, but I do eat more calories in carbs and less in fat on those days. On days I don't workout/ don't workout very hard, I eat more fat and fewer carbs. It's almost always between 2,000 and 2,300 per day though.

TDEE includes exercise up front...........MFP does not. Apples..........Oranges

You DO essentially eat back your exercise calories with TDEE. MFP isn't "BS" ....MFP is set up differently. TDEE is great for those who exercise regularly. NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis)....MFP's method is great for those trying to establish an exercise habit.

AMom613

Thanks, Everyone!