Jawbone Calorie Adjustment Aggressive!

robinmarkz
robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello there,

I just started using the Jawbone stand-alone "Purple App" which counts steps using your phone and almost completely replaces Google Fit. You do not need a wearable with this app. It will work with both their newest wearables and smartwatches.

I really like it but it sends rather HUGE calorie adjustments over here, often leaving me with tiny net calories for the day. I once used Accupedo, and it didn't send any calories over.

I don't mind, but I like accuracy in terms of my calories left for the day. I had one meal so far, no workouts, and it shows a burn of over 400 calories so far!

Is this a glitch, or is it a more correct algorithm?

Thank you.

rjm

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited July 2015
    I have a Jawbone UP activity tracker, and my adjustments are accurate. I lost the weight & have maintained for a year. I have no idea about the standalone app, though.

    1. Enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    2. Do not log any step-based activity. Log non-step activity (like swimming or biking) either in the UP app (that's what I do) or in MFP—never both.

    3. Click the adjustment in your diary to see the math MFP used to calculate it. Adjustments are the difference between your UP total burn and your MFP activity level.

    4. The only way to gauge the accuracy is to trust your adjustments for a few weeks, then reevaluate your progress.

    FYI, MFP has a Jawbone UP Bracelet group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/13420-jawbone-up-bracelet
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    robinmarkz wrote: »
    Is this a glitch, or is it a more correct algorithm?

    how is anyone supposed to know, with this little time and this little data? try it and see, adjust as needed.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
    I will. I just don't completely understand the "negative calorie adjustments." But I'll go ahead and enable it. I can always change it back. But it's showing an enormous burn just from modest walking. It IS just a few days, so I'll give it time. Thank you!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    robinmarkz wrote: »
    I will. I just don't completely understand the "negative calorie adjustments." But I'll go ahead and enable it. I can always change it back.

    Adjustments are the difference between your UP total burn and your MFP activity level. With negative calorie adjustments disabled, you'll never eat at a true deficit on days you burn fewer calories than your activity level.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
    I think by activity level, you mean in logged or imported exercise?

    I should post a screen shot if that's possible. Oh, my diary is open so you can see it. I walked a lot today and I think it got it fairly. But it was still large. I have a feeling it is getting a feel for how I step and will normalize after a bit. Today was more reasonable than yesterday.

    Thanks!
    rjm
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited July 2015
    robinmarkz wrote: »
    I think by activity level, you mean in logged or imported exercise?

    No. Adjustments are the difference between your UP total burn and your MFP activity level as specified here (sedentary, lightly active, etc.): http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    If you burn more calories than your activity level, you get a positive adjustment. If you enable negative calorie adjustments, you lose calories when you burn fewer calories than your activity level. But negative adjustments never put your calories below 1,200.

    Click on the adjustment in your exercise diary to see the math MFP used to calculate it. It shows both the calories MFP expects you to burn every day (activity level minus deficit) and the burn UP has reported.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
    editorgrrl wrote: »
    robinmarkz wrote: »
    I think by activity level, you mean in logged or imported exercise?

    No. Adjustments are the difference between your UP total burn and your MFP activity level as specified here (sedentary, lightly active, etc.): http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    If you burn more calories than your activity level, you get a positive adjustment. If you enable negative calorie adjustments, you lose calories when you burn fewer calories than your activity level. But negative adjustments never put your calories below 1,200.

    Click on the adjustment in your exercise diary to see the math MFP used to calculate it. It shows both the calories MFP expects you to burn every day (activity level minus deficit) and the burn UP has reported.

    Now, I really understand: it's the "activity level" selected. Thank you! I am more in the "moderate" range now, so I need to change that.

    Thank you so much! The applications are very smart about this. (Well, the designers are.)

    :)

    All the best!
    rjm

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