FitBit and BMR

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darciekay
darciekay Posts: 7 Member
edited August 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I have calculated my BMR to be about 1500 calories. They say that is the calories you burn by just being alive. So if I sleep all day I should still burn about 1500 calories.
Okay, so now that I have a fitbit, depending on my activity level for the day I can burn between 1500-2000 calories a day.

Do they calories I burn with my fitbit get added on top of my BMR calories?
For example, if I burn 1500 cals by being alive plus another 1500 with what my fitbit says I have burned a total number of 3000 calories. Right?

I know the calories of what I eat go into it so if I eat 1200 calories that leaves me with with 1800 calories burned for the day...so I should lose weight, correct? Just making sure I am understanding all of this. Any advice is helpful! Thank you.

Replies

  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
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    darciekay wrote: »

    Do they calories I burn with my fitbit get added on top of my BMR calories?
    For example, if I burn 1500 cals by being alive plus another 1500 with what my fitbit says I have burned a total number of 3000 calories. Right?
    No. The Fitbit shows your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which includes your BMR. In other words, your BMR may be around 1500 and your TDEE could be 1800-2000.

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Your FitBit should be calculating your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). The number of calories for maintenance.

    If you sync FitBit to MFP you get additional calories added when you go above your stated MFP activity level. Let's say I told MFP I was sedentary (that's < 5,000 steps). If my FitBit showed that I walked 10,000 steps, then I would get a positive calorie adjustment.

    MFP wants you to NET 1200 calories....not just eat 1200 calories. If you log 300 calories in exercise....MFP treats this like 1200 + 300 (or eat 1500). The reason is large calorie deficits make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. A moderate deficit ensures a larger percentage of fat loss.

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

    Besides 1200 with quite a bit of exercise is draining. You're going to be dragging. Weight loss is a marathon.....not a sprint.
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
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    That is correct, if you are eating 1200 a day that is less than what your body uses just being in a coma state so you would lose weight. Now burning between 1500-2000 a day on top of your BMR of 1500 seems like a lot. Are you doing hours and hours of intense cardio? In order for me to burn 2000 calories in a day in addition to my 1435 BMR calories i would have to be very active throughout the day including some pretty high and long cardio session(s).
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    darciekay wrote: »
    I have calculated my BMR to be about 1500 calories. Now that I have a fitbit, depending on my activity level for the day I can burn between 1500–2000 calories a day.

    Do they calories I burn with my fitbit get added on top of my BMR calories?

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. BMR is part of your TDEE, and your Fitbit is more accurate than any online calculator.

    When you connect your accounts & enable negative calorie adjustments, MFP adjusts your calorie goal every day to TDEE minus deficit. No math required.

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

    Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    darciekay wrote: »
    I have calculated my BMR to be about 1500 calories. They say that is the calories you burn by just being alive. So if I sleep all day I should still burn about 1500 calories.
    Okay, so now that I have a fitbit, depending on my activity level for the day I can burn between 1500-2000 calories a day.

    Do they calories I burn with my fitbit get added on top of my BMR calories?
    For example, if I burn 1500 cals by being alive plus another 1500 with what my fitbit says I have burned a total number of 3000 calories. Right?

    I know the calories of what I eat go into it so if I eat 1200 calories that leaves me with with 1800 calories burned for the day...so I should lose weight, correct? Just making sure I am understanding all of this. Any advice is helpful! Thank you.


    You fitbit includes the BMR number. You do not count the fitbit calories AND BMR.
  • darciekay
    darciekay Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks everyone! Now I understand :smile:
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    darciekay wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Now I understand :smile:

    woo hoo!!! ! !!! ! !!!

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