Step tracking - still add exercise?
DeborahKilpatrick
Posts: 80 Member
Hi everyone, please forgive me for asking a stupid question. I've set the app to track my steps and I get extra calories as a result because I set my activity to sedentary. What I'm confused about is, do I still add my runs in the exercise section? Will I end up eating too many calories if I do, or does MFP figure it out?
0
Replies
-
I might be wrong but if you add exercise to your log ins it will give you more calories etc to have. I don't log any exercise do I stick to the basic calorie allowance.0
-
I have a misfit shine and I pretty much asked the same thing yesterday.
This is what I was told if you'd like to have a look:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10246226/misfit-shine#latest0 -
Yes. Add purposeful exercise an activity tracker can't accurately track (biking, swimming) manually in MFP at the correct time and it will overwrite the unreliable tracker data for that time.0
-
Add non-step exercises but do not add your runs, OP. Your step counter will handle runs.1
-
If you add a start time to your exercise when you log it, your tracker should not count that activity into your steps for the duration of the time you log that activity. To be on the safe side though I make sure to not where my activity tracker device when doing another loggable (spelling?) activity. Also maybe only eat back a portion of your calories if you do in fact eat them back. I don't so it's not too much of a worry for me.0
-
I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.0
-
This content has been removed.
-
DeborahKilpatrick wrote: »I've set the app to track my steps and I get extra calories as a result because I set my activity to sedentary. What I'm confused about is, do I still add my runs in the exercise section?
Do not log any step-based activity—including runs—if you've enabled step tracking. Only log non-step exercise, like swimming or biking.
From the Help section: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/15251670 -
I only log steps that I purposely walk. Such as a mile in the park, or two miles on the treadmill. I do NOT add any extra steps that might equal a mile from me just walking around Costco or whatever. I would rather underestimate than overestimate my calories burned, and it works.0
-
atypicalsmith wrote: »I only log steps that I purposely walk. Such as a mile in the park, or two miles on the treadmill. I do NOT add any extra steps that might equal a mile from me just walking around Costco or whatever. I would rather underestimate than overestimate my calories burned, and it works.
An automatic step tracker adds in both but it adjusts the calorie burn for casual strolling vs. purposeful walking, vs. running. It adjusts for intensity and duration.
0 -
I use MFP to track my steps, but I don't find it too accurate. I use MapMyFitness to record runs/walks and these are added into MFP automatically. Is that OK to do?0
-
I use MFP to track my steps, but I don't find it too accurate. I use MapMyFitness to record runs/walks and these are added into MFP automatically. Is that OK to do?
What do you mean by "use MFP to track my steps"? MFP doesn't track your steps, you need to use a device, like an iPhone or a Fitbit. In the MFP app, go to More (Menu) > Steps. What device is checked?0 -
editorgrrl wrote: »I use MFP to track my steps, but I don't find it too accurate. I use MapMyFitness to record runs/walks and these are added into MFP automatically. Is that OK to do?
What do you mean by "use MFP to track my steps"? MFP doesn't track your steps, you need to use a device, like an iPhone or a Fitbit. In the MFP app, go to More (Menu) > Steps. What device is checked?
I meant I use my iPhone and this is linked to MFP. I also have MMF linked to MFP so it imports any exercise.0 -
According to the Help article: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1525167If you are currently linked with an activity tracker that creates Calorie Adjustments in your diary, selecting "iPhone 5s" will replace your tracker's adjustment with one calculated from the iPhone's motion data.
If MapMy is available as an option when you go to More > Steps, then you should definitely choose that rather than your iPhone. But if it's not listed, then using your phone should be fine.0 -
editorgrrl wrote: »According to the Help article: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1525167If you are currently linked with an activity tracker that creates Calorie Adjustments in your diary, selecting "iPhone 5s" will replace your tracker's adjustment with one calculated from the iPhone's motion data.
If MapMy is available as an option when you go to More > Steps, then you should definitely choose that rather than your iPhone. But if it's not listed, then using your phone should be fine.
I have an option for 'Under Armour' which I'm presuming is for MapMyFitness. However, the steps it's saying I've done don't match up with what my iPhone says?0 -
I have an option for 'Under Armour' which I'm presuming is for MapMyFitness. However, the steps it's saying I've done don't match up with what my iPhone says?
You should only see UnderArmour if your accounts are connected. Disconnect them at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/3440 -
editorgrrl wrote: »I have an option for 'Under Armour' which I'm presuming is for MapMyFitness. However, the steps it's saying I've done don't match up with what my iPhone says?
You should only see UnderArmour if your accounts are connected. Disconnect them at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/344
Can I not use Under Armour?0 -
Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were using MapMy and tracking your steps with your iPhone. I didn't realize you were using UnderArmour, too.0
-
editorgrrl wrote: »Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were using MapMy and tracking your steps with your iPhone. I didn't realize you were using UnderArmour, too.
I find it all a bit confusing now. I was using my iPhone originally. Then I changed the option to Under Armour instead. It said I had done more steps than what my iPhone says I've done in the Health App. Am I better to continue using my iPhone to track steps in MFP?0 -
I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.
question about that one earlnabby
do you wear your activity tracker too when you are swimming?
I do my misfit and my polar watch. I log 1 calorie for my swimming manually. And the rest i let my Misfit run the numbers lol
But what i do is in the misfit when the activity shows up i log that as swimming in the app. It gives me less btw than my polar watch ( i keep an excel data list for that atm to see how much difference there is between my hrm and the misfit flash)
Funny is my misfit is low in exercise...lower than my hrm HT7
But the rest, so the end of the day calories burned seems so high to me.
For now the last 90 days data showed with the NEAT method and my polar watch was almost spot on.
Now with my misfit ( i want to go to TDEE soon) i am testing if those numbers turn out right too. So collecting data over a period of time again.
See what happens.
But i find it high for sure
Yesterday swimming according to my polar watch 317 calories. My misfit ended over 3014 daily burn..so that is with swimming and 17000 steps. A lot to me. But we will see in some weeks.
0 -
I have a Fitbit One synced with MFP and I only track non step exercise like weight training and swimming. It works very well that way.0
-
Only add non step like exercise (should be done through the tracker actually).0
-
Liftng4Lis wrote: »Only add non step like exercise (should be done through the tracker actually).
i think so too.
But my tracker ( misfit) i wear it while i swim
So i dont log maually ( well 1 calorie lol to record that i exercised)
0 -
BurnWithBarn2015 wrote: »I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.
question about that one earlnabby
do you wear your activity tracker too when you are swimming?
I do my misfit and my polar watch. I log 1 calorie for my swimming manually. And the rest i let my Misfit run the numbers lol
But what i do is in the misfit when the activity shows up i log that as swimming in the app. It gives me less btw than my polar watch ( i keep an excel data list for that atm to see how much difference there is between my hrm and the misfit flash)
Funny is my misfit is low in exercise...lower than my hrm HT7
But the rest, so the end of the day calories burned seems so high to me.
For now the last 90 days data showed with the NEAT method and my polar watch was almost spot on.
Now with my misfit ( i want to go to TDEE soon) i am testing if those numbers turn out right too. So collecting data over a period of time again.
See what happens.
But i find it high for sure
Yesterday swimming according to my polar watch 317 calories. My misfit ended over 3014 daily burn..so that is with swimming and 17000 steps. A lot to me. But we will see in some weeks.
Yes, I wear it while swimming but I typically record less than 100 steps during the 75-80 minutes it takes me to swim my mile and a half (most of those are probably when I hit the wall and push off with my fitbit hand). I am absentminded so if I take it off to swim, I am likely to forget to put it back on. I do log the water aerobics even though I get about 2000 steps per class. That is the only thing my logging would override.
0 -
mmm ok
find it a bit hard to choose
For now it gave me 2262 steps for an hour swimming around 257 calories burned
My polar watch gave me a burn of 255 calories lol
It is so close. i really dont know what to choose and go by. For now it is the misfit for some weeks but than i really have to make up my mind.0 -
Thanks everyone, that's really helped clear things up for me. I haven't been logging runs because assumed MFP step tracker would be enough, and it's good to know it will adjust for intensity etc. will add swimming though. I take it a Fitbit is the most accurate way to see how you're burning, though?0
-
I think I complicate it, but I like to have my 10k step goal outside of any running, so I track my steps through pacer and then pause it when I go out for a run, and use mapmyrun for the run....
Seems to work for me!0 -
DeborahKilpatrick wrote: »Thanks everyone, that's really helped clear things up for me. I haven't been logging runs because assumed MFP step tracker would be enough, and it's good to know it will adjust for intensity etc. will add swimming though. I take it a Fitbit is the most accurate way to see how you're burning, though?
Fitbit (and other trackers) are more accurate than online calculators because they adjust for intensity. There are a lot of questions as to whether or not activity trackers with an HRM are accurate. HRM's that you strap to your chest supposedly are very accurate too.
0 -
I think I complicate it, but I like to have my 10k step goal outside of any running, so I track my steps through pacer and then pause it when I go out for a run, and use mapmyrun for the run....
Seems to work for me!
If you use Map My Run, the data from that will override any step tracker info so you really don't need to pause it if you don't want to. I found that the calorie burn from MMR is higher than that from a step tracker though, so some may need to adjust how many calories they eat back.
ETA: if it is working for you, that is the important thing!
0 -
I use a FitBit for tracking steps and only add in nonstep based exercise. FitBit has an app that I track my runs with just so I can keep track of my distance, speed, etc0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions