Getting a Fitbit

kgirlhart
kgirlhart Posts: 5,156 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just ordered a Fitbit One. I'm so excited. I'm a little nervous about syncing with mfp. I want to make sure I do it right. Right now the exercise I do is walking 3-4 miles a day at about 3 mph. I also do a yoga video 3-4 times a week. I have mfp set to sedentary and I eat back about 75% of my exercise calories. I've read a lot of threads about Fitbits. And I'm a little confused. If I sync Fitbit with mfp can I enter all food in mfp and all exercise in Fitbit? Do I add my intentional walks as exercise or will that double count those calories? I'm thinking from what I've read that it will overwrite the steps at that time. I just don't want to double count any calories. I consider the daily walks as exercise, not just part of my activity level. I would think that I would burn more calories walking purposefully at 3 mph than I would just walking to the bathroom or from my car to my office. Is this correct? Thanks for your help.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Yep, logging food in MFP and exercise in Fitbit is the best way to go. But as it's counting the steps from your walks, there's no need to log that.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    if you keep your set-up both on MFP and fitbit under sedentary than you should eat back the calories fitbit gives you back. do not log the exercises unless they are not step based like swimming and just allow fitbit to give you back calories based on activity .
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,156 Member
    Ok so I should log the yoga but not the walks? Does the Fitbit count all steps equally?
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    What most people without fitbits don't realise is that sedentary already factors in around 2 miles a day so you'll get a calorie adjustment for anything you do over that. No need to log it separately and best not to for walking but your yoga will need to be logged to cover the time span you did it if you choose not to just leave it to your fitbit.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    Ok so I should log the yoga but not the walks? Does the Fitbit count all steps equally?

    No, it'll recognize that you're going for a longer and faster walk and will give you the appropriate amount of calories.

    If you haven't yet, I suggest joining the Fitbit group on here and reading through the FAQs posted.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,156 Member
    Ok great! Thanks so much!
  • torchyew
    torchyew Posts: 13 Member
    I have a Fitbit and it syncs my steps with MFP with how many calories are burned and let me know I could have x extra amount of calories because of my activity. When I log my water intake on MFP, it shows on my Fitbit as well.

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