Fitbit adds too many calories.....I think?

jlcnuke

As I've come to understand it, here is the simple explanation of the adjustments:

The "calories" that MFP starts you with are less than you will burn by existing (effectively), let's say it's 2,000 calories for you. If it says to lose 1 lb/week you need to eat 1500 calories each, what it's actually saying is that by existing with the assumptions it makes, you should have a 3,500 calorie deficit after a week if you eat 1,500 calories because you'd burn 2,000 each day but only eat 1,500 so seven days with a 500 calorie deficit gets you to the desired 3,500 calorie deficit each week..

Then... you went and did something beyond existing that burned calories. Because of that, if you only at the original 1,500 calories then you'd EXCEED your 1lb/week weight loss goal because you'd have a larger calorie deficit. In order to maintain the calorie deficit at the set rate, you must then eat enough calories to get you back to the 500 calorie deficit for the day. This is important because your body is okay with a deficit, but too few "net calories" and your body might start doing unhealthy things instead of just consuming fat. You don't have to "eat back" all those calories, but if you're at a very large deficit then you should eat some of them back imo.

chrislee1628

I take it with a pinch of salt, no 2 people are the same, so if 2 people put the same details in, it will say the same, yet their bodies are not, and even if they did the same exercise at the same level and for the same amount of time, they will have burnt different amount of calories

even if they were twins

for me, as long as I am in deficit, as in it says I still have calories left to eat, at least over 500, then I am happy, I am pretty much always at least over 1000 in deficit to make sure

but I only try to eat what I set with myfitnesspal or at least not too much over

so say for example

mightinesspal 1710
fitbit exercise +2000

I eat 2000