Fitbit Negative Calorie Adjustment

MiniMexxxxx

I'm sorry. I know this topic has been discussed lots of times but I cannot seem to find the answer. I've emailed MFP and been told despite a glitch on the app that says negative calorie adjustments are disabled when they are in fact enabled, everything is working as it should.

I weight approx 8st 8lb. I'm 5'2" and my calorie goal is set to 1200 calories. My Fitbit is connected with MFP but never seems to show a negative calorie adjustment even when it can safely do so without dropping me below 1200.

I've added a picture but today I have accumulated a lot of calories - as happens most days - 135 were from a swim and the rest have come over from Fitbit. I've only done 11k steps so this seems excessive?

While I'm happy to have extra calories to eat I don't want to overeat and I'm concerned that these calories are not a true reflection and I'll end up overeating.

Is anyone able to give me an opinion if it's working correctly please?

Thank you in advance

treegirl97

This seems pretty similar to mine. I'm 5'4" and 130 lbs and my goal is 1290. Yesterday my Fitbit adjustment was 899 calories which was pretty much just walking. I logged 15,300 steps and burned 2300 cals. Most days I get around 11,000 steps and my adjustment is between 500 and 600. I usually eat back half the calories (eat between 1500 and 1600 every day) and have been losing even though I've heard lots of Fitbit users who eat them all and lose as well.

janejellyroll

A negative calorie adjustment would mean that calories are subtracted from your day when you move less than your activity level would predict. If you're set to "sedentary," negative adjustments should be pretty rare if you're moving even a bit each day. In almost a year, I've only had one day with a negative adjustment and that was when I literally stayed in bed all day due to illness.

While I can't say for sure that your screenshot is an indication of things working well, I don't see anything that looks "wrong" here. Is your activity level "sedentary"? If so, you're going to start earning calories back at a pretty low level of steps -- and you've had 11,000 steps so far plus a swim.

MiniMexxxxx

treegirl97 wrote: »

This seems pretty similar to mine. I'm 5'4" and 130 lbs and my goal is 1290. Yesterday my Fitbit adjustment was 899 calories which was pretty much just walking. I logged 15,300 steps and burned 2300 cals. Most days I get around 11,000 steps and my adjustment is between 500 and 600. I usually eat back half the calories (eat between 1500 and 1600 every day) and have been losing even though I've heard lots of Fitbit users who eat them all and lose as well.

Thank you that's really helpful and very reassuring

MiniMexxxxx

janejellyroll wrote: »

A negative calorie adjustment would mean that calories are subtracted from your day when you move less than your activity level would predict. If you're set to "sedentary," negative adjustments should be pretty rare if you're moving even a bit each day. In almost a year, I've only had one day with a negative adjustment and that was when I literally stayed in bed all day due to illness.

While I can't say for sure that your screenshot is an indication of things working well, I don't see anything that looks "wrong" here. Is your activity level "sedentary"? If so, you're going to start earning calories back at a pretty low level of steps -- and you've had 11,000 steps so far plus a swim.

Thank you. That's really helpful. So would you say it's better to adjust my activity level to moderately active or leave it as sedentary as this is a fairly typical day for me at least 4 days a week and I always make sure I've walked at least 10k steps?

sunflowerhippi

I am guessing you have your MFP set to sedentary. If so then yes any day you take more then around 3000-4000 steps or so it is going to give you more food to eat because you have burned more the MFP considered your TDEE to be at sedentary.

Negative would be when it says -304 calories or some other numbers because you are not active enough for the activity level you have MFP set to.

I have mine set to lightly active because most days I hit that, for me around 6100 steps, but if I don't then it takes away calories so I still hit my goal.

MiniMexxxxx

sunflowerhippi wrote: »

I am guessing you have your MFP set to sedentary. If so then yes any day you take more then around 3000-4000 steps or so it is going to give you more food to eat because you have burned more the MFP considered your TDEE to be at sedentary.

Negative would be when it says -304 calories or some other numbers because you are not active enough for the activity level you have MFP set to.

I have mine set to lightly active because most days I hit that, for me around 6100 steps, but if I don't then it takes away calories so I still hit my goal.

Thank you sunflower. So would it be better to up my activity level to moderate (or whatever the next one is). This is a fairly typical day 4 days a week and I always make sure I do at least 10k steps even if I don't swim?

treegirl97

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that if you've linked your Fitbit to MFP, you should set your activity level to sedentary since the Fitbit will adjust your calories accordingly anyways.

rnurse82

So glad you posted this. Answered my questions regarding negative adjustments!

janejellyroll

emsp1 wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

A negative calorie adjustment would mean that calories are subtracted from your day when you move less than your activity level would predict. If you're set to "sedentary," negative adjustments should be pretty rare if you're moving even a bit each day. In almost a year, I've only had one day with a negative adjustment and that was when I literally stayed in bed all day due to illness.

While I can't say for sure that your screenshot is an indication of things working well, I don't see anything that looks "wrong" here. Is your activity level "sedentary"? If so, you're going to start earning calories back at a pretty low level of steps -- and you've had 11,000 steps so far plus a swim.

Thank you. That's really helpful. So would you say it's better to adjust my activity level to moderately active or leave it as sedentary as this is a fairly typical day for me at least 4 days a week and I always make sure I've walked at least 10k steps?

It's really up to you and your preferences. If you adjust your activity level up, you will get more calories upfront and see fewer adjustments. If you do this, make sure to enable negative adjustments so that you don't accidentally eat too much if you have a day when you don't move much.

There's really no wrong way to do it, it just depends on what you prefer. I keep mine on "sedentary" even though I usually get about 400-500 calories adjusted each day. It's just easier for me to deal with adding calories than having them taken away if I don't move much.

sunflowerhippi

emsp1 wrote: »

sunflowerhippi wrote: »

I am guessing you have your MFP set to sedentary. If so then yes any day you take more then around 3000-4000 steps or so it is going to give you more food to eat because you have burned more the MFP considered your TDEE to be at sedentary.

Negative would be when it says -304 calories or some other numbers because you are not active enough for the activity level you have MFP set to.

I have mine set to lightly active because most days I hit that, for me around 6100 steps, but if I don't then it takes away calories so I still hit my goal.

Thank you sunflower. So would it be better to up my activity level to moderate (or whatever the next one is). This is a fairly typical day 4 days a week and I always make sure I do at least 10k steps even if I don't swim?

That's up to you. Just be ready for if you have a bland day for it to take away calories from what you typically eat. It is all preference.

MiniMexxxxx

Thank you everyone for your help. I'm reassured that MFP/Fitbit connection is doing ok. I'll play around with how many earned calories I'm eating for the most effective result