MFP doesn't show Fitbit calories

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PokerChris
PokerChris Posts: 120 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just got a Fitbit Flex today. I believe I successfully synced it to my MFP account, as MFP shows that I walked 1,235 Fitbit steps since putting it on. But it shows 0 calories burned from it. When I used the iPhone to track steps, the calories would show up right away even in small amounts. Any explanation of why I'm not getting credit for the calories I've walked off?

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  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Fitbit measures the total amount of calories burned throughout the day, not just from walking. MFP reads the calories when you sync and estimates how much you'll burn for the entire day, then give you an adjustment. If it estimates that you aren't going to move enough to meet your maintenance calories, it will give you zero adjustment (or negative, if you have that setting enabled and are eating more than 1200 calories). If you're set to sedentary, it usually takes people about 3000-5000 steps to get a positive adjustment.

    Ultimately, your first couple weeks with Fitbit will be off anyway as it gets used to you and your movements. Then you'll be able to see what you really burn each day.
  • mark741
    mark741 Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi I think there is currently an issue with the step sync as mine stopped working earlier today. I happens occasionally but they soon sort it out.
    I guess you have been unlucky .
    Mark
  • mark741
    mark741 Posts: 3 Member
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    If you have an Android phone there is an update in the play store that fixes the step syncing issue, it's more likely that it's only not syncing because you have yet to apply the update.
  • mark741
    mark741 Posts: 3 Member
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    And I just re read and see you didn't have an issue with the step syncing
  • PokerChris
    PokerChris Posts: 120 Member
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    If calories burned doesn't kick in until a few thousand steps, then this is not going to do what I want it to. I like the method with the iPhone, but the trouble is it with often zero out at random times during the day.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
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    PokerChris wrote: »
    If calories burned doesn't kick in until a few thousand steps, then this is not going to do what I want it to. I like the method with the iPhone, but the trouble is it with often zero out at random times during the day.

    At a minimum, you should give Fitbit a full-day (12:01 AM to 12:00 PM) to collect information. The first full day, the Fitbit uses average values in its algorithm based on only your gender, height, weight, etc. As Fitbit collects more days of information on your steps, overall Calorie burn, and weight loss or gain, the algorithms start using that information to refine the equations it uses to give you a more personalized daily projection.

    I use Android, so I'm not sure how you find the same information on iOS. For Android, go to your Diary page and scroll to the bottom; tap on the Fitbit Tracker Calorie Adjustment (mine shows -51 right now because I have negative adjustments enabled). That will bring up another page; tap on the Calorie Adjustment again and it will show you more information about your Fitbit Full Day Projection.

    To start seeing a positive Calorie adjustment in MFP from Fitbit with the least amount of steps (2000-2500), make sure your MFP Activity Level is set to Sedentary.
  • PokerChris
    PokerChris Posts: 120 Member
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    CyberTone wrote: »
    PokerChris wrote: »
    If calories burned doesn't kick in until a few thousand steps, then this is not going to do what I want it to. I like the method with the iPhone, but the trouble is it with often zero out at random times during the day.

    At a minimum, you should give Fitbit a full-day (12:01 AM to 12:00 PM) to collect information. The first full day, the Fitbit uses average values in its algorithm based on only your gender, height, weight, etc. As Fitbit collects more days of information on your steps, overall Calorie burn, and weight loss or gain, the algorithms start using that information to refine the equations it uses to give you a more personalized daily projection.

    I use Android, so I'm not sure how you find the same information on iOS. For Android, go to your Diary page and scroll to the bottom; tap on the Fitbit Tracker Calorie Adjustment (mine shows -51 right now because I have negative adjustments enabled). That will bring up another page; tap on the Calorie Adjustment again and it will show you more information about your Fitbit Full Day Projection.

    To start seeing a positive Calorie adjustment in MFP from Fitbit with the least amount of steps (2000-2500), make sure your MFP Activity Level is set to Sedentary.

    OK, I will give it a couple more days to see if anything changes. I guess I'm impatient. I did follow the Fitbit tracker path you described. It says Fitbit Tracker Calories Burned =1597 ; MyFitnessPal Calories burned 2,065. (I only wore Fitbit since about 1 p.m., so i guess that makes sense and it may be more accurate when I wear it for a full day) All I want is the apps to work together to tell me how many calories I burned with all my activities so I know how many more calories I can eat.
  • PokerChris
    PokerChris Posts: 120 Member
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    Not impressed with Fitbit. It doesn't display calories burned from walking in my MFP diary and it's been "looking" for my Flex since 7 p.m. last night. I had hoped this would make healthy living more convenient, but it's just frustrating. I think I'll return the band to Target and go back to using the iPhone to count steps and just use MFP as I have been.

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