Fitbit Calories Question

nmmom2

I am sure this question is somewhere in the posts, but I couldn't find it.

I just want to make sure I am figuring this out correctly. I set MFP daily calories to my TDEE-15%. The calories burned shown on my Fitbit are what I burned for the day. I am not logging exercise calories on MFP. So my goal to lose weight should make sure my Fitbit calories are the same or lower than MFP calories?

Sorry if this is confusing.

SusanMFindlay

I'm not following you.

I log all my intake on MFP. FitBit tracks my calorie burned. I have not chosen any weight loss or food-related settings on FitBit. MFP is set to "lose 1 pound per week".

To lose weight, I want to burn more calories than I eat, so I want my FitBit "calories burned" number to be higher than my MFP "calories consumed" number.

I'm aiming for a 500 calorie/day deficit - which is about a 15% cut for me - so I want the FitBit number to be ~500 calories higher than the MFP number on average. I'm usually more hungry the day after working out than the day of working out, so I don't worry about every day being a perfect 500.

If everything is synced properly, you can just watch MFP's front page and it'll tell you how many calories you get to eat that day (which will tend to go up throughout the day as FitBit reports more physical activity). After a while, you'll know what your typical burn is and can eat based on that without needing to watch the front page so closely.

nmmom2

I think that's the problem. My Fitbit is not syncing with MFP. Thank you for helping clear my confusion up.

SusanMFindlay

How long have you had the FitBit? Mine took about two days to properly sync with MFP.

If it's been a while, you can work out an average FitBit calorie burn then take 15% off that to calculate your average daily calorie allowance. This is assuming FitBit is pretty accurate for you. Mine is for me.

nmmom2

I just started using it again about a week ago. I've had it for about six months, but got off track.

SusanMFindlay

Have you synced the two apps yet? If so, do your steps show up on the Check-In page? I take it you're not yet seeing calorie goal adjustments on the Food Diary or calories burned in the Exercise Diary? My steps showed up right away, but the two diaries took about two days to start showing info from FitBit.

nmmom2

I did sync them, but I am not seeing my steps yet on MFP and I don't see the calorie adjustments either.

SusanMFindlay

If your steps aren't showing up on the Check-In page, you may need to unsync then resync again. If I remember correctly, they showed up almost immediately.

heybales

If you are following a weekly average TDEE method (and if same amount daily then you are) - you should NOT sync the Fitbit.

MFP is going to take that daily calorie burn, subtract what it estimated your daily burn would be based on activity level, and then increase or decrease your eating goal by that difference.

Fitbit 2400 - MFP 2000 = 400 adjustment.

2000 eating goal (your TDEE - 15% say) + 400 = 2400 new eating goal.

Now - if you just want to memorize 2000 (that one is easy) and not care about in the red or in the green - then fine - but your macro's will be messed up too.

Unless you are paying MFP for the membership and set the option to NOT increase calories from synced devices.

Best use of Fitbit is merely to look at your weekly emailed results, and confirm the TDEE is about right, based on what you do instead of guessing what you are planning on doing.

Only caveat would be some exercise should be logged on Fitbit for accuracy, depending on the workout, your Fitbit model, and how long the workout is.
For instance if I didn't log my long bike rides manually - Fitbit would be short by 500-700 calories on 2-3 days a week.
That would give a terribly under-reported TDEE in my weekly email, and if I based eating level on that, AND took a deficit - I'd be badly under-eating.

banadler

Joining in this discussion since I just got the Fitbit Charge 2. I'm trying to figure out my TDEE using the Fitbit and right now I have MFP set at maintaining my weight under the lightly active setting. Am I right in thinking that I should unsync my activity calories burned with MFP since it adds to the total calories to maintain? I lift weights twice a week and recently started to run lightly (30 minutes with 5 min run/1 min walk- usually 15 min mile)

Raynn1

I find syncing the device to MFP gives more headaches than it is worth.
I would just use the data from your fitbit, showing you what you a burning daily, but leave it unsynced to MFP and manually do your calories on your diary.
I set my tracker to TDEE and if I track any activity, then the calorie burn is changed to 1. that way I know daily what my tdee is and what i need to hit and not worry about the outside forces messing with that:)

Kelly
EM2WL Ambassador and Moderator

banadler

Thanks for the advice. I will do that