So santa bought me a Fitbit charge 2

Spitspot81

And I have synced it no problems.

But can anyone explain the benefits of having the Fitbit and MFP synced together. I notice it tracks steps in MFP, but it doesn't allow it to count as your exercise....fair enough. I am heading to the gym in the morning and am wondering if the exercise will show up on MFP once the Fitbit has recognised it.

neldabg

Imo, the biggest benefit is that it automatically adds exercise calories for me. I don't have to manually log a thing. I've never had any exercise show up on MFP though.

Spitspot81

neldabg wrote: »

Imo, the biggest benefit is that it automatically adds exercise calories for me. I don't have to manually log a thing. I've never had any exercise show up on MFP though.

That's great news...I did hope it would manually add it. Do you switch the Fitbit when you are doing different types of exercise?? For example I will do a 10 min run as a warm up before then doing weights. Should I reset the Fitbit for the different exercises

JoRolleNola

I just got the fitbit charge 2. I'm still learning about it. jorollenola@gmail.com

malibu927

The only things MFP reads from Fitbit are the number of steps taken and total calories burned. It can't tell whether those calories are from exercise, daily activity, or BMR.

Everything else should be covered in this post in the Fitbit group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy

acaudill042106

I've had mine for a week (Santa visited our house early). I LOVE it! It gives me a more accurate look. I was eating WAY too little. MFP was calculating my workouts at a much lower burn. Now that I'm eating more, my energy level is up and I'm enjoying my workouts more. Add me if you'd like mrs.ashley.caudill@gmail.com

amusedmonkey

spitapot81 wrote: »

neldabg wrote: »

Imo, the biggest benefit is that it automatically adds exercise calories for me. I don't have to manually log a thing. I've never had any exercise show up on MFP though.

That's great news...I did hope it would manually add it. Do you switch the Fitbit when you are doing different types of exercise?? For example I will do a 10 min run as a warm up before then doing weights. Should I reset the Fitbit for the different exercises

It's pretty automated. It doesn't import individual workouts to MFP, but it does import the sum of calories burned and number of steps. You could set the automatic exercise detection to 10 minutes and it will automatically guess at the type of exercise you are doing if it involves steps, so you don't need to manually log these either. Even if it doesn't automatically pick up a certain exercise or doesn't detect the exercise correctly, the calorie burn will still be there even if the exercise isn't listed as a distinctive exercise.

Almost everything in Charge is pretty much automated, so all you have to do is wear it. I would be careful of the calorie burn, though. HR tends to overestimate by a lot.

Spitspot81

acaudill042106 wrote: »

I've had mine for a week (Santa visited our house early). I LOVE it! It gives me a more accurate look. I was eating WAY too little. MFP was calculating my workouts at a much lower burn. Now that I'm eating more, my energy level is up and I'm enjoying my workouts more. Add me if you'd like mrs.ashley.caudill@gmail.com

Thanks, I have sent you a request

Cylphin60

I've had mine for a month or so and (forgive the dissenting voice here) I personally have found it much simpler to log calories and exercise via mfp alone, and simply use the Fitbit as a tracker alone.

Mfp already overestimates burn, as does the Fitbit, so it's just simpler for me to log all exercise as cardio. I manually halve the calories burned when entering it, and leave myself half of that remaining number as calories I can eat back if I choose. I'm convinced calories are overestimated at least that much.

As a tracker for steps/sleep/hr, I think it's a wonderful device. It's consistently nailed my sleep, stairs climbed, and pretty close on the steps and distance. HR may not be dead on, but it does a passable job of recording rhythms over a period of time.

Spitspot81

Cylphin60 wrote: »

I've had mine for a month or so and (forgive the dissenting voice here) I personally have found it much simpler to log calories and exercise via mfp alone, and simply use the Fitbit as a tracker alone.

Mfp already overestimates burn, as does the Fitbit, so it's just simpler for me to log all exercise as cardio. I manually halve the calories burned when entering it, and leave myself half of that remaining number as calories I can eat back if I choose. I'm convinced calories are overestimated at least that much.

As a tracker for steps/sleep/hr, I think it's a wonderful device. It's consistently nailed my sleep, stairs climbed, and pretty close on the steps and distance. HR may not be dead on, but it does a passable job of recording rhythms over a period of time.

This is exactly what I was considering doing. I guess that in order for me to do this I just disable the calorie adjustment and then log exercise through MFP??? Sorry for all the questions

Spitspot81

I guess I could monitor the exercise calories on my Fitbit, i.e track calories burnt in the gym, and then add them through MFP?

Cylphin60

Spitspot81 wrote: »

I guess I could monitor the exercise calories on my Fitbit, i.e track calories burnt in the gym, and then add them through MFP?

That's basically what I do. I haven't been able to find a way to "nail" calories burned...I'm not sure there is one...so the approximation I use is good for me. I'm usually full for the day before I max out calories for the day anyway.

Cylphin60

Spitspot81 wrote: »

Cylphin60 wrote: »

I've had mine for a month or so and (forgive the dissenting voice here) I personally have found it much simpler to log calories and exercise via mfp alone, and simply use the Fitbit as a tracker alone.

Mfp already overestimates burn, as does the Fitbit, so it's just simpler for me to log all exercise as cardio. I manually halve the calories burned when entering it, and leave myself half of that remaining number as calories I can eat back if I choose. I'm convinced calories are overestimated at least that much.

As a tracker for steps/sleep/hr, I think it's a wonderful device. It's consistently nailed my sleep, stairs climbed, and pretty close on the steps and distance. HR may not be dead on, but it does a passable job of recording rhythms over a period of time.

This is exactly what I was considering doing. I guess that in order for me to do this I just disable the calorie adjustment and then log exercise through MFP??? Sorry for all the questions

I think that's what I did. I can't remember for sure lol. I need more brain food lol.

katie_rnc

Exercise calories show up only after you've burned more than MFP expected you yo burn for the day based on your stated activity level

Message me if you want to add me to Fitbit