Fit Bit Steps, to eat or not to eat...

TrishSeren

I've used MFP multiple times over the years to get rid of extra weight but this is the first time I've been doing it with a Fit Bit.

I've noticed that this time my weight isn't really moving and I'm wondering if it's because now I'm eating back the calories I've earned from walking (calories burned according to FitBit).

Previously I'd walk and not "earn calories" as I wasn't measuring them, so I'd never eat them back.

Has anyone else experienced this? I might try not counting for a month and see if it works.

snickerscharlie

Most people generally only eat back between 50 and 75% of calories earned through exercise. Leaves some wiggle room for inaccuracies in either the exercise burn or the food logging.

serindipte

It depends on your goal settings. If you have yourself set to "lightly active" or more, then MFP is already taking many of those FitBit steps into account. If you're set to sedentary, then go with the above, 50%-75% of those calories back.

TrishSeren

Previously I used to partly eat back exercise calories but I never used to have walking calories as I wasn't tracking it.

snickerscharlie

TrishSeren wrote: »

Previously I used to partly eat back exercise calories but I never used to have walking calories as I wasn't tracking it.

Are you certain your food logging skills are up-to-snuff? Do you have less weight to lose this time than your previous times tracking on MFP?

TrishSeren

snickerscharlie wrote: »

TrishSeren wrote: »

Previously I used to partly eat back exercise calories but I never used to have walking calories as I wasn't tracking it.

Are you certain your food logging skills are up-to-snuff? Do you have less weight to lose this time than your previous times tracking on MFP?

I'm even more accurate now, previously I never weighed my food and I still lost weight. Now I weigh my food for accuracy and it's not budging. The only change is that now I have a Fit Bit so I'm adding calories to my daily allowance and eating them back. I never did this before, I only ever logged gym or running calories not my general walking around calories.

jedibeau82

Consider too that Fitbit is not very accurate. I had one and it said I was taking steps while I was doing dishes. Something on the order of 150 steps. I also went for a run with the Fitbit and my Garmin chest HRM and the Fitbit over calculated my calories by 120 on a 25 minute run. Needless to say I brought the Fitbit back.

SusanMFindlay

TrishSeren wrote: »

snickerscharlie wrote: »

TrishSeren wrote: »

Previously I used to partly eat back exercise calories but I never used to have walking calories as I wasn't tracking it.

Are you certain your food logging skills are up-to-snuff? Do you have less weight to lose this time than your previous times tracking on MFP?

I'm even more accurate now, previously I never weighed my food and I still lost weight. Now I weigh my food for accuracy and it's not budging. The only change is that now I have a Fit Bit so I'm adding calories to my daily allowance and eating them back. I never did this before, I only ever logged gym or running calories not my general walking around calories.

Is your FitBit synced or are you adding the calories manually? If you're adding them manually, I suspect you're adding too many.

If it's synced, how long have you been using it? It can take a couple of weeks for FitBit to get used to your daily rhythms and establish a regular baseline heartrate for you. During this "getting to know you" period, it can be less accurate. I find mine to be incredibly accurate though.

What have you chosen as your activity level on MFP?

Do you have negative adjustments enabled?

If none of the above triggers any ideas, I'd lean toward underestimating intake being the issue rather than the FitBit overestimating - not that it matters because the solution to either issue would be to eat less.

spiriteagle99

I eat back deliberate exercise calories (walks, runs, bike sessions) but not incidental steps. That has worked well for me.

TrishSeren

SusanMFindlay wrote: »

TrishSeren wrote: »

snickerscharlie wrote: »

TrishSeren wrote: »

Previously I used to partly eat back exercise calories but I never used to have walking calories as I wasn't tracking it.

Are you certain your food logging skills are up-to-snuff? Do you have less weight to lose this time than your previous times tracking on MFP?

I'm even more accurate now, previously I never weighed my food and I still lost weight. Now I weigh my food for accuracy and it's not budging. The only change is that now I have a Fit Bit so I'm adding calories to my daily allowance and eating them back. I never did this before, I only ever logged gym or running calories not my general walking around calories.

Is your FitBit synced or are you adding the calories manually? If you're adding them manually, I suspect you're adding too many.

If it's synced, how long have you been using it? It can take a couple of weeks for FitBit to get used to your daily rhythms and establish a regular baseline heartrate for you. During this "getting to know you" period, it can be less accurate. I find mine to be incredibly accurate though.

What have you chosen as your activity level on MFP?

Do you have negative adjustments enabled?

If none of the above triggers any ideas, I'd lean toward underestimating intake being the issue rather than the FitBit overestimating - not that it matters because the solution to either issue would be to eat less.

The steps are synced, MFP then uses these to allocate calories. I don't use Fit Bit calories as they seem too high, like I doubt I'm burning as much as they say I am.

I've had it since October, and I've put on weight rather than lost weight despite logging (except over Christmas but I was already gaining before Christmas whilst logging).

The lowest activity level as I work in an office.

I'm going to unsync it and eat to what MFP allocates, because before I started using my Fit Bit I was losing weight.

SCoil123

I personally have found my fitbit flex to be very accurate. I am set on mfp to sedentary and eat back all or most of my calories earned. I really think it helps to cross check your settings in both and just play around with the numbers. I also never enter my work outs on mfp, only on fitbit. I actually found mfp was giving me twice as many calories for the same workouts so I believe the fitbit number to be more accurate.
Example:
MFP Bootcamp 30 min 410 cals
Fitbit Bootcamp 30 min 212 cals

Christine_72

OP have you tried eating back 50% of your exercise /walking calories?

I got inflated fitbit calories too, my only exercise is walking. so i went into fitbit settings and reduced my height and stride length and increased my age, now it's pretty much spot on.

I am creating my deficit purely with exercise, i have mfp set to sedentary, maintenance calories , and i "try" and earn at least 500 through exercise which i don't touch. So far, my weight loss is in line with my numbers.

Sorry if my post isn't very clear.. It's 38 celcius here right now , I'm walking outside while i type this and it's bright and sunny, and I'm struggling to see my phone screen properly!

rban1000

I never eat any calories back...no way! Those calories are how I can lose/maintain my weight! I mean...I screw up and overeat and binge many times but not on purpose! I LOVE if I can burn more calories then I eat

rekite2000

I changed the settings to say my Fitbit is in my dominant hand (though it isn't). Makes it less sensitive to movement and feels more accurate to me. I would rather under count rather than over count.

TrishSeren

rekite2000 wrote: »

I changed the settings to say my Fitbit is in my dominant hand (though it isn't). Makes it less sensitive to movement and feels more accurate to me. I would rather under count rather than over count.

My fitbit sits on my hip, it's a clip on one rather than a wrist one.

trigden1991

I use walking to increase my TDEE and create a calorie deficit. Eating them back would be counter-productive.

mlinci

Of course I eat them back (about 80%-100% of my Fitbit calories). I walk about 12k steps a day, which is quite active, so I need to eat more than if I was sedentary. Makes sense, and I don't want to undereat, because funnily enough, that's what makes me overeat.

tinkerbellang83

I found that it was easier to log only steps where I was walking to/from somewhere (I walk at least 1000 per day additional steps just milling around the house or going up and down stairs at work), by underestimating my exercise calories burned, it allows me to offset any inaccurate food entries. Not sure if this will work with fitbit but my Samsung phone has the ability to track calories burned by specific journeys on the SHealth app. I am losing my target weight weekly consistently.

trigden1991

mlinci wrote: »

Of course I eat them back (about 80%-100% of my Fitbit calories). I walk about 12k steps a day, which is quite active, so I need to eat more than if I was sedentary. Makes sense, and I don't want to undereat, because funnily enough, that's what makes me overeat.

If you eat back 80-100% of your FitBit calories, I assume you are trying to maintain? FitBit displays your TDEE I believe.

LivingtheLeanDream

Fitbit gives you your daily TDEE (the number you see at the end of the day is your predicted TDEE and I've found it to be pretty accurate), if you are wanting to lose you need to eat at deficit of that number, be that 10% or 20%, depending on how much you are wanting to lose each week.

Ming1951

I walk and use a fit bit to motivate me. I do not eat back the calories it gives me. In my mind I tell myself I can eat some of them if I am having a particular hungry day, but usually that never happens.

WinoGelato

I have a FitBit and have always eaten back the calorie adjustment it and MFP work out, both while losing and now maintaining. It has always been accurate for me but OP if you feel like yours is too high then maybe start eating back half the adjustments and go from there.

Some specific numbers might help: What are your stats and goal? And what calorie target does MFP have you at and what kind of adjustments are you getting? Is your activity pretty consistent day to day? How many steps do you usually take?

TrishSeren

WinoGelato wrote: »

I have a FitBit and have always eaten back the calorie adjustment it and MFP work out, both while losing and now maintaining. It has always been accurate for me but OP if you feel like yours is too high then maybe start eating back half the adjustments and go from there.

Some specific numbers might help: What are your stats and goal? And what calorie target does MFP have you at and what kind of adjustments are you getting? Is your activity pretty consistent day to day? How many steps do you usually take?

I'm 5ft 3, currently 61.4kg but looking to be 55-57kg. MFP has me at 1,360, pretty much, except weekends I walk less. Anywhere between 6,000 - 12,000 depending on the day.

snickerscharlie

Nevermind. I see my question was answered upthread.

StaciMarie1974

I think it depends on the type of Fitbit and type of activity.

What I mean... If your Fitbit is wrist based then it can add or miss activity/calories. Such as if you move your hands alot while you talk, or use your arms/hands in movement during the day a good bit: it may overinflate your steps and thus your daily burn. On the other hand if you do a lot of walking while pushing a stroller/cart or carrying things in your arms so that your hands don't swing naturally, it might not give you full credit. If you think your Fitbit is giving you too much credit, then don't eat all of them. Leave 100, 200, etc. uneaten. Give it a few weeks and check to see how its going.

Keep in mind this assumes accuracy in your food logging.

Personally I love my Fitbit One. Its the type that can be worn clipped to your pocket or bra. It does not depend on my arm movement, but my body movement. So its less likely to add extra. I know there are certain situations where it is inaccurate. I've tested this by comparing the Fitbit burn w/ a Heart Rate monitor. Such as if I walk on the treadmill at an incline, Fitbit does not know. So whether I walk 4.0 mph flat or incline of 2.5, it gives me the same burn. But truly walking at an incline (same speed) is more work, more calories burned. And jogging in place, I know burns about the same calories as walking at a brisk pace for the same amount of time. (Compared w/ HR monitor.) But Fitbit overcredits me, due the high # of steps per minute I think, and gives me a calorie burn as if I were running. SO if I have a day where its lousy weather and I jog in place during lunch, I get on the treadmill at home that night at an incline. I figure it evens out this way!

TrishSeren wrote: »

I've used MFP multiple times over the years to get rid of extra weight but this is the first time I've been doing it with a Fit Bit.

I've noticed that this time my weight isn't really moving and I'm wondering if it's because now I'm eating back the calories I've earned from walking (calories burned according to FitBit).

Previously I'd walk and not "earn calories" as I wasn't measuring them, so I'd never eat them back.

Has anyone else experienced this? I might try not counting for a month and see if it works.

StaciMarie1974

reading thru the replies, I see you have a One or Zip so you should not have the problem of it picking up hand movement. Have you checked to make sure your stats are correct in Fitbit's profile? Such as if it thinks you are heavier, taller or younger than you are: it will assume a higher BMR and a higher base for your burn rate.

Also looking at your diary, I see serving sizes like .5 muffin, 4 crackers, 2 slices. These things can be weighed also to improve accuracy. Such as the package may say 2 slices, 75g and then the scale shows 2 slices is actually 85g. In the US I understand labels can be off by 20% and still meet USDA guidelines.

StaciMarie1974

Going back further in your food log, it looks like you just got back to using the Fitbit & food logging. You may need to give it more time to actually have enough data to judge by. A current uptick in your weight over last week could be TOM/hormones, sodium, etc.

hellobaconplease

Sorry, I'm no help with the fitbit, the day I got mine I seemed to start eating more and more and more! I lost 40kg before I got one and stalled from then on.

Are you from NZ? I saw the anchor milk in your diary. I am too :-).

TrishSeren

StaciMarie1974 wrote: »

Going back further in your food log, it looks like you just got back to using the Fitbit & food logging. You may need to give it more time to actually have enough data to judge by. A current uptick in your weight over last week could be TOM/hormones, sodium, etc.

I was losing weight easily in October, then I got the FitBit and from then on it slowly crept back up. I can't always weigh my food (if I'm out etc) but I weight everything I can control. Previously (like 3-4 years ago) I didn't even weigh any food and I still lost weight!

The FitBit is literally the only change I have made. I'm going to stop using it for a month and see if that makes a difference.

TrishSeren

hellobaconplease wrote: »

Sorry, I'm no help with the fitbit, the day I got mine I seemed to start eating more and more and more! I lost 40kg before I got one and stalled from then on.

Are you from NZ? I saw the anchor milk in your diary. I am too :-).

Yes I am Interesting to see someone else also put on weight!

KWlosingit

I have a fitbit one and I have found it pretty spot on.