Eating back calories and Fitbit
jessicalynch817
Posts: 34 Member
So I wear my Fitbit all day. I work at a day care and average around 6-7,000 steps daily. So by the time I get home I have supposedly burned around 300 calories. This may sound silly but do those calories really count as exercise calories? Should I eat some back? I'm currently 240 pounds and set to lose 2 pounds a week. I'm suppose to eat 1330 calories before any exercise. I just have felt kinda hungry lately but always feel really guilty even if I go over by 100 calories. 
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Replies
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MFP is designed for you to eat back your calories from intentional exercise. I walk about 10-14000 steps per day and usually get an adjustment of around +700 calories and I eat the majority of these back.
Do you have yourself set to Lightly Active in MFP activity settings?
Do you have negative adjustments enabled?
The easiest way to find out if your calorie adjustment is accurate is to eat either all of the calories or a fixed percentage of them (50% is a good starting point if you're worried it's not accurate), do this for 4 weeks and see if you're losing at the 2lb rate per week.
If you're losing more - eat more of the calories back
If you're losing less - eat less of the calories back2 -
Since my activity is pretty consistent from day to day, I just take my average calories burned per Fitbit and set my calorie target 500 calories below that. So, I average 2050 calories burned and my daily target to eat is 1550. So far this has come out to just about a pound a week lost.2
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MFP will sync with your Fitbit and tell you if you should eat them back. Have you MFP set to sedentary? if so, then yes, eat them back and enable negative adjustments.
Your body is telling you it needs more cals, it can't hurt to eat around 1500 at least especially if it helps you feel more satiated.1 -
As everyone said, MFP is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories. However, your regular daily activity is already included in the MFP average. From experience, sedentary expects you to take around 5000 steps before you start getting credit for extra calories. That's where the problem with Fitbit imo comes in: it overestimates. I find it hard to believe you're burning 300 calories with just 2000 steps.
Take me for example:
My BMR (calories burned by just being alive) is 1550
My NEAT (MFP calculated calories burned before exercise based on sedentary) is 1800
With the above example, there's a 250 calorie difference between the calories I burn by doing nothing at all, and what I burn if I don't exercise during the day, but do walk around a bit and do daily things. So I'd have to burn 250 calories with walking (which for me seems to be around 5k steps) before I would get credit for EXTRA calories. If I were to walk less than 5k, I'd get negative calories and would be able to eat less than 1800. This is how it works with my Apple Watch. When I had a Fitbit before it also overestimated for me and gave me too much credit.
So bottom line: I don't think your Fitbit is being accurate and is giving you too many extra calories for little work. But if you're hungry your deficit is too large and you should eat more, I think wanting to lose 2 lbs a week is too quick and leaves you with too little calories.1 -
OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.3
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RunRutheeRun wrote: »OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.
Yes but like I said, MFP uses NEAT which INCLUDES some steps already. In my experience this is around 5k steps before I should get credit (1800 - 1550 = 250) so that would mean that 7000-5000 steps = 2000 steps. 300 cals for 2k steps is too much, even at 240 lbs.2 -
Its not really exercise calories. MFP assumes you will burn 2330 in a day based on your stats and the activity level you chose. Fitbit is saying you are actually burning around 2630 in a day, based on your actual movement.
In reality you are a little more active than the setting you chose for MFP. Not anything you need to change necessarily, but that is what the daily +300 means in my opinion. If you're not sure the Fitbit burn # is totally accurate then allow yourself to eat an extra 150, still leaves room for error, and gets you more fuel.
One other thought: feeling guilty for eating is setting yourself up for trouble in my opinion. Food is fuel. Food is not good or bad. Some days you may need more, and may need to have a smaller deficit. Think about your options, make decisions as to what is in your best interest. And take care of your body. WIthout guilt.6 -
RunRutheeRun wrote: »OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.
Yes but like I said, MFP uses NEAT which INCLUDES some steps already. In my experience this is around 5k steps before I should get credit (1800 - 1550 = 250) so that would mean that 7000-5000 steps = 2000 steps. 300 cals for 2k steps is too much, even at 240 lbs.
I'm assuming that the 300 calories are her exercise adjustment on MFP from having it synced with her Fitbit. If this is the case, the adjustment only begins when she exceeds the number of steps assumed for her NEAT.4 -
RunRutheeRun wrote: »OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.
Yes but like I said, MFP uses NEAT which INCLUDES some steps already. In my experience this is around 5k steps before I should get credit (1800 - 1550 = 250) so that would mean that 7000-5000 steps = 2000 steps. 300 cals for 2k steps is too much, even at 240 lbs.
I think it depends on where you have your activity level on MFP set also. At sedentary I start getting positive adjustments at about 2000 steps. At lightly active I get positive adjustments at about 3500.
I've been using my fitbit (I have a One) for years and it has always been pretty much accurate - I've lost, maintained and gained using the numbers it sends over to MFP.3 -
I am an office worker, and a lot of my steps just come from walking in place and on my lunch break. I aim for 8500 steps a day, and have gone as much as 17000 steps. I feel my fitbit over-estimates my calories because i know walking in place doesn't burn the same number of calories as regular walking, so I use it as a buffer. I'll eat them if I'm hungry, if not it's just more of a deficit.
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Thanks for all your thoughts guys! I do have my Fitbit adjusted to count negative calories and I also have MFP set to sedentary. I know I shouldn't feel guilty but it is hard!3
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I also have a Fitbit One, have it set at lightly active (because I don't want a bunch of extra calories at the end of the day), & enable negative adjustments. Right now, I have done 38 minutes on treadmill & a little other movement, 5860 for steps & still have a -35 adjustment. Last Friday, I did 2 38 minute treadmill session & other walking for 17623 steps & it gave me 229 exercise calories. There were a few days in the last week that I did one treadmill walk & just general movement the rest of the day, ended with over 11,000 steps and still had a -22 adjustment. This seems small to me, is it because I am older (67) & relatively lighter (150)?0
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I have noticed that it seems like my fitbit one knows how fast I move doing my steps. If I move quicker I get more calories than the same steps but at a slower pace.5
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As everyone said, MFP is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories. However, your regular daily activity is already included in the MFP average. From experience, sedentary expects you to take around 5000 steps before you start getting credit for extra calories. That's where the problem with Fitbit imo comes in: it overestimates. I find it hard to believe you're burning 300 calories with just 2000 steps.
Take me for example:
My BMR (calories burned by just being alive) is 1550
My NEAT (MFP calculated calories burned before exercise based on sedentary) is 1800
With the above example, there's a 250 calorie difference between the calories I burn by doing nothing at all, and what I burn if I don't exercise during the day, but do walk around a bit and do daily things. So I'd have to burn 250 calories with walking (which for me seems to be around 5k steps) before I would get credit for EXTRA calories. If I were to walk less than 5k, I'd get negative calories and would be able to eat less than 1800. This is how it works with my Apple Watch. When I had a Fitbit before it also overestimated for me and gave me too much credit.
So bottom line: I don't think your Fitbit is being accurate and is giving you too many extra calories for little work. But if you're hungry your deficit is too large and you should eat more, I think wanting to lose 2 lbs a week is too quick and leaves you with too little calories.
I think you are putting too much stock in numbers like BMR, and the MFP NEAT estimate. I also think you're suggesting that the 300 cals that OP is referencing is specific to her step count, when in fact, it is a calorie adjustment that is basically trueing up what MFP thinks she is burning, with what FitBit says she is actually burning.
In my experience, for people that see large calorie adjustments from FitBit and then think they must be overinflated, it is because they have entered information into MFP that suggests they are less active than they actually are. Those exercise adjustments are reconciling that, with what FitBit says they actually burn (which is more than just the steps, it includes the calories burned from BMR as well). Often when they talk about their actual activity, how many steps they get, etc - it turns out that if they chose an activity level that is more appropriate (like in OP's example - I would think lightly active is a better setting based on her job and her step count described), then the adjustments become more representative of any purposeful exercise.
And because I think it's helpful to share numbers for clarity:
I'm 5'2 and 120 lbs. When I originally got my FitBit I was set as sedentary, and weighed about 135. I was averaging about 10K steps/day and was seeing adjustments of 500-600 cals, just from walking, and thought that couldn't possibly be right. I got the good advice on here, that taking 10K steps/day is not sedentary, desk job or no desk job. I changed my activity level to lightly active, which gave me more baseline calories, and then I started seeing lower adjustments and not getting positive calorie adjustments until I was over 6,000 or so steps. Now, I'm in maintenance, but I average 15K steps/day and have my setting at Active. I don't get positive adjustments till I'm over 10K steps usually.
MFP thinks my NEAT maintenance cals are 1860. FitBit says my total cals burned is b/w 2100-2300. So my adjustments are usually in the neighborhood of 250-450 cals, depending how active I am that day.
I ate back the calories while losing, and now while maintaining, and they've always been accurate for me. For what it's worth OP....12 -
Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?2
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jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?1 -
RunRutheeRun wrote: »OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.
Yes but like I said, MFP uses NEAT which INCLUDES some steps already. In my experience this is around 5k steps before I should get credit (1800 - 1550 = 250) so that would mean that 7000-5000 steps = 2000 steps. 300 cals for 2k steps is too much, even at 240 lbs.
Except that "sedentary" on MFP is closer to 3,000 steps than to 5,000 steps. So, if she's getting 6,000-7,000 steps, she's getting an adjustment based on the extra 3,000-4,000 steps. While 300 calories might be a lot for somebody in the low 100s, it's very little for somebody who weighs 240. An adjustment of 300 calories over sedentary is perfectly reasonable for somebody who weighs 240 pounds and is almost "lightly active" (the low end of "lightly active" is about 7,500 steps/day).
For reference, my husband weighed just over 240 when he started losing weight. He's down to 215 now. He burns more than 3,000 calories every day. If he breaks 15,000 steps, he breaks 4,000 calories. I don't get anywhere close to that with my burns. You can't project your numbers onto somebody who weighs a lot more than you.6 -
WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?
That is my total number of steps. As of right now I am not doing any exercise. I'm just trying to get my calories and eating right then I am gradually going to add in walking. At the end of most days I have about 7,000+ steps and around 300-400 calories burned. I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference. I mainly just set mfp to sedentary because I figured it would give me the least amount of calories and if I stayed under that amount WITH the "added" Fitbit calories I would lose a lot quicker. So for example today Fitbit said I burned 350 calories. I start out with 1,330 calories. In total I ate around 1,200 calories today. So would I really have 480 calories left? Or should I just stay at that 1,330?1 -
If you set yourself as Lightly Active you will get a higher calorie goal so it's up to yourself really. Losing quicker isn't necessarily better.
Where you've mentioned a higher burn from running around rather than normal steps, I'm not using Fitbit so not sure of their specs - if it's a model with heart rate monitor it will be detecting that you're burning more from moving faster.2 -
My Fitbit does not have a heart monitor but mine still seems to give more calories for moving quicker1
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RunRutheeRun wrote: »OP said around 7000 steps for 300 cals and at 240lbs that calorie burn doesn't sound unreasonable.
Yes but like I said, MFP uses NEAT which INCLUDES some steps already. In my experience this is around 5k steps before I should get credit (1800 - 1550 = 250) so that would mean that 7000-5000 steps = 2000 steps. 300 cals for 2k steps is too much, even at 240 lbs.
I'm set at sedentary and start getting positive adjustments at around 2000 steps. Lightly active kicks in at around 5000 steps.
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jessicalynch817 wrote: »I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference.
All FItbit models include an accelerometer chip that senses changes in speed. If you move quicker for the same number of steps, you will earn slightly more Calories per step.KWlosingit wrote: »My Fitbit does not have a heart monitor but mine still seems to give more calories for moving quicker5 -
jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?
That is my total number of steps. As of right now I am not doing any exercise. I'm just trying to get my calories and eating right then I am gradually going to add in walking. At the end of most days I have about 7,000+ steps and around 300-400 calories burned. I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference. I mainly just set mfp to sedentary because I figured it would give me the least amount of calories and if I stayed under that amount WITH the "added" Fitbit calories I would lose a lot quicker. So for example today Fitbit said I burned 350 calories. I start out with 1,330 calories. In total I ate around 1,200 calories today. So would I really have 480 calories left? Or should I just stay at that 1,330?
Well and again, what you are seeing, the 350 calories, isn't what FitBit says you burned from your steps. It's the difference between what MFP thought you should burn, in total, and what FitBit says you actually burned. MFP has your goal at 1330, with a 2 lbs/week loss goal, right? That means MFP expects you to burn 2330 calories based on your stats and a sedentary activity level. FitBit is telling MFP you actually burned 2680 cals today, in total, or 350 cals more than it thought. So that's your "adjustment" to get back to a target deficit based on your inputs. By eating less than that, you have created an even bigger deficit for yourself, approximately 1480 cals. That's a pretty steep deficit, assuming your logging is accurate, and more than what is recommended. It's not necessarily better to lose faster, there are negative side effects.
How long have you been doing this, and what rate are you actually burning at?2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?
That is my total number of steps. As of right now I am not doing any exercise. I'm just trying to get my calories and eating right then I am gradually going to add in walking. At the end of most days I have about 7,000+ steps and around 300-400 calories burned. I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference. I mainly just set mfp to sedentary because I figured it would give me the least amount of calories and if I stayed under that amount WITH the "added" Fitbit calories I would lose a lot quicker. So for example today Fitbit said I burned 350 calories. I start out with 1,330 calories. In total I ate around 1,200 calories today. So would I really have 480 calories left? Or should I just stay at that 1,330?
Well and again, what you are seeing, the 350 calories, isn't what FitBit says you burned from your steps. It's the difference between what MFP thought you should burn, in total, and what FitBit says you actually burned. MFP has your goal at 1330, with a 2 lbs/week loss goal, right? That means MFP expects you to burn 2330 calories based on your stats and a sedentary activity level. FitBit is telling MFP you actually burned 2680 cals today, in total, or 350 cals more than it thought. So that's your "adjustment" to get back to a target deficit based on your inputs. By eating less than that, you have created an even bigger deficit for yourself, approximately 1480 cals. That's a pretty steep deficit, assuming your logging is accurate, and more than what is recommended. It's not necessarily better to lose faster, there are negative side effects.
How long have you been doing this, and what rate are you actually burning at?
I have been at this about a month and lost 14 pounds. Maybe I'll set it back to lightly active and see how I do at next months weigh in. I know it's not good to try to lose so fast. It's just hard because I wanna see results quick. Thanks again for all your advise!1 -
jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?
That is my total number of steps. As of right now I am not doing any exercise. I'm just trying to get my calories and eating right then I am gradually going to add in walking. At the end of most days I have about 7,000+ steps and around 300-400 calories burned. I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference. I mainly just set mfp to sedentary because I figured it would give me the least amount of calories and if I stayed under that amount WITH the "added" Fitbit calories I would lose a lot quicker. So for example today Fitbit said I burned 350 calories. I start out with 1,330 calories. In total I ate around 1,200 calories today. So would I really have 480 calories left? Or should I just stay at that 1,330?
Well and again, what you are seeing, the 350 calories, isn't what FitBit says you burned from your steps. It's the difference between what MFP thought you should burn, in total, and what FitBit says you actually burned. MFP has your goal at 1330, with a 2 lbs/week loss goal, right? That means MFP expects you to burn 2330 calories based on your stats and a sedentary activity level. FitBit is telling MFP you actually burned 2680 cals today, in total, or 350 cals more than it thought. So that's your "adjustment" to get back to a target deficit based on your inputs. By eating less than that, you have created an even bigger deficit for yourself, approximately 1480 cals. That's a pretty steep deficit, assuming your logging is accurate, and more than what is recommended. It's not necessarily better to lose faster, there are negative side effects.
How long have you been doing this, and what rate are you actually burning at?
I have been at this about a month and lost 14 pounds. Maybe I'll set it back to lightly active and see how I do at next months weigh in. I know it's not good to try to lose so fast. It's just hard because I wanna see results quick. Thanks again for all your advise!
14 lbs in a month is really fast. Some of it was likely initially water weight, but still, more than 2 lbs/week is not advised. Adverse effects include loss of lean body mass, hair loss, brittlebnails, sallow skin, issues with your cycle, etc.
Back in your original post you said you felt guilty eating back those calories. Changing your activity setting isn't going to help you with that, you need to address those feelings of guilt, they aren't healthy, and can often set up a cycle of restrict-binge...4 -
I am 5 ft 4 weigh 144.7 pounds and eat 1600-1650 calories. Im still losing 1-1.5 pounds a week and i aim to burn 2100 calories on my fitbit. I do go over somedays but aim for a 3500 calorie deficit. If i were u in the first instance id try eating more so you dont slow your metabolism down. Aim for a 1 pound or 1.5 pound loss a week its slower but more sustainable and its easier to keep it off. I dont eat back exercise calories as im eating enough not to have to im not feeling hungry1
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WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »jessicalynch817 wrote: »Thanks so much Wino! So maybe I should change my setting to lightly active then?
The 6-7000 steps you get during the work day, how many more do you get, what's your usual total number of steps? What does FitBit say your total calories burned is?
That is my total number of steps. As of right now I am not doing any exercise. I'm just trying to get my calories and eating right then I am gradually going to add in walking. At the end of most days I have about 7,000+ steps and around 300-400 calories burned. I also noticed on days that let's say I run around the playground with the kids, but take the same amount or less steps I burn more calories. I noticed someone else said that too. I have a Fitbit Alta if that makes any difference. I mainly just set mfp to sedentary because I figured it would give me the least amount of calories and if I stayed under that amount WITH the "added" Fitbit calories I would lose a lot quicker. So for example today Fitbit said I burned 350 calories. I start out with 1,330 calories. In total I ate around 1,200 calories today. So would I really have 480 calories left? Or should I just stay at that 1,330?
Well and again, what you are seeing, the 350 calories, isn't what FitBit says you burned from your steps. It's the difference between what MFP thought you should burn, in total, and what FitBit says you actually burned. MFP has your goal at 1330, with a 2 lbs/week loss goal, right? That means MFP expects you to burn 2330 calories based on your stats and a sedentary activity level. FitBit is telling MFP you actually burned 2680 cals today, in total, or 350 cals more than it thought. So that's your "adjustment" to get back to a target deficit based on your inputs. By eating less than that, you have created an even bigger deficit for yourself, approximately 1480 cals. That's a pretty steep deficit, assuming your logging is accurate, and more than what is recommended. It's not necessarily better to lose faster, there are negative side effects.
How long have you been doing this, and what rate are you actually burning at?
I have been at this about a month and lost 14 pounds. Maybe I'll set it back to lightly active and see how I do at next months weigh in. I know it's not good to try to lose so fast. It's just hard because I wanna see results quick. Thanks again for all your advise!
14 lbs in a month is really fast. Some of it was likely initially water weight, but still, more than 2 lbs/week is not advised. Adverse effects include loss of lean body mass, hair loss, brittlebnails, sallow skin, issues with your cycle, etc.
Back in your original post you said you felt guilty eating back those calories. Changing your activity setting isn't going to help you with that, you need to address those feelings of guilt, they aren't healthy, and can often set up a cycle of restrict-binge...
You're right. This is so difficult. If I change my activity level to lightly active it gives me 1610 calories vs 1330 at sedentary. I think if I do that maybe I'll feel fuller if I eat closer to 1600. Speaking of cycle, do you believe/think women need more calories during that week? I read that they do, just wanted another persons perspective.1 -
Ref our cycle /TOM No, we don't need more food during that week it's just cravings we fight against. Mind over matter works for me thank goodness.1
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Its very simple - if you are not losing after 7-10 days, you are eating more than you are burning off. You need to drop 100-150 calories, and check over 7 to 10 days.2
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