Fitbit Adjustments

brittneyalley

I synced up my fitbit today. I have my activity level as very lightly active (sedentary) on MFP. I've walked 4,916 steps so far today, and on MFP under exercise there is an added 105 calories. Does this seem accurate? I read online anything less than 5,000 steps was sedentary (not a MFP website), so based on that wouldn't I not have anything added for the day?

Can anyone explain? I'm quite confused.

Stew501

Yep; I can get 10k & only 200 calorie credit

change4char

From my understanding choosing sedentary on MFP gives you a set amount of calories as if you sat all day. If you track your activity using MFP or Fitbit it will give you exercise calories that you can also consume. So those 4,916 steps gave you an extra 105 calories to consume.

CyberTone

Have you worn the Fibit for the entire day; in other words since midnight last night? If not, ignore today's value. Fitbit and MFP need a full 24 hours from midnight to midnight for the sync to work properly.

If you have worn the Fitbit since last midnight, the current day (first day) Fitbit Calorie adjustment at 11:59 pm should be a decent estimate. The adjustments will vary throughout the day depending on how active you are up to that point in the day each sync occurs. If you stop moving around long before midnight, expect the Fitibit to adjust downward a little - anywhere from 50 to 150 Calories or so, because you stopped moving long before midnight.

Initially, the Fitibt will use general values in its algorithms based on a similar person's stats (height, weight, age, gender, etc.). As the number of days synced increase, the Fitbit will start to refine their algorithms based on running averages for each unique user, and the adjustments should become more reliable.

For me 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, when I am set at MFP Sedentary (Not Very Active), I start getting a positive Fitbit Calorie adjustment at about 2500 steps. At about 5500 steps, I reach about 300 Calories for the Fitbit adjustment. I have used a Fitbit for over two years and have kept at maintenance logging intake accurately in MFP and eating back 100% of the Fitbit Calorie adjustments.

I would recommend reading through the first three posts in this thread on the MFP Fitbit Users group...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

brittneyalley

No I have not used it since midnight last night. I put it on at about 10am this morning (when I wake up). I have a weird sleep cycle and go to sleep around 12-2am. I'll check out those posts, thank you!

svel713

My fitbit starts adding calories at 3k steps. I'm set to sedentary.

PAV8888

brittneyalley wrote: »

No I have not used it since midnight last night. I put it on at about 10am this morning (when I wake up). I have a weird sleep cycle and go to sleep around 12-2am. I'll check out those posts, thank you!

CyberTone was basically asking if this was the first partial day you were wearing the device.

In any case, while your Fitbit, hopefully, does not count steps while you sleep, it does note your heart rate which helps it establish your "resting" heart rate and also helps contribute to some interesting insights about the quality of your sleep.

Regardless, whenever you're not wearing it, and whenever it doesn't sense deliberate movement, Fitbit appears to assign BMR x 1.0 calories to that time period.

Fitbit and MFP establish your caloric burn for the day in a different fashion.

Integration ensures that the FINAL adjustment for the day, at midnight, is the one that is actually accurate and fully reconciles what Fitbit detected throughout the day and what MFP had assumed you would burn based on your inputs. All other partial adjustments during the day are just indications of your activity to that point of time. If you become more active the adjustments will grow. If you become less active

More often than not step values of 2500 to 3000 incur positive adjustments from MFP sedentary.

brittneyalley

Thanks. I have the flex, so I don't think it measures my heart rate. Yesterday was the first partial day I wore it. The battery is old, so I have to charge it every night. Thanks for explaining!

Francl27

It depends on the quality of the steps. MFP will adjust depending on calorie burn also.

Like 5k steps shopping at the mall is not the same as 5k steps running at 6mph.

pogiguy05

I have the ionic and I have 344 steps at 6am. I was awake from 130am to 330am and just woke up at 530am. I says I have burned 208 calories.