Steps vs Actual Exercise

Burtonwife

I have MFP linked to mynFitbit and I am confused a bit on eating back activity points. As I go through the day even if I don’t actually exercise it still shows on MFP I am earning back some calories through my steps of walking around the office here and there. This may be a stupid question but can I still eat those calories or does it have to be actual physical activity such as running, or on a treadmill etc. I guess I just want to make sure it’s ok to eat the calories or some of the calories just from the steps. I want to lose about 50 ponds and I have a sedentary desk job and have my weight loss set to one pound per week so I only get 1300 calories which I know isn’t much. Thank you for any advice!

cwolfman13

Burtonwife wrote: »

I have MFP linked to mynFitbit and I am confused a bit on eating back activity points. As I go through the day even if I don’t actually exercise it still shows on MFP I am earning back some calories through my steps of walking around the office here and there. This may be a stupid question but can I still eat those calories or does it have to be actual physical activity such as running, or on a treadmill etc. I guess I just want to make sure it’s ok to eat the calories or some of the calories just from the steps. I want to lose about 50 ponds and I have a sedentary desk job and have my weight loss set to one pound per week so I only get 1300 calories which I know isn’t much. Thank you for any advice!

You burn calories 24/7...the more you move, regardless of that movement, the more energy you expend and the higher your energy (calorie) requirements would be.

Your FitBit is making adjustments to increase calories because your estimated activity exceeds the activity level you have selected on MFP. Steps are physical activity..

The more one moves, the more fuel is required...like a car that does a 60 mile daily commute will require more gas than a car the goes around the block to the grocery store...

CyberTone

You burn more Calories when you move your weight (i.e. by walking or running). That earns Calories; so both steps and intentional exercise count.

Your total activity as estimated by Fitbit exceeded the estimated MFP Calorie goal based on your chosen MFP Activity Level (Sedentary, Lightly Active, Active, or Very Active). Since the Fitbit estimate exceeded the MFP estimate, the MFP goal was adjusted to add a positive Fitbit Calorie Adjustment.

I sometimes get hundreds of Calories just from steps in my daily Fitbit Calorie Adjustment, and I am set at MFP Active. I ate back 90% of my adjustment when I was losing and I eat back 100% now while maintaining.

In general, If you choose an MFP Activity Level above Sedentary, make sure you enable negative adjustments, so when you have a day (such as a sick day) that is less activity than a higher activity level setting, there can be Calories subtracted from your MFP daily goal to adjust properly.

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

jennybearlv

I eat back my step calories from just going about my day to day business and lose. Try it for a month and see if you lose at the rate you have MFP set to.

Burtonwife

Thank you all!! I appreciate all of the information