FitBit calorie data question

JohnCap523

I've Google'd this and to my astonishment, I've found a bunch of posts that are the opposite of what I'm encountering, so I'm perplexed.

Until last week I was using an Apple Watch to report data to MFP, but I got fed p with software issues and, frankly, support lying to me about the issues, after I discovered they were known as far back as at least 2017. So, I sold the Apple Watch and bought a FitBit Versa 2.

On a typcial day I'll vary between 10-12,000 steps including a 4+ mile walk at around 3.7MPH. Typically the Apple Watch would report between 2,450-3,500 calories to MFP. FitBit is reporting less than 50 and it dwindles as the day goes on. This makes no sense on two levels: first it's not close to accurate, and second, it's acting like FitBit is reporting a differential rather than calorie burn count. What am I missing? Apple Watch reported calorie burn and then MFP did the calculation of the differential. This looks like FitBit is reporting a differential that MFP is then using as a calorie burn to get a ridiculously low differential. And hour ago it as reporting 46 calories burned in MPF, not is says 32. In FitBit it says 2,432.

Jacq_qui

Sounds odd. Have you tried reinstalling? My fitbit reports to MFP the overall calorie burn throughout the day and MFP makes adjustments to my goal as needed. It generally updates goals within 30mins of exercise.

There is a fitbit users group with a good faq in it which I found helpful when setting this up. Have you got negative adjustments turned on (MFP) and all day sync (on fitbit)? Is Fitbit recording activity correctly on the device (ie is it sending MFP dodgy data?)

BarbaraHelen2013

I think it will depend on what you have set as your activity level on MFP.

If you’re set as sedentary you can expect a higher calorie adjustment from steps than if you’re set to very active.

Your Apple Watch was grossly overestimating your calorie burn as far as I can tell. On days when I do around 12k steps I get an adjustment of something in the region of 340 calories from those steps. You’d have to be enormously taller and heavier to increase that by a factor of 10! I’m set as ‘not very active’ btw, simply because I have the Fitbit linked.

So if you’ve got your MFP activity level set as very active there will be a smaller adjustment because your calculated calorie allowance already accounts for a high level of activity.

That’s how I understand it, anyway. 🤷‍♀️

Talan79

I switched from Fitbit to Apple Watch in March. Apple Watch & MFP don’t integrate well. I had a lot of issues with the data showing up correctly and someone here suggested that I download Pacer, and connect it to MFP & Apple Health. After that, the data transferred over well. I have spreadsheets that go back a few years, I think both Fitbit and Apple Watch calculate data roughly the same. Apple Watch may be more accurate imo bc it takes heart rate into account.

nanastaci2020

MFP estimates your all day calorie burn based on stats (height, weight, gender, age) and your stated activity level.
Fitbit restimates your all day calorie burn based on those same stats (assuming both have the same info entered) and your actual movement.

Fitbit does NOT report 'exercise' calories to MFP. Fitbit reports your total calories burned so far for the day, as of the last time you synced. So MFP takes that #, compares to what it projected, and the difference is your adjustment. So the adjustment will change thru the day.

yirara

So how many calories is fitbit reporting in it's own app/website and how does that compare to the calories MFP gives you without adjustment?