Too overweight for exercise calories???
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elynch96
Posts: 15 Member
MFP doesn’t seem to be adding exercise calories even though I have it connected to my Fitbit and MapMyWalk. I’ve gained a lot of weight over the last two years because of my health but I’m better now and need to lose the weight. Could it possibly be that MFP isn’t adding exercise calories because I’m so overweight that in order to reach my goals, I can’t afford to have any exercise added to my net calories otherwise I won’t lose weight? 😢
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Replies
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What is your MFP profile set to: Sedentary, lightly active, very active?
MFP estimates your total daily calorie burn based on your stats & your stated activity level. Fitbit estimates your daily calorie burn based on your movement and those same stats. Your calorie adjustment happens when Fitbit says you burned more than MFP expected.
*I personally have not used Mapmywalk in eons. Since I use a Fitbit I just let it account for any walking/running based activity. Having multiple devices/sources reporting calories can get confusing.
So I would conclude that based on your stated activity level, and possibly because you are using multiple apps for 'exercise' - you're not moving enough to get an adjustment.
Look at your Fitbit prior history - what does it show for calories burned total for prior days? Is that more than what MFP expected? *If you are set to lose 1 pound per week, add 500 to your assigned MFP calorie goal. If your Fitbit shows more than this, you would have an adjustment. BUT using Mapmywalk: I'm not sure where that would factor in.
Example is that my MFP calories are 1390 daily and I have a 250 deficit. SO MFP expects me to burn 1640. Yesterday shows a +211 Fitbit adjustment because according to Fitbit, I was around 1850.0 -
What she said.
So the answer to your question is no.
BUT in addition to all the information given above are you sure it’s really syncing? I only ask because quite a few people seem to have technical issues.0 -
If you are using the MFP app and go into your Diary and click the adjustment under "Exercise" and then click where it says "Extra Calories Earned" it will show you detail like this...
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I have a Fitbit and I don’t use it to sync with mfp. I set my activity to sedentary and then I manually track all of my food (WEIGH EVERYTHING) and my exercise. I personally get a lot of satisfaction out of staying at or just under goal when I add in my weights or cardio for the day.0
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@nanamerriman2020 I’m using the MFP app on an iPhone and it seems I don’t have the same functions you do. For example you can see in my screenshot from the app that “sedentary” is not even an option. I also don’t have the “Calorie Adjustment” in my app like in your screenshot. However if I go to the website I can see those options so I changed my activity level to “sedentary” since truthfully during this quarantine I’ve become much more inactive while spending time locked down in my house! Previously my Fitbit synced really well with MFP so I’ve disconnected Mapmywalk from MFP and hopefully my Fitbit will go back to syncing correctly. I just want my steps to sync and then I’ll manually add any other exercises I do. Does that sound good like a good plan to get a more accurate picture?
Thank you all for your help!0 -
No.
Fitbit already has your exercise in the total daily calorie burn it has - which it sends to MFP when you sync accounts.
That's through the MFP App list.
MFP already has the exercise in that case - it's already corrected to it. Fitbit just doesn't send workouts to MFP to display - but that doesn't matter.
Did you look through the Fitbit faq link I included in your other post? I think I did.
Just as I suggested not syncing MMW for the inaccurate calorie burn, don't manually log the workout from the database for the same reason.
That workout will go back to Fitbit and replace what is likely more accurate info. (if you have some tweaks right, and after 2 weeks of use).
If you need your friends list to see your workout - just make a wall post with more interesting info than a 1-liner.
And the MFP exercise diary is not that nice for review, easier to put notes in the Fitbit diary.
Not Very Active in the App and Sedentary on the web account are the same setting.
I guess MFP just wanted to create confusion.
Oh - change your setting in the MFP app for Step Source from Apple watch to Fitbit, AFTER you have done the account sync routine.0 -
If you wish to log exercise - like if you do something not 'step based' like biking or swimming: I suggest logging it in the Fitbit app. Then Fitbit will update its estimation of your calories burned for the day to include that.
If you want the activity to 'show' in MFP there are a couple of options. You can use the note section in your daily diary. Or you can log it as 1 min/1 calorie and explain what you did. Then it will show on your profile/home page. By entering 1 min and 1 cal it will have very little impact on altering the data that Fitbit sends over.
If you were not seeing a calorie adjustment from Fitbit into MFP at your prior activity level: then options are to lower activity level (which you did) or to enable negative calorie adjustments. If you don't have negatives enabled, then the adjustment will stay at 0 if you burned less than what MFP expected. Your 0's may have been wonky due to the MapMyWalk interference. But ultimately its the same end result so no harm in going to the lower activity level.0 -
@heybales I think I’m starting to understand what you’re saying! Looking at the screenshot, you’re saying since I have MFP sync with my Fitbit, then my Fitbit steps are accounted for in my “Goal” calories NOT as an adjustment in “Exercise”. Is that correct? I’m sorry. I’m just really trying to make sure I understand this correctly because I have so much weight to lose-my current goal is 40 pounds. I’ve never been this overweight in my life. Thank you for the Fitbit link. I’ll make sure to go through that throughly!
Aside from steps, I use my elliptical, lift free weights, or do workout videos (some have weight lifting). I live in Houston right now and most of the year it’s too hot out to walk outside so my Fitbit steps are usually pretty low. So let’s say I do 20 minutes on my elliptical and a 40 minute work out video. Obviously if I have my Fitbit on it’s going to capture some of my movement. Previously I’ve gone into my Fitbit app and logged these exercises there. Do you suggest I just keep logging my activity in Fitbit? If I do this would, as @nanamerriman2020 said, my “Exercise” adjustment always be a “0”?
Again I appreciate everyone’s help! I’m so sorry if I’m making this more confusing then it needs to be! Maybe as someone else suggested I’d be better off not syncing anything with MFP! I’m currently 5’3” 195 pounds. 😢 I’ve never been so heavy. I was always around 150. Three years ago I started having extremely bad pain on my right side and the doctors couldn’t figure out what it was. I started gaining weight. I had lots of tests done and doctors kept saying it was because I was getting older (I’m 39 right now), I needed to lose weight, and mostly because I’m a female it was written off as something related to my period. Then one day I was in so much pain I went to the ER and they did an ultrasound thinking it was gallstones. Instead they found a baseball sized tumor in my liver caused by birth control. Thankful not cancer but in the past two years I’ve had a liver resection and a hysterectomy. I finally felt better at the beginning of this year, like back to my old self. Now I want the weight off!!!! You all are awesome for all the help!!!3 -
I’m also still learning how to properly post in these forums so if not replying correctly please let me know!1
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@heybales I think I’m starting to understand what you’re saying! Looking at the screenshot, you’re saying since I have MFP sync with my Fitbit, then my Fitbit steps are accounted for in my “Goal” calories NOT as an adjustment in “Exercise”. Is that correct? I’m sorry. I’m just really trying to make sure I understand this correctly because I have so much weight to lose-my current goal is 40 pounds. I’ve never been this overweight in my life. Thank you for the Fitbit link. I’ll make sure to go through that throughly!
Aside from steps, I use my elliptical, lift free weights, or do workout videos (some have weight lifting). I live in Houston right now and most of the year it’s too hot out to walk outside so my Fitbit steps are usually pretty low. So let’s say I do 20 minutes on my elliptical and a 40 minute work out video. Obviously if I have my Fitbit on it’s going to capture some of my movement. Previously I’ve gone into my Fitbit app and logged these exercises there. Do you suggest I just keep logging my activity in Fitbit? If I do this would, as @nanamerriman2020 said, my “Exercise” adjustment always be a “0”?
Again I appreciate everyone’s help! I’m so sorry if I’m making this more confusing then it needs to be! Maybe as someone else suggested I’d be better off not syncing anything with MFP! I’m currently 5’3” 195 pounds. 😢 I’ve never been so heavy. I was always around 150. Three years ago I started having extremely bad pain on my right side and the doctors couldn’t figure out what it was. I started gaining weight. I had lots of tests done and doctors kept saying it was because I was getting older (I’m 39 right now), I needed to lose weight, and mostly because I’m a female it was written off as something related to my period. Then one day I was in so much pain I went to the ER and they did an ultrasound thinking it was gallstones. Instead they found a baseball sized tumor in my liver caused by birth control. Thankful not cancer but in the past two years I’ve had a liver resection and a hysterectomy. I finally felt better at the beginning of this year, like back to my old self. Now I want the weight off!!!! You all are awesome for all the help!!!
Strong recovery spirit - good job wanting to get back at it after that fiasco.
I'm wondering if you really have them linked and syncing - MFP & Fitbit.
Do you show meal calorie totals on Fitbit app that equal what you logged in MFP?
Those sync over.
40 lbs is actually not that much. In fact that is below a reasonable limit that 2 lbs weekly is generally not good anymore as it would be stressful on body. 30-50 lbs 1.75 weekly can be reasonable, 15-30 1 lb weekly.
That is not a really useful screen shot - you cannot discern anything from that really - except what your eating goal should be and how much more to it.
Not correct yet on how you think it works.
ALL adjustments show up in Exercise Diary, even though it is not always or ever was exercise - just so MFP can do proper math with it later.
If under Food settings you have Negative Calorie Adjustment disabled, then you will NOT receive an adjustment if you do not even burn as much as MFP estimated you'd burn from your selected Activity Level.
If you enable Negative - then you will correctly be eating less when you do less, and eating more when you do more.
Same deficit no matter what.
What Fitbit model do you use, meaning does it do HR?
You'll want to log lifting on the Fitbit as recommended manually as Weights I believe it's still called.
If you have HR model, it'll do HR-based calorie burn which is fine for elliptical & workout video, but not Weights.
You can start the workout on the other items just fine.
Fitbit does not send workouts to MFP, even if you have it properly linked.
Fitbit sends a daily calorie burn with timestamp - if you have it properly linked.
Here's what happens if you have it linked. And this has nothing to do with steps if you have them synced. Steps is a figure like glasses of water - nothing with calories and not used in any math for anything.
MFP figured at Sedentary/Not Very Active (which I think you said you selected) you'd burn 1911 daily.
Let's say you selected the reasonable for now 1.5 lb weekly loss rate - 750 deficit.
Base eating goal 1200 (would actually be 1161 but MFP won't go under 1200). So really 711 deficit.
Let's say you log your Weights on Fitbit and it gives you 150 cal.
You do an elliptical session and it figured 200 cal.
Active in home a little bit.
Fitbit reports to MFP at say end of day figures, to keep math simple.
Fitbit daily burn 2200 - 1911 MFP estimated daily = 289 adjustment that shows up as Exercise calories.
That 2200 already includes the exercise calories.
Notice the adjustment is not the 350 for the exercise - perhaps you were less active than Sedentary outside the exercise it appears.
Base eating goal 1200 + 289 exercise = 1489 new eating goal.
Burned 2200 - 1489 = 711 deficit still.
That's it.
But this is when the MFP & Fitbit accounts are linked and syncing.0 -
It's good to log in on a PC and check the settings labeled as "Diet Fitness Profile." It's much clearer on a pc and it will update on your iphone as well.
When you put in your stats and your goals, it estimates your calorie needs using a widely used formula. Fitbit does the same. For most people, you should set your MFP profile to "sedentary." If your plan is to lose weight, select no more than 1 lb per week. (You can do more in some weeks by under-eating the recommendation, but the 1 lb seems to be the most sustainable for most people.)
What then happens when you link them is that Fitbit tells MFP what it thinks was your daily burn based on your profile settings plus your activity that day. What happens next depends on whether you check the box labeled "Enable Negative Adjustments." I suggest you DO NOT. In this case, whenever the FitBit estimate is lower or equal to the MFP estimate, nothing happens. When the FitBit estimate is higher (because you hiked the Appalachian trail that day, for example), you will see extra calories appear in your diary. These are a crude estimate in just about everybody's experience and it pays to leave a few of them on the table. (Still, I like having this feature and I do the same thing using my Garmin.)
Best of luck!0 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »It's good to log in on a PC and check the settings labeled as "Diet Fitness Profile." It's much clearer on a pc and it will update on your iphone as well.
When you put in your stats and your goals, it estimates your calorie needs using a widely used formula. Fitbit does the same. For most people, you should set your MFP profile to "sedentary." If your plan is to lose weight, select no more than 1 lb per week. (You can do more in some weeks by under-eating the recommendation, but the 1 lb seems to be the most sustainable for most people.)
What then happens when you link them is that Fitbit tells MFP what it thinks was your daily burn based on your profile settings plus your activity that day. What happens next depends on whether you check the box labeled "Enable Negative Adjustments." I suggest you DO NOT. In this case, whenever the FitBit estimate is lower or equal to the MFP estimate, nothing happens. When the FitBit estimate is higher (because you hiked the Appalachian trail that day, for example), you will see extra calories appear in your diary. These are a crude estimate in just about everybody's experience and it pays to leave a few of them on the table. (Still, I like having this feature and I do the same thing using my Garmin.)
Best of luck!
Why do you suggest NOT enabling negative adjustments? If I’m understanding you correctly, you’re saying If I don’t have it enabled and my Fitbit estimate is higher than I would see the extra calories appear in my diary? (highlighted in yellow on my screen shot). So if I enable negative adjustments would I see the extra calories as an adjustment in “exercise” instead? (Circled in red in the screen shot?0 -
@heybales I’m going to really dig deep and read through the Fitbit link you sent me so I don’t bombard you with questions. Although I’m sure I’ll still need you help! I have a Charge 2 Fitbit. For now, as I read through the link you sent me, I’ll add my workouts through Fitbit and track calories on MFP. I’m also getting a food scale so I can be more accurate with calories.
I know this is probably a stupid question, but at the end of the day should the goal for “Remaining” calories be 0 or as close to it as possible?
Thank you!0 -
Remaining is meant to be at 0 - though that is rare.
50 in the red consistently is better than 100 in the green - but you can bounce between hitting a little above and below goal.
Oh - with a 1200 base goal, you'd never be given a negative adjustment because MFP won't set your eating goal below 1200.
Hence not needing to set it.
Negative wouldn't add, it would subtract as the name says, it would be negative calories shown in that spot.
So if you have no Exercise calories showing - it means your day is not above sedentary level of burn yet.
If you did a workout and there is still no extra - it means you really must have been less than sedentary outside the workout - and the calorie burn for it didn't even get you up to Sedentary.
If that happens a lot - think about ways to increase your daily activity - park farther out, take long way around, just move more.0 -
Oh yeah - you still haven't confirmed that you show meal total calories in the Fitbit meals section.0
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So if you have no Exercise calories showing - it means your day is not above sedentary level of burn yet.
If you did a workout and there is still no extra - it means you really must have been less than sedentary outside the workout - and the calorie burn for it didn't even get you up to Sedentary.
If that happens a lot - think about ways to increase your daily activity - park farther out, take long way around, just move more.
So you’re saying since I’m at 1200 calories a day, enabling negative adjustments really doesn’t matter either way, correct?
Since I plan to use my Fitbit to log exercise, what should I enter in the “Fitness Goals” of MFP? Here’s how I have it set right now since I’ll be entering workouts through my Fitbit. Do you suggest any changes?
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Fitness goals in MFP really don't matter since not logging workout specifically here, they have no bearing on any math.
Even seen the Exercise Diary and it's showing of goals and what's been reached?
Most don't - and it's not that nice.
Not compared to Fitbit - set goals there.
MFP for eating related goals & logging.
Fitbit for activity related goals & logging.
Ok good check on food on Fitbit - that confirms you do have accounts linked - and not just the super rough using Fitbit for steps and MFP does all the math with just that figure.
As such indeed - with base calories at 1200, you could not have any negative calories reduce it below.
So negative adjustment set has no bearing, you'd never get a negative.
That 2454 is what Fitbit sent to MFP. Not at midnight I'm guessing, but close it appears to your post time perhaps.
And with an expected burn of 1911 from MFP - you should have had an adjustment. At the least, should have been (but actually tad more since not midnight):
Fitbit 2454 - 1911 MFP = 543 adjustment that would have shown up in exercise diary to add to base eating calories.
Please check out:
MFP app settings - Step Source.
Or website account -
https://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/step_trackers
What is yours set on? - should say Fitbit as step source.
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About negative adjustments...
My calorie goal is 1390 daily which is an approximate 250 calorie deficit for .5 pounds per week weight loss.
My personal goal is to move enough so that Fitbit shows I burn 1650-1700 MINIMUM per day, so I end up with a slight positive adjustment. But if I had a really lazy day, lets say I ended up with Fitbit showing I only earned 1600 yesterday.
MFP expects me to burn 1640 - 250 deficit = 1390 calorie goal.
Fitbit said I only burned 1600 so yesterday would look like: 1390 goal - 40 adjustment = 1350 calorie goal.
But as mentioned, MFP will not take you below 1200 - so if your settings have you at a 1200 calorie goal, it does not matter.
Because my goal is 'only' based on a 250 deficit, I do not stress to eat exactly 1390. If I'm a little under but feel full/satisfied on my food choices: that is fine. I personally cannot be satisfied on 1200 on a regular basis, but there have been odd days here & there where I'm not particularly hungry and my totals are 1200-1300.0 -
So if you have no Exercise calories showing - it means your day is not above sedentary level of burn yet.
If you did a workout and there is still no extra - it means you really must have been less than sedentary outside the workout - and the calorie burn for it didn't even get you up to Sedentary.
If that happens a lot - think about ways to increase your daily activity - park farther out, take long way around, just move more.
So you’re saying since I’m at 1200 calories a day, enabling negative adjustments really doesn’t matter either way, correct?
Since I plan to use my Fitbit to log exercise, what should I enter in the “Fitness Goals” of MFP? Here’s how I have it set right now since I’ll be entering workouts through my Fitbit. Do you suggest any changes?
Fitness goals in MFP don't have any bearing on any of the math...they are just for you...they don't actually affect anything.0
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