Activity Level - Connection to Garmin - Where to Calories Added for Exercise Come From?

luke4947

Hello,
The app says my base metabolic rate is 2,055 calories. To maintain at sedentary, it says I need 2,570 calories. I work an office job but exercise frequency (biking to work, etc.). If I set my activity level to active, my daily calorie count 720/day over sedentary, which seems about accurate. I then linked my Garmin device, which I wear all the time. Today, myfitnesspal added 357 calories from exercise, i.e., 154 calories for biking (for a 13 min ride) and 203 calories for steps (6,581). (As an aside, I don't know where 357 came from.) This does not make any sense because the activity level is so low.

To check, I lowered my activity level to sedentary (which lowers my calorie requirement) and myfitnesspal still adds 357 calories (and it does this at all activity levels). Shouldn't it be adding more based on my lower activity level? In other words, how can it be adding the same amount for exercise regardless of my base activity level?

Can anyone explain what is happening, and better yet, where I should set my activity level?

I think a better approach might be to unlink the Garmin, set my activity level at sedentary, and then manually add calorie exercise credit based on my own reading of my Garmin device.

Thank you!!!

luke4947

I found where the 357 calories came from from this FAQ: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032623871-What-is-the-Calorie-Adjustment-in-my-Exercise-Diary-

It's my Garmin calories (predicted for the day) minus my myfitnesspal calories.

luke4947

Actually, I think I found the problem and a much simpler question. Everyone can ignore this post and I will post a new question.

Lietchi

Just to add: you can't just change you activity level setting and eclectische the calorie adjustment to adapt immediately, I think it only starts working properly the next day.

luke4947

I thought this might be the case, so I left one of the adjustments overnight. This did not change the base number that MRP uses in the adjustment calculation.

heybales

luke4947 wrote: »

Hello,
The app says my base metabolic rate is 2,055 calories. To maintain at sedentary, it says I need 2,570 calories. I work an office job but exercise frequency (biking to work, etc.). If I set my activity level to active, my daily calorie count 720/day over sedentary, which seems about accurate. I then linked my Garmin device, which I wear all the time. Today, myfitnesspal added 357 calories from exercise, i.e., 154 calories for biking (for a 13 min ride) and 203 calories for steps (6,581). (As an aside, I don't know where 357 came from.) This does not make any sense because the activity level is so low.

To check, I lowered my activity level to sedentary (which lowers my calorie requirement) and myfitnesspal still adds 357 calories (and it does this at all activity levels). Shouldn't it be adding more based on my lower activity level? In other words, how can it be adding the same amount for exercise regardless of my base activity level?

Can anyone explain what is happening, and better yet, where I should set my activity level?

I think a better approach might be to unlink the Garmin, set my activity level at sedentary, and then manually add calorie exercise credit based on my own reading of my Garmin device.

Thank you!!!

That is not a better approach.

That adjustment is the total difference between your Garmin estimated TDEE (workouts and increased daily activity) and your MFP estimated daily burn with no exercise accounted for and your selected activity level.

Set it to Sedentary indeed because of a night time effect.

Workouts will sync over and correctly allow you to eat more since you are doing more.
MFP will do the math correctly for if your daily activity was still more than Sedentary (set MFP option for Negative Calorie adjustment if it's not) and you'll eat more since more than sedentary.
You'll have the same deficit amount that you selected.

That's why the 357 (or whatever it is day by day) in exercise calories total (which is workouts and the adjustment) may be more or less than just the workouts.

I got 283 for lifting yesterday.
And because really sedentary otherwise - negative 155 adjustment.
Still had increase of 128 to the day.

And daily change to the activity level doesn't work.
Just leave at sedentary.