Logging exercise

dccsyc858k

Hi there, My Fitbit is linked to myfitnesspal. I’ve noticed that when I exercise and then check myfitnesspal there’s already a # of calories calculated. My Fitbit has a higher #. Should I still log the exercise with the calories burned from my Fitbit or just trust this app? Hope that makes sense

AnnPT77

I'd recommend that you trust the data exchange between the device and MFP. Over the course of a day, what they're trying to do is compare the activity level you put in your MFP profile with the activity level the Fitbit sees, and adjust your calorie goal to keep whatever weight management goal you asked MFP to calculate (like X pounds a week loss, or whatever). The adjustment numbers probably won't match the exercise numbers, and some devices are showing gross exercise calories when the adjustment should really be net of BMR anyway (because MFP's already accounted for your BMR as well as activity level).

Follow what they estimate for 4-6 weeks, compare your weight results to your goal for that time period, then adjust intake, if necessary. If you're female, adult, not yet in menopause, compare weights at the same relative point in at least two different menstrual cycles, to reduce potential distortion from hormone-related water weight shifts, which can be multiple pounds for some women. Others can just go for a few weeks to get a decent average.

Oversimplifying, both MFP and the device are just giving you statistical estimates based on research, that are the average for people similar to you (age, weight, etc.). Most people are close to average, a few aren't (sometimes for non-obvious reasons). With a few weeks of experiential data, you'll learn how average you are - that's more the issue than whether the devices are theoretically accurate, generally.

heybales

dccsyc858k wrote: »

Hi there, My Fitbit is linked to myfitnesspal. I’ve noticed that when I exercise and then check myfitnesspal there’s already a # of calories calculated. My Fitbit has a higher #. Should I still log the exercise with the calories burned from my Fitbit or just trust this app? Hope that makes sense

Just to emphasis, that Fitbit Calorie Adjustment figure on MFP is NOT the calories from exercise.
It's merely the total difference between Fitbit Total Daily Burned (daily activity and exercise) minus MFP estimate of daily burn per your guess and no exercise.

You could have a big adjustment up totally from increased activity and no exercise.
You could have a decent adjustment down totally from a hard workout and very lazy day.

Fitbit has a much better exercise tracker functions than MFP - just stick with it, don't log on MFP also.
Requires 2 extra syncs anyway when you do that, and syncing can be problematic. And it increases potential for you to get timestamp wrong and screw up the daily burn.

If you want more detail there is a FAQ in the Fitbit group.

cwolfman13

dccsyc858k wrote: »

Hi there, My Fitbit is linked to myfitnesspal. I’ve noticed that when I exercise and then check myfitnesspal there’s already a # of calories calculated. My Fitbit has a higher #. Should I still log the exercise with the calories burned from my Fitbit or just trust this app? Hope that makes sense

The number you get for calories isn't specifically for the exercise, it is a reconciliation adjustment between the activity level you set in MFP to your actual activity per your device. Fitbit is taking all of you information and activity for a given day and comparing it to what you've selected as your activity level. When you activity for a day is greater than that selected in MFP as your activity level, you get a reconciling adjustment. It is better than just logging exercise for the full calorie allotment because that could lead to some double dipping as even a sedentary selection on MFP is going to account for some activity equivalent to around 3000-5000 steps.