Exercise tracking question

Owenkl

Hello all! I've synced my FitBit to MFP, but have noticed that it's not tracking calories burned through Zumba unless I enter it separately - whereas FitBit does. Is there a setting I should change?

Also wondering how to avoid double-counting steps in Zumba (which MFP is tracking) if I enter the exercise separately. Thanks for any help you can offer

Lietchi

If I remember correctly, MFP does sync all Fitbit exercise calories, but via a general adjustment (there is no separate entry in the exercise diary).

Also, MFP doesn't calculate any adjustment based on your step count. The step count is just a number sent over separately by Fitbit.

Your calorie adjustment is based on the total calories you burned according to Fitbit (which includes your exercise, if everything is working correctly.
To check if it is syncing correctly, you should tap on your calorie adjustment in your diary and compare the total calories burned mentioned there and compare it with what Fitbit says.

rileysowner

I never noticed that information button. Thanks for pointing it out.

Owenkl

Thanks for this info, @Lietchi!

cwolfman13

Yeah, Fitbit doesn't synch over calories specific to any particular activity or exercise or whatever. The adjustment from Fitbit is just to reconcile the activity level selected in MFP to the actual (estimated) activity level per your device.

So if you're set to sedentary on MFP, but exercise and/or are otherwise having a busy day moving around a lot, it's going to send over an adjustment up because you're actually light active or moderately active or whatever on that day. Depending on what your activity level is set to in MFP, that adjustment may be smaller or larger or possibly negative if you are less active per your device than you told MFP you are.