how many calories do I need to burn? fitbit

lyoill

hello!

I have a new fitbit flex. I have 1200 calories on MFP. On the fitbit ipad app it has a feature ' calories burned' and a figure to reach 2184.

I'm a bit lost I nearly got to this figure yesterday but it didn't show up on MFP app as giving me any more calories to eat. How many calories do I need to burn?

I walked 11000 steps yesterday... I know that that is the minimum to aim for but I don't feel that I can use this fitbit properly if its not making sense to me yet.

I'm 68 kg and aiming for 58 at .5 kg loss a week.

so it's telling me that I need to -500 calories. but isn't there a certain amount of calories that you need I do I need to work off over 500 less than I consume?

help? It seemed simpler when I wasn't using a fitbit!

Janice2Shakira

The calories on FitBit are your total calories burned not just from walking, but from simply being alive. MFP already accounts for that in your settings, which is how it arrives at how much you need to eat to stay at a deficit. FitBit will add more calories for you to eat if you go over that projection or subtract them if you are being way less active than projected. Also, if you are aiming for 11,000 steps that means your MFP should be set to "highly active" and you should be eating way more than 1200.

cwolfman13

The fitbit is giving you an estimate of how many calories you "burned" in the day from being alive, walking, taking a pee, etc...you "burn" calories just breathing and being alive...in fact, that is the vast majority of calorie "burn". You simply consume less than you burn...500 calories less per day = 3,500 less calories in a week = roughly 1 Lb loss per week.

I "burn" roughly 2600 - 2700 calories per day...I consume roughly 2100-2200 calories per day to lose weight. About 1800 of those calories are "burned" just being alive and I would burn them even if I slept all day long and never moved a muscle.

lyoill

I would have thought that 11000 was not all that much....
when I set the fit it up it was saying I could have 800 calories! I'm not sure how fitbit and MFP work together if it doesnt show up in the app. I understand that I'm being off calories by just being me;) but not sure when people say to eat back your excercse calories. Do I log excercise separately?

what should I be aiming for with my fitbit just the 2184 how is that worked out?

Janice2Shakira

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14715035
Here's a nice article on pedometers, the bottom sentences lay out the steps in relation to lifestyle settings. As long as you have FitBit and MFP synced, FitBit will adjust your exercise and calories for you. The adjustment will show up under exercise (you may have to adjust your setting to allow negative adjustments via online). All you need to be concerned with is MFP's calories and eating your goal calories, which may include some calories FitBit adds on for you.

ETA since OP did: If you exercise in a manner that is not normal step cardio (walking, stairs, running, etc), you can add your exercise in MFP. Its important to add the time and duration of the exercise so FitBit can adjust appropriately. MFP is calibrated with the intention of you eating your exercise calories back. Always look to your goal calories on MFP, your goal is to eat said amount of calories. 11000 is a great goal for steps on FitBit, just make sure you adjust your lifestyle settings on MFP accordingly. Eating at too low a deficit can harm you.

lyoill

. 11000 is a great goal for steps on FitBit, just make sure you adjust your lifestyle settings on MFP accordingly. Eating at too low a deficit can harm you.

thanks for all that info!

if I was doing 11000 in a normal day what activity setting do you think would be the most appropriate?

Janice2Shakira

if I was doing 11000 in a normal day what activity setting do you think would be the most appropriate?

According to the article, 11000 steps would put you in the "active" range. I've had my FitBit for awhile now, and I was shocked to learn that even with my desk job, my regular activity puts me in the "lightly active" range. But hey, getting to eat a little more and still lose weight? Feels awesome

lyoill

if I was doing 11000 in a normal day what activity setting do you think would be the most appropriate?

According to the article, 11000 steps would put you in the "active" range. I've had my FitBit for awhile now, and I was shocked to learn that even with my desk job, my regular activity puts me in the "lightly active" range. But hey, getting to eat a little more and still lose weight? Feels awesome

hey I like that too!

cheers

Mr_Knight

Also, if you are aiming for 11,000 steps that means your MFP should be set to "highly active" and you should be eating way more than 1200.

"Highly active" is generally reserved for people doing 5+ hours a week of vigorous cardio. Personally I would not put "11,000" steps in that category unless half of them were from actual running.

joshdann

also, the only reason to be eating more is if the deficit created is too high for one's fat mass to support (resulting in LBM loss), or if important macros like protein aren't being met. Otherwise, eating more just means slower fat loss. It does *not* mean better or healthier fat loss.

Janice2Shakira

Also, if you are aiming for 11,000 steps that means your MFP should be set to "highly active" and you should be eating way more than 1200.

"Highly active" is generally reserved for people doing 5+ hours a week of vigorous cardio. Personally I would not put "11,000" steps in that category unless half of them were from actual running.

I later cited an article and corrected myself to say "active." All good.