If synced with BodyMedia- should we log our exercise?

CeleryStalker

I'm having a difficult time understanding how to accurately reflect calories in/calories out now that I've synced my armband to my MFP account. The armband tracks my actual calories burned, which takes into account the exercise I've done for the day. Should I or should I not be logging my exercise now that I'm synced?

I'm aiming for 2# a week, or 1000 calorie per day deficit and things are looking a bit sketchy since I've synced up. I don't want my exercise calories to count twice.

yarwell

if it works like a Fitbit you have to specify the timing of any exercise you log on here, and it disregards the data for that period. Otherwise the data from the fitbit / bodymedia is used to tell MFP your exercise calories.

CeleryStalker

Hmm, I'm not sure how the FitBit works. I don't have an area to log what time I worked out when I log on MFP, so maybe it doesn't work the same way?

I *think* I got it set up properly now. I have 'negative calorie adjustments' turned on. This will prevent me from over logging, I believe. Before I turned on negative calorie adjustment, it was telling me I earned 615 calories from exercise today (which is what I manually logged from a 4 mile walk I did). When I turned ON the negative calorie adjustment, the 'exercise calories' I 'earned' lowered significantly, accounting for the difference between what MFP thinks I should be burning today (in addition to the logged exercise), as compared to what my BodyMedia is saying I actually burned.

It's very confusing. Makes me want to pick one tracking tool and use it, rather than sync different tools together.

EvanKeel

If your BodyMedia and MFP accounts are linked, there should be an exercise reading that automatically pops into MFP balance. It'll be listed as coming from BodyMedia.

conniemaxwell5

You can do it either way. I log the 'real' exercise (running, gym stuff, etc), then sync my body media to make the adjustment. When I have heavily active days at work with multiple walking trips around the plant, I burn more calories and the body media makes a positive adjustment. When I have more sedentary days, it tends to be a negative adjustment. The advantage of the body media is that it tracks you all day, not just that hour you spend at the gym.

Pixi_Rex

It's very confusing. Makes me want to pick one tracking tool and use it, rather than sync different tools together.

I only use this site to track my food, I used the BMF site for everything else. I don't eat over what the BMF site says, and I burn what the site tells me (or more). I like the data base over here or I would be using the BMF site for everything.

bkw99508

I synch BMF with MFP and just make sure I keep the deficit reading from BMF. As a side note I discount 10% "just in case".

The only thing I don't like is looking at my MFP diary and it showing a HUGE deficit. Oh well....I'm still losing and not hungry so I must be doing something right.

yarwell

Hmm, I'm not sure how the FitBit works. I don't have an area to log what time I worked out when I log on MFP, so maybe it doesn't work the same way?

Maybe not.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/383-now-that-my-accounts-are-linked-where-should-i-log-my-food-and-exercise says stick to putting it into BodyMedia land.

CeleryStalker

Yarwell, thank you for that link. It is exactly what I needed. Thanks again!