Stupid Fitbit questions

0somuchbetter0

I got frustrated trying to figure out my BF, BMR, TDEE, etc etc etc so I bought a Fitbit Zip (the little one that doesn't track your sleep). I just set it up and I'm reading through their online user's manual, but I still have questions.

Do I wear it 24/7? I read that it re-sets itself at midnight to track daily activity, goals, cals, etc., so I'm guessing yes?

I downloaded the app for my smartphone and connected my MFP and Fitbit accounts, but now what? The Fitbit shows 1252 cals burned (though I haven't moved from this chair since I turned it on) and zero for everything else. The smartphone app shows zero for everything. And my MFP data haven't changed.

When I want to find out how many cals I'm burning while exercising, do I just make a mental note of the starting and ending cals? How does the Fitbit know that I'm exercising and not, say, rushing to get to the subway?

Told you they were stupid questions.

Thank you

dkewatson

Fitbit estimates calories burned (TDEE) based on the parameters you set it up with (age, gender, weight, etc.). That's why it shows calories burned even though you haven't moved. Those are the calories your body consumes to just live (breathing, metabolism, etc). As for inputting exercise into FitBit - on the app (iPhone since that's what I have) click on "calories burned" and it takes you to the Activity screen. There you can click the "+" symbol (top right) and search for the exercise you did. You'll need to know the length of the workout and also the start time so FitBit can accurately reflect the calories burned.

0somuchbetter0

That's a big help! Thank you!

Mokey41

You don't need to wear it 24/7, just during the time that you're moving around upright. If the exercise you're doing is a walking/running based activity I'd just let Fitbit record it. It won't record cycling, yoga, pilates, any exercise that isn't walking based so if you note the time you start and how long you do your exercise for then you can record it through Fitbit and it will adjust for that time period.

It records your BMR resetting at midnight so when you get up in the morning you'll see 0 steps and 300+ calories already logged. It won't send any extra calories over to MFP unless you've done enough to earn extra above your budget. You can also set it to record negative calories so if you aren't moving enough it will take some away from your MFP budget.

I find it a fun way to just see how much I move during the day. I don't count on it too much for super accuracy but it's a good motivator to move more.

0somuchbetter0

That makes sense. I understand that it won't record steps that aren't steps (like cycling, etc.) but it will still record cals burned, right? I put my kids to bed with it on just now and it recorded ten "very active minutes." haha...

Mokey41

For cycling it will only record the same as if you were laying on the couch. It doesn't recognize effort unless it's recording steps. You can sit or stand and wave your arms like crazy and it won't record anything beyond your BMR. Think of it as more of a fancy pedometer than a HRM.

0somuchbetter0

oh...bummer...

Ready2Rock206

I have the FitBit One - I wear it 24/7 except when I'm in the shower. I think it does fine for tracking my activities - even non-step related activities. I don't log any of my exercises and just let FitBit do its thing. It's really personal preference on how you want to use it - whether you log non-step things or just go by what FitBit says. I love my FitBit and am very satisfied with how it works.

Bluizflame

I wear my fitbit 24/7 (minus when i'm in the shower) I have the Ultra. I normally wear mine in the middle of my bra, then around my wrist or ankle when i sleep. You can actually record bike riding w/ the fitbit, just put it on your sock or somewhere lower.

Samstan101

oh...bummer...

But if you add cycling as an activity on the app or website it will alloacte an estimate of calories burned which will sync across to MFP. If I'm doing cardio I tend to wear a Heart Rate monitor and manually add the calories burned against the activity logged on Fitbit for accuracy but generally for the activities I've logged I've found Fitbit to be more acurate than MFP in its calorie estimates. It tends to overestimate elliptical/ cross trainer and underestimate jogging & cycling compared to my HRM but its not massively out. I've had my Fitbit since I started on my lifestyle change and have found it invaluable (I have the One).

Francl27

You have to sync it too, there should be a way to do that, or the app won't update. I sync mine to my computer and leave the little thing plugged in in the back on a USB port.

I wear mine all day but put it down at night (and when I shower obviously). It estimates how much you burn while you're not wearing it anyway (mine says I burn 1950 calories or something if I don't wear it all day... not sure where they get the number from though).

Mokey41

I wear mine all day but put it down at night (and when I shower obviously). It estimates how much you burn while you're not wearing it anyway (mine says I burn 1950 calories or something if I don't wear it all day... not sure where they get the number from though).

It's using your BMR (or maybe sedentary TDEE) as a baseline for calories burned.