Fitbit vs MFP TDEE confusion

MickeyCastello

So anyway... I got this Fitbit thing, and now I have all these extra calories popping up in my diary that it says I can eat. The voices are telling me something ain't quite right about this. I have my MFP TDEE set to lightly active. Are these extra calories above and beyond what the TDEE calculator says I can have, or is there some covert government conspiracy going on here?:glasses:

debrahollister

It's gotta be a govt. conspiracy!

MickeyCastello

You know their watching what we do on this site, don't you?

Swiftdogs

I use MFP's method instead of TDEE, but I want to follow this thread. I've had my Fitbit for a week and feel its calorie estimates are a bit high. But it could be real, since I apparently take a lot more steps than usual for a "sedentary" lifestyle.

SkimFlatWhite68

I'm also interested in the responses.

If FitBit is synced with MFP, then surely FitBit knows that you are lightly active and takes that activity level into account?

I tend just to eat the calories that I have set for myself based on the FitBit TDEE less 500. Don't really pay that much attention to the MFP amount overall, sure I notice the number, but usually eat my standard amount of calories anyway (average of 1600 per day).

Might be a good idea to post this in the FitBit user group.

MickeyCastello

@swiftdogs - I thought MFP's method WAS TDEE. No?

Swiftdogs

No, TDEE includes your exercise. The MFP method is based on your lifestyle (job, basically) outside of exercise, then adds calories to eat back based on exercise you log.

TheRealParisLove

Your fitbit is measuring your daily activity and adding calories based on the goals you have set. I have found Fitbit to be slightly more generous with TDEE than MFP, so feel free to use a more aggressive weight loss strategy with your Fitbit than you use with MFP.

For instance, I have MFP set at .5 pound loss per week and Fitbit at 1 pound loss per week. They are a lot closer in totals that way and my energy expenditure is more accurately calculated.

MickeyCastello

@swiftdogs - I guess I'm confused, because it asks for the same info all the TDEE calculators I've seen. The results are real close too.

MickeyCastello

@TheRealParisLove - So the Fitbit calories are on top of the MFP calories, and I should eat them too? Or I am I seeing two different calculations?

Miffylou

Your fitbit is measuring your daily activity and adding calories based on the goals you have set. I have found Fitbit to be slightly more generous with TDEE than MFP, so feel free to use a more aggressive weight loss strategy with your Fitbit than you use with MFP.

For instance, I have MFP set at .5 pound loss per week and Fitbit at 1 pound loss per week. They are a lot closer in totals that way and my energy expenditure is more accurately calculated.

That now makes sense for me. Thanks

I tend to not input my daily exercise in MFP and just use the fitbit calories it gives back to me and find that's working for me at the moment. Not to say I wasn't confused at first.

MickeyCastello

Your fitbit is measuring your daily activity and adding calories based on the goals you have set. I have found Fitbit to be slightly more generous with TDEE than MFP, so feel free to use a more aggressive weight loss strategy with your Fitbit than you use with MFP.

For instance, I have MFP set at .5 pound loss per week and Fitbit at 1 pound loss per week. They are a lot closer in totals that way and my energy expenditure is more accurately calculated.

That now makes sense for me. Thanks

I tend to not input my daily exercise in MFP and just use the fitbit calories it gives back to me and find that's working for me at the moment. Not to say I wasn't confused at first.

I agree. I guess I'll give that a whirl.

Mokey41

MFP is not using TDEE. Choosing lightly active is saying your job is something slightly more active than being an office worker. MFP expects you to add your exercise separately. It's deceiving because they as about your exercise plans but that's just to add to the exercise section so you can see if you're meeting the exercise you say you planned. It doesn't add any calories for exercise.

TDEE is something you would have to calculate separately and manually set your calories to that amount and you would not log your exercise. If you're using TDEE and your Fitbit is giving you more calories that would be double dipping.

MickeyCastello

Cool thanx.