Fitbit flex logging? Please help!

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hailie08
hailie08 Posts: 87 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I got a fitbit flex for christmas and was wondering how I go about logging the calories it says I burn during the day, etc. I know that MFP already estimates normal calories so I'm not sure what to do. Thanks in advance!

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  • chrissieblueyes
    chrissieblueyes Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi,
    First off, integrate it with MFP. I don't exactly remember how I did it, but it should be easy enough to figure out :) The flex will send MFP any calories burned via the Fit Bit as a "calorie adjustment". Then, as you do other workouts aside from steps, enter that here into MFP along with your food intake. The "calorie adjustment" will be more accurate because you will have entered the details of what you were actually doing. It's important to note what time you started each activity you log in MFP, as the fitbit will essentially look at your very active minutes and say "Oh, ok, she was on the elliptical, not just walking, so she burned more calories".

    Hope this helps. I'm generally not a poster but saw this and wanted to help since I just figured out my flex.

    Good luck!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Fitbit shows your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which is your exercise + BMR (the calories you burn just being alive). When you set up your MFP account, you chose an activity level. MFP used that plus your age, sex & height to estimate your TDEE. Then you set a weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

    Once you go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and link your accounts, Fitbit will tell MFP your TDEE. If it's more than MFP estimated, you'll get an exercise calorie adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative adjustments (and your goal is more than 1,200 calories), when your TDEE is less than the MFP estimate you get fewer calories to eat.

    MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
  • hailie08
    hailie08 Posts: 87 Member
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    Thank you!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I forgot to say log food & drink in MFP. No need to log step based activity. Log non-step based exercise (like swimming or spinning) either in Fitbit or in MFP--never both. If you choose to log in MFP, you'll be asked for start & end times. Then MFP will override your step data during that time.

    It will take trial & error to find what settings work best for you.

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