FitBit Calories v MFP Calories

BonnieCaley

Hi, I've tried searching for this answer but can't find it!!! I got the FitBit app for my iPhone yesterday, it works off the motion sensors in the phone so I just stick it in my pocket and off I go. The thing is the calories on FitBit and MFP are different so which should I go by? MFP Is telling me I have 100+ and FitBit is telling me I'm 35 over - any help appreciated

Tanya949

Since 70 or so calories won't do much in the way of a big change, it doesn't really matter which you choose. But I use Fitbit and because I log food through MFP, I go with that number.

Seeds45

Same here. I only add foods and exercise through MFP. Do you have the negative calories box checked? It takes a few days or a week before it get a base to work from, so if you do, give it time to gather information.

LexiMelo

You might want to check if you have them set up differently. I only use the calories burned part of the fitbit which syncs with MFP, and I track the food here. (I also use the step, stairs and sleep trackers as encouragement, and the silent alarm is awesome).

You shouldn't be tracking on FitBit's website if you are also tracking here - according to the MFP guide you should log everything here and MFP will use the calorie data from your FitBit.

Hope that is helpful.

ravenribbs

Do you have the negative calories box checked?

Where is this box??

BonnieCaley

Ok I'm even more confused now!!! I haven't eaten anything else but I'm now more over my calories?!? Also FitBit has a goal of 1200 for me and MFP has 1430 - how do I change the FitBit to make it the same as MFP?

Tanya949

Have you synced MFP and fitbit lately? My numbers are usually a few calories off between the 2 apps... I don't worry about it. I just eat according to MFP. I only use fitbit for steps and calories burned. It's all estimated anyway, neither is precise.

lesteidel

The flex is really accurate for me. And you can change it in the settings, they won't be spot on the same there might be a 50ish calorie difference in what they say you need,

Meredith2279

Okay, so I was using just the MFP app for a couple weeks, and lost weight really fast--like 4 lbs a week fast, yes probably too fast. I was sticking to around 1440 calories a day during this time and was pretty active, exercising around 4x/week. I got the Fitbit Flex, synced it and of course saw that I was burning a lot more calories through daily activity and exercise than I thought. I started adding the calories that MFP and Fitbit calculated that I could(varied, but around 1600-1800), and pretty much stopped losing weight for the next two weeks. Very frustrating. Started just focusing on the MFP's goal for me to lose 1 lb/week, which is 1370 calories a day and not looking at what the FitBit calories add. Is this right? I feel like the calories calculations for both at least for me are not accurate at all for weight loss. Has anyone else experienced this?

Makoce

Ok I'm even more confused now!!! I haven't eaten anything else but I'm now more over my calories?!? Also FitBit has a goal of 1200 for me and MFP has 1430 - how do I change the FitBit to make it the same as MFP?

You probably have calorie estimation turned on.
Theres your calories burned, which shows you by minute - hour how many you've burned real time -- then there's your food app which estimates for your entire day how much it thinks youre going to burn based on your trends of the week.
Therefore, if you move more it gives you more calories, and the less you move the more it goes down to change its estimations to accommodate actual burns for the day.

editorgrrl

Everybody's different, and weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you.

Enable negative calorie adjustments:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

Adjust your activity level:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

Enable/disable Fitbit's calorie estimation:
http://www.fitbit.com/user/profile/edit

Fitbit pro-rates your calories by time of day (and goes way below 1,200 calories), so I ignore it & follow MFP's calorie goal.

MFP has a Fitbit Users group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users

flashbacks

The calorie estimation changes throughout the day, but gets more accurate with time. I log my food and exercise on MFP and allow negative changes. at the end of the day it'll fall back into place most of the time.

MFP calculates your calorie burn really approximately, fitbit isnt always on point but it's a lot more accurate.

ihad

Segal's Law: A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.

Live_To_Win

I have the Fitbit Flex, I log my food in MFP and log my activities in Fitbit, this gives MFP the additional calorie deficit. The calories burned are a lot lower this way and and it makes me work harder I think to burn more. Not sure if this is correct but I am still losing weight BIG SMILE.

editorgrrl

I have the Fitbit Flex, I log my food in MFP and log my activities in Fitbit, this gives MFP the additional calorie deficit. The calories burned are a lot lower this way and and it makes me work harder I think to burn more. Not sure if this is correct but I am still losing weight.

This is absolutely correct. Do not log step based activity. Log non-step workouts in Fitbit or MFP. I, too, find Fitbit's burns to be way more accurate than MFP's one-size-fits-all guesstimates.

Live_To_Win

I have the Fitbit Flex, I log my food in MFP and log my activities in Fitbit, this gives MFP the additional calorie deficit. The calories burned are a lot lower this way and and it makes me work harder I think to burn more. Not sure if this is correct but I am still losing weight.

This is absolutely correct. Do not log step based activity. Log non-step workouts in Fitbit or MFP. I, too, find Fitbit's burns to be way more accurate than MFP's one-size-fits-all guesstimates.

That is what I was about to add in there that I am going to be doing stretches and the like this morning and will log that directly into MFP. Thank you very much for the clarification

BonnieCaley

Thanks for all the replies I think I have my settings sorted now. My next question is when I set up MFP I included 2x 45 minute MMA class, do I add this manually as my FitBit is tracked on my phone which I won't have in training with me. Thanks again

editorgrrl

When I set up MFP I included 2x 45 minute MMA class, do I add this manually as my FitBit is tracked on my phone which I won't have in training with me.

Unless they've recently changed something, the planned exercise you enter at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided has no effect on your calorie goal. I've never understood why it's there.

Do not log step based activity. Log non-step workouts any time after you've completed them either in Fitbit or in MFP.

BonnieCaley

Thanks

SusanBT1954

Don't know whether to invest in a Fit bit. Seems to cause a lot of confusion when used in conjunction with MFP

nerual13

I got my Fitbit last week and find it is really motivating me! I log my food on MFP, but let Fitbit be my guide. As many have said already, the Fitbit is more accurate in terms of calorie burn as MFP does use a more one size fits all approach. Additionally, I've got several friends with Fitbit that go to nutritionists. They did the math and found the Fitbit to be fairly accurate.

I follow the Fitbit. It prompts me to keep about a 500 calorie deficit over the course of the day, so I find it easier to follow. Plus, seeing the number of steps I've done vs my goal REALLY gets me motivated! I just can't bear to lose, so I HAVE to hit my goal for steps. Thus, it makes me move a little more and eat a little less.

Bottom line, love my Fitbit. I think the thing to recall is that there is no device/program that will be exact for all people. I say give it a try, you can get the Fitbit Zip for about $45 on amazon right now and they have a lovely return program if you decide its not for you.