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Zumba: use fitbit info or manually enter into MFP?

brightsideofpink
brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
in Social Groups
I'm taking my first zumba class tonight. Should I just let fitbit do its thing since there are sure to be many steps? Or would it be more accurate to enter zumba into MFP and override the steps?

Replies

  • healthyhayles
    healthyhayles Posts: 44
    Bump!
  • camtosh
    camtosh Posts: 898 Member
    I am not an expert in either Zumba or fitbit settings, so YMMV: When I have input 45 min of Zumba, I am given about 545 cals burned from MFP, with an adjustment at the end of the day from fitbit. But when I have just let the fitbit log my steps, I get around 315 or so. This probably is because I don't do Zumba very well :) and am not jumping as much as the database thinks I should be. So you should try it both ways. You can log it on MFP and if your fitbit calculation is way off, just delete the MFP log and it will recalculate.
    Have fun! love to Zumba
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Good suggestion above, but better by one change.

    Enter the workout in Fitbit directly.
    That way you can look at daily burn so far at that point, make manual log entry, see the change, and can figure out the difference of what they had and what you had.
    And they have a database that has several entries that are different and more descriptive than MFP.

    Because the Fitbit adjustment is NOT just your exercise calorie burn but the whole day between the sites, trying to use that could get really sloppy fast.

    I'd actually stick with the Fitbit as that is very step oriented workout, perfect use of the tool.
    Unless you are raising your knee high and literally pounding it in to the ground with more force than running, then it might think you were running and burning more calories.
    But otherwise, the force seen should be right on for how much you are moving your body around.
  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
    Thanks for the tips! It ended up being quite fun, and the instructors were fascinated by the concept of a fitbit. I ended up with nearly 8000 steps and 52 "very active minutes" in a 60 minute class.
  • melicious276
    melicious276 Posts: 38 Member
    For what it's worth, I wear a HRM during Zumba along with my FitBit. The calories burned are typically within 20 calories. YMMV of course.

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