Exercise when synced with MFP

CM9178

This may be a stupid question but..

I understand we're only supposed to log our exercise on MFP and NOT on FB.

Before I had synched FB and MFP, I would set my FB timer and then manually update the activity to reflect what I had done (pilates).

Now that they are synched, will MFP automatically overide whatever FB has recorded for that time period when I enter it on MFP? or do I also still need to set the activity timer on my FB before doing pilates?

also, what about when driving in a car? Normally, I'd set my activity timer on my FB and then manually update it to reflect driving.
Do I do that on MFP now? I don't see 'driving" as an activity in the MFP database.

CM9178

Nevermind, through some research I think I've figured out my own question.

I just need to note the exact time I start pilates, and then enter it on MFP and that will override whatever FB recorded for that time period (I can use the timer on the FB to record the actual time/duration if I wish).

As for driving, I'm guessing that still has to be modified as an activity on FB. Which is annoying, especially when you drive a lot and it is counting it as steps, but that's another story.

Panthers89

Now that they are synched, will MFP automatically overide whatever FB has recorded for that time period when I enter it on MFP? or do I also still need to set the activity timer on my FB before doing pilates?
....You answered your own question...I never set the activity timer on Fitbit because I enter manually thru MFP and it will sync to Fitbit.


also, what about when driving in a car? Normally, I'd set my activity timer on my FB and then manually update it to reflect driving.
Do I do that on MFP now? I don't see 'driving" as an activity in the MFP database.

...The only activities that I sync in MFP are non-running events such as "weight training", "gardening", etc. Driving will probably not be an activity on MFP because it is essentially sitting, and if you have your calorie goal set on MFP, Fitbit will sync to your activity (or lack of) as the day progresses. I find the Fitbit keeps MFP and other apps honest in their calorie burning estimates, and since I'm positive that I can't be 100% logging calories on MFP, Fitbit seems to even everything out. I would also recommend in your settings on MFP to adjust Fitbit for negative calorie measurements as well. Good luck.

heybales

You can still handle the driving correction from MFP if you don't want to get in to Fitbit to mess with it.

Find your MFP BMR in Settings - Apps. Add 150 to make it RMR, since you burn more merely being awake, even more driving.
Divide that number by 1440 for per min calorie burn. That will change enough as you lose 10 lbs to update the number.
Now create your own exercise on MFP called driving, note the start time and duration as you'd be doing, and give it the calorie burn per min x minutes of driving.
Bam! - just replaced inaccurate calorie count with something closer to reality, though probably still a tad low. This won't wipe out the false steps though, but neither did driving on Fitbit manual entry.

CM9178

You can still handle the driving correction from MFP if you don't want to get in to Fitbit to mess with it.

Find your MFP BMR in Settings - Apps. Add 150 to make it RMR, since you burn more merely being awake, even more driving.
Divide that number by 1440 for per min calorie burn. That will change enough as you lose 10 lbs to update the number.
Now create your own exercise on MFP called driving, note the start time and duration as you'd be doing, and give it the calorie burn per min x minutes of driving.
Bam! - just replaced inaccurate calorie count with something closer to reality, though probably still a tad low. This won't wipe out the false steps though, but neither did driving on Fitbit manual entry.

Actually what I've been doing when just using Fitbit, is setting the timer before I start driving.
Then, I go into Fitbit, I see the activity there, I enter a new activity (driving) for the same time and duration and then delete the original. Now my false steps are gone, and just the burn is recorded.

If I use your caculation, I get a 1.13 calorie burn per minute. I drove for 19 minutes this morning, which would be 21 calories using this method.
I tried entering the driving activity on Fitbit and it said I burned 39 calories. (fit bit records a 1.02 calorie burn per minute when I'm sitting doing nothing/not walking). That makes me think that the number Fitbit is calculating for the driving is more accurate than using the formula you provided. But either way, there isn't much of a difference and unless I'm going to be driving for hours every day, it is probably irrelevant.

heybales

Actually what I've been doing when just using Fitbit, is setting the timer before I start driving.
Then, I go into Fitbit, I see the activity there, I enter a new activity (driving) for the same time and duration and then delete the original. Now my false steps are gone, and just the burn is recorded.

If I use your caculation, I get a 1.13 calorie burn per minute. I drove for 19 minutes this morning, which would be 21 calories using this method.
I tried entering the driving activity on Fitbit and it said I burned 39 calories. (fit bit records a 1.02 calorie burn per minute when I'm sitting doing nothing/not walking). That makes me think that the number Fitbit is calculating for the driving is more accurate than using the formula you provided. But either way, there isn't much of a difference and unless I'm going to be driving for hours every day, it is probably irrelevant.

Actually, look at ALL your non-moving time - it's all given the same calorie burn, sleep or awake or standing. That value is the BMR they calculated, very close to Mifflin BMR that MFP uses.

When you are awake - you burn more, called Resting Metabolic Rate, RMR.

And yes, my formula was at least trying to give you RMR level burn being awake. Fitbit is going for more calories burned, I had a big increase when I tested it.

Interesting I tested entering driving as manual activity and steps was NOT replaced with nothing, steps remained. But I don't have activity ability, so perhaps that is difference. But do you actually see the daily steps decrease after entering the activity? Not the activity steps, but the daily steps?

Very true on the steps from driving and resulting calorie burn, only hours would really make a difference, or if back road high frequency of steps, which some have reported and gotten big calorie burns on.

CM9178

Actually what I've been doing when just using Fitbit, is setting the timer before I start driving.
Then, I go into Fitbit, I see the activity there, I enter a new activity (driving) for the same time and duration and then delete the original. Now my false steps are gone, and just the burn is recorded.

If I use your caculation, I get a 1.13 calorie burn per minute. I drove for 19 minutes this morning, which would be 21 calories using this method.
I tried entering the driving activity on Fitbit and it said I burned 39 calories. (fit bit records a 1.02 calorie burn per minute when I'm sitting doing nothing/not walking). That makes me think that the number Fitbit is calculating for the driving is more accurate than using the formula you provided. But either way, there isn't much of a difference and unless I'm going to be driving for hours every day, it is probably irrelevant.

Actually, look at ALL your non-moving time - it's all given the same calorie burn, sleep or awake or standing. That value is the BMR they calculated, very close to Mifflin BMR that MFP uses.

When you are awake - you burn more, called Resting Metabolic Rate, RMR.

And yes, my formula was at least trying to give you RMR level burn being awake. Fitbit is going for more calories burned, I had a big increase when I tested it.

Interesting I tested entering driving as manual activity and steps was NOT replaced with nothing, steps remained. But I don't have activity ability, so perhaps that is difference. But do you actually see the daily steps decrease after entering the activity? Not the activity steps, but the daily steps?

Very true on the steps from driving and resulting calorie burn, only hours would really make a difference, or if back road high frequency of steps, which some have reported and gotten big calorie burns on.

yes, I just tested it by putting in a random "driving" activity for a period of 20 minutes and my daily steps number decreased when I entered it. I deleted the activity and the step count went back up. So this confirms that if driving counts your steps, if you submit the activity for that time period, it will reduce your step count accordingly.

So if my RMR is 1.13 cals per minute and my BMR is 1.02 cals per minute.. and I drive about 30 minutes per day, that's only a difference of 3.3 calories, but the issue is the fitbit counts steps when I'm driving. It isn't the calorie burn I'm really that concerned about. But if I want a more accurate step count, then I need to replace the time with the driving activity like I've been doing.

heybales

yes, I just tested it by putting in a random "driving" activity for a period of 20 minutes and my daily steps number decreased when I entered it. I deleted the activity and the step count went back up. So this confirms that if driving counts your steps, if you submit the activity for that time period, it will reduce your step count accordingly.

So if my RMR is 1.13 cals per minute and my BMR is 1.02 cals per minute.. and I drive about 30 minutes per day, that's only a difference of 3.3 calories, but the issue is the fitbit counts steps when I'm driving. It isn't the calorie burn I'm really that concerned about. But if I want a more accurate step count, then I need to replace the time with the driving activity like I've been doing.

Bummer, I doubt then an MFP activity will correctly do that when it syncs over, gotta do it from Fitbit side.

I wonder if they do the step zeroing out it has to be enough steps to matter, the hour I tested on didn't have many to start with. But I just tried on my lawn mowing time, and there it did wipe out the steps.

CM9178

I just did my pilates, entered the activity it on MFP but it didn't over write the steps that Fitbit had registered for that time period (I had set my sleep timer while working out). For some reason, it overwrites the steps taken when I enter the driving activity on fitbit though.
(I also tried entering the workout activity on Fitbit and it didn't overwrite the steps that way either).

I think the only way around this would be to take off the fitbit while working out and then log it through MFP. That way the fitbit doesn't record any steps during that time period.

heybales

Oh, you want to keep steps from everyday life separate from specific exercise.

How almost opposite of you compared to the vast majority of others trying to figure out how to make anything appear as "steps" to reach goals.

And what you said is exactly what another Fitbit member says they do for exactly that reason. Exercise separate, but they want the calorie count decent so they are eating reasonable deficit from decent estimate of what was really burned.
But steps they just want daily living steps. No exercise steps included.

Normally, the only activity, when manually entered on Fitbit anyway, that actually overwrites steps, is walking and running. Your inputted distance with your stride length setting comes up with new step count which replaces what they counted during the activity. I usually lose steps, but gain miles and calories for running.

I'm guessing they tweaked the driving activity for taking care of issues like you've seen, false steps.

Gen216

Hey there

I just got my Fitbit yesterday and I'm trying to make some sense out of it by reading through posts. I have 2 questions:

Tonight when I play volleyball, do I let the fitbit record my exercise or do I put in the activity here and it will take away what the fitbit says and put in what I record? Which would be more accurate? It's a little confusing

And with the driving thing you guys are talking about, I think what I'm understanding is that I should make an activity called 'driving' and put in my resting caloric burn as the calorie number then put in the times I'm driving on here so it will adjust for a lower number of calories burnt at that time? Does it make that much of a difference? I commute about a half hour each way to work.

Thanks

CM9178

Hey there

I just got my Fitbit yesterday and I'm trying to make some sense out of it by reading through posts. I have 2 questions:

Tonight when I play volleyball, do I let the fitbit record my exercise or do I put in the activity here and it will take away what the fitbit says and put in what I record? Which would be more accurate? It's a little confusing

And with the driving thing you guys are talking about, I think what I'm understanding is that I should make an activity called 'driving' and put in my resting caloric burn as the calorie number then put in the times I'm driving on here so it will adjust for a lower number of calories burnt at that time? Does it make that much of a difference? I commute about a half hour each way to work.

Thanks

question 1 about the volleyball: if you want the fitbit to count the steps that you are taking during volleyball then leave the fitbit on you.
Then, input the activity into MFP, to get credit for the calories burned + the steps taken.. doing this, you are going to get an innaccurate calories burned number, because the fitbit would've also been counting calories burned based on how many steps you took.
If you want a more accurate number of calories burned while playing volleyball, I'd suggest NOT wearing the fitbit while you play volleyball, then just enter the activity into MFP. The calories burned will sync over to FB and your step count (for normaly activity, walking, etc) will be accurate as well.

Driving: 30 minute commute each way (that's about what I do) isn't going to make much of a difference, I think I calculated it to be a 3 calorie difference each way. If you don't care about that, then I wouldn't bother creating the driving activity.

If you set the timer on your FB while you're driving, then on your dashboard you will see the activity (it will probably show up as sleep and you'll have to move it).
If it registered any steps during that time (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't), then what I do is input a driving activity on FB for the exact same times, and then delete the one that it recorded. Then, your step count will be adjusted correctly.
Again, for such a short driving period, this is really only making a difference on your step count.

If you don't mind that your step count isn't accurate, then I wouldn't bother changing it, since the difference in calories burned is going to be so minor in your case.

Hope that makes sense!

CM9178

I found this on the FB message board, confirmed the only way to override/delete steps/floors is to enter a driving activity for that time period:
http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/Can-I-delete-data

heybales

question 1 about the volleyball: if you want the fitbit to count the steps that you are taking during volleyball then leave the fitbit on you.
Then, input the activity into MFP, to get credit for the calories burned + the steps taken.. doing this, you are going to get an innaccurate calories burned number, because the fitbit would've also been counting calories burned based on how many steps you took.
If you want a more accurate number of calories burned while playing volleyball, I'd suggest NOT wearing the fitbit while you play volleyball, then just enter the activity into MFP. The calories burned will sync over to FB and your step count (for normaly activity, walking, etc) will be accurate as well.

Driving: 30 minute commute each way (that's about what I do) isn't going to make much of a difference, I think I calculated it to be a 3 calorie difference each way. If you don't care about that, then I wouldn't bother creating the driving activity.

If you set the timer on your FB while you're driving, then on your dashboard you will see the activity (it will probably show up as sleep and you'll have to move it).
If it registered any steps during that time (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't), then what I do is input a driving activity on FB for the exact same times, and then delete the one that it recorded. Then, your step count will be adjusted correctly.
Again, for such a short driving period, this is really only making a difference on your step count.

If you don't mind that your step count isn't accurate, then I wouldn't bother changing it, since the difference in calories burned is going to be so minor in your case.

Hope that makes sense!

Actually, all activity manually logged with it's own calorie count will overwrite whatever estimate Fitbit came up with. There is no double counting as suggested above.
So wear the Fitbit to get the steps if desired, it'll estimate a calorie burn too based on moving and jumping, which may or may not be close to reality.
Now enter a manual activity, and that calorie estimate will be replaced, not added to, by whatever you manually entered. Steps will be left as they were seen, unless the activity is walking or running or driving.

You can test that out easily, enter an activity. Until the day is done, you can delete your manual one and the Fitbit data comes back.

I'll mention the driving is usually only a factor on the wrist units, not the body units. I guess really bumpy road could be worse even with body units.

Gen216

Thanks everyone!! I'll trial and error with the sports for a few weeks and see how it goes!

CM9178

question 1 about the volleyball: if you want the fitbit to count the steps that you are taking during volleyball then leave the fitbit on you.
Then, input the activity into MFP, to get credit for the calories burned + the steps taken.. doing this, you are going to get an innaccurate calories burned number, because the fitbit would've also been counting calories burned based on how many steps you took.
If you want a more accurate number of calories burned while playing volleyball, I'd suggest NOT wearing the fitbit while you play volleyball, then just enter the activity into MFP. The calories burned will sync over to FB and your step count (for normaly activity, walking, etc) will be accurate as well.

Driving: 30 minute commute each way (that's about what I do) isn't going to make much of a difference, I think I calculated it to be a 3 calorie difference each way. If you don't care about that, then I wouldn't bother creating the driving activity.

If you set the timer on your FB while you're driving, then on your dashboard you will see the activity (it will probably show up as sleep and you'll have to move it).
If it registered any steps during that time (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't), then what I do is input a driving activity on FB for the exact same times, and then delete the one that it recorded. Then, your step count will be adjusted correctly.
Again, for such a short driving period, this is really only making a difference on your step count.

If you don't mind that your step count isn't accurate, then I wouldn't bother changing it, since the difference in calories burned is going to be so minor in your case.

Hope that makes sense!

Actually, all activity manually logged with it's own calorie count will overwrite whatever estimate Fitbit came up with. There is no double counting as suggested above.
So wear the Fitbit to get the steps if desired, it'll estimate a calorie burn too based on moving and jumping, which may or may not be close to reality.
Now enter a manual activity, and that calorie estimate will be replaced, not added to, by whatever you manually entered. Steps will be left as they were seen, unless the activity is walking or running or driving.

You can test that out easily, enter an activity. Until the day is done, you can delete your manual one and the Fitbit data comes back.

I'll mention the driving is usually only a factor on the wrist units, not the body units. I guess really bumpy road could be worse even with body units.

thanks, I hadn't realized that entering the exercise activity would negate the Calories that the Fitbit had recorded. I'll have to play around with mine to be sure.
As for driving, I wear my One on my bra and it records a LOT of steps for a 20 minute drive to work sometimes. Not every time, but sometimes. It isn't a bumpy drive either.

CM9178

question 1 about the volleyball: if you want the fitbit to count the steps that you are taking during volleyball then leave the fitbit on you.
Then, input the activity into MFP, to get credit for the calories burned + the steps taken.. doing this, you are going to get an innaccurate calories burned number, because the fitbit would've also been counting calories burned based on how many steps you took.
If you want a more accurate number of calories burned while playing volleyball, I'd suggest NOT wearing the fitbit while you play volleyball, then just enter the activity into MFP. The calories burned will sync over to FB and your step count (for normaly activity, walking, etc) will be accurate as well.

Driving: 30 minute commute each way (that's about what I do) isn't going to make much of a difference, I think I calculated it to be a 3 calorie difference each way. If you don't care about that, then I wouldn't bother creating the driving activity.

If you set the timer on your FB while you're driving, then on your dashboard you will see the activity (it will probably show up as sleep and you'll have to move it).
If it registered any steps during that time (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't), then what I do is input a driving activity on FB for the exact same times, and then delete the one that it recorded. Then, your step count will be adjusted correctly.
Again, for such a short driving period, this is really only making a difference on your step count.

If you don't mind that your step count isn't accurate, then I wouldn't bother changing it, since the difference in calories burned is going to be so minor in your case.

Hope that makes sense!

Actually, all activity manually logged with it's own calorie count will overwrite whatever estimate Fitbit came up with. There is no double counting as suggested above.
So wear the Fitbit to get the steps if desired, it'll estimate a calorie burn too based on moving and jumping, which may or may not be close to reality.
Now enter a manual activity, and that calorie estimate will be replaced, not added to, by whatever you manually entered. Steps will be left as they were seen, unless the activity is walking or running or driving.

You can test that out easily, enter an activity. Until the day is done, you can delete your manual one and the Fitbit data comes back.

I'll mention the driving is usually only a factor on the wrist units, not the body units. I guess really bumpy road could be worse even with body units.

thanks, I hadn't realized that entering the exercise activity would negate the Calories that the Fitbit had recorded. I'll have to play around with mine to be sure. But I just don't understand why someone would want to record their steps while playing volleyball AND their calorie burn for the workout. To me, it is either one or the other. What's the point of counting those steps?

As for driving, I wear my One on my bra and it records a LOT of steps for a 20 minute drive to work sometimes. Not every time, but sometimes. It isn't a bumpy drive either.