MFP / Fitbit - Another Confused Consumer

igirisujin

First of all, apologies to anyone who feels this is a question asked too many times, but I'm somewhat confused, so if any expert out there could chime in, I would appreciate it.

I want to make sure I’m using these tools in the best fashion, and also that what I am recording is accurate.


M / 5’ 11” / 214 lbs – 180 lbs weight goal – started at 232 lbs on 3/14

MFP:

Goals: set as lose 2 lbs per week, lightly active – MFP sets my net calories consumed per day at 1520 (2510 normal daily activity).

My completed stats for Wednesday, 5/1:

Calories consumed - 1719

Exercise logged - 33 minutes elliptical / 487 calories, 60 minutes walking / 320 calories – 807 calories total

With the added exercise, my daily goal on MFP was 2201 calories, leaving 482 remaining at the end of the day.

I have negative adjustments enabled, MFP shows FB calories burned 3191, MFP calories burned 3317, so -126.

I’m entering exercise on MFP when I feel that is the focal point, such as running, or extended walks. I’m not considering a day’s general puttering about, so hoping I’m correctly assigning myself as lightly active, as opposed to sedentary (if set as sedentary, my cal intake seems woefully low).

When I look at the FB dashboard for 5/1, the food page correctly totals 1719 calories, and the activity log shows 807 calories, same as MFP. However, the food plan segment states I ate 1719 of my goal of 1625 calories.

Why is FB not adjusting my calorie goals with the added exercise? Why is FB giving me a goal of 1625 cals (without exercise), when MFP gives me 1520, yet the negative adjustment shows that FB rates me as burning less energy than MFP, so I would expect FB to give me a daily goal below 1520.

ShandaLeaS

I am by no means an expert but I log food on MFP and exercise on FB. I do this strictly because on FB I can input the time and that helps adjust the calories burned. I noticed that helped with my difference in the #s

shadow2soul

I'd check your settings on Fitbit. I'm thinking you might have it set to take a different deduction then MFP. For example my settings:

MFP:
Sedentary: 2060 estimated daily calorie burn + any exercise
Custom Goal: 1694 + any exercise
Deficit of : 365
estimated loss of: 0.7lbs a week

FitBit for 5/1:
2309 estimated total calorie burn
Goal of : 2059
Deficit of : 250
estimated loss of: 0.5lbs a week

edit: I log exercise on MFP (using correct times) as well as food. Overall fitbit's goal is only a few hundred different than what my MFP total Intake ends up being. I can't get fitbit any closer though, because they don't allow you to set custom deficits (at least not that I can find).

igirisujin

ShandaLeaS, thanks for the suggestion. That might be the way to go, since MFP is well suited for logging food, and FB is more accurately determining my output. Take the FB calorie guide as the more accurate one.

ShandaLeaS

Ahhh previously my MFP app on the phone didn't have where I could input times so that's why I did FB...might have to start trying all on MFP and see how that effects things. Just checked after reading the other response. However I think MFP is a little generous in giving calories lost on exercise

shadow2soul

Ahhh previously my MFP app on the phone didn't have where I could input times so that's why I did FB...might have to start trying all on MFP and see how that effects things. Just checked after reading the other response. However I think MFP is a little generous in giving calories lost on exercise

I edit the calories MFP gives. I use my hrm for a better estimate during cardio workouts.

leelu137

I log my food into MFP, I enter exercise into MFP and fit bit monitors my overall daily activity and adjusts my calories in MFP to suit.

They never have exactly the same calories but They are close. Do not pay any attention to the stupid goal zone thing in FB dashboard.

I use endomondo to track my walks and runs. It then sends data to MFP with the start and end time. This data then syncs with fit bit.

Also the mobile app for MFP does allow you to add a start time of the activity you are dong

dnish53

I only log my exercise and food on MFP. It syncs with the FB sire as to calories burned. There is a little difference between the 2 sites as to how many calories I should be eating. This has worked really great for me for almost a year now.