Need help figuring out your TDEE? Get a Fitbit.

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Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So I get how it adjusts MFP, but does it save those numbers from day to day? Suppose on Monday, I should eat 2000, and on Tuesday I should eat 2100. When Tuesday adjusts, does it change Monday's goal as well? Or at the end of the week will MFP tell me I am way under/over?

    Each day is adjusted, and it doesn't matter what you eat, the adjustment is based on what you burn.

    If you set MFP to sedentary, which is BMR x 1.25, and FitBit constantly sees your TDEE at higher level, like BMR x 1.35, then you'll get constant adjustments up.

    You still have the deficit in there to meet your weight loss goal, as wise or unwise as that may be, but just like logging exercise, you get to eat more because your TDEE that day is higher.

    In that case, probably easier to plan your day well by just changing MFP activity level to Lightly Active. Less adjustments up, may be a few calories down. On non-exercise days.
    On exercise days, your TDEE of course was higher, so you get bigger adjustment.

    If you log the exercise, FitBit is told to replace it's calorie estimate for the time you indicated. Then same adjustment happens except you already manually entered exercise to eat back.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    Bump
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
    Right. The Fitbit website says I burned 2463 calories yesterday. It has a little food planning section that I don't really use, but it says that I was supposed to eat 1963 yesterday.

    Here's how the MFP calculation works on previous days. I told MFP my age/height/weight, and activity level (sedentary). It then calculated that my before-exercise TDEE is 2040. I manually set my goal to 1650 calories. Fitbit then tells MFP "his actual TDEE yesterday was 2463." MFP says "oh OK, 2463 is 423 more than the 2040 I expected, so I'll add 423 to his goal." Therefore my MFP goal becomes 1650+423 = 2073.

    Bumped because this comment has the most useful explanation ever of how this device works (thank you!).
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    So I get how it adjusts MFP, but does it save those numbers from day to day? Suppose on Monday, I should eat 2000, and on Tuesday I should eat 2100. When Tuesday adjusts, does it change Monday's goal as well? Or at the end of the week will MFP tell me I am way under/over?

    Fitbit doesn't change your actual MFP goal. It just adds a daily adjustment to correct for that day's *actual* calorie burn. It's on a day to day basis.
  • Stumason2105
    Stumason2105 Posts: 12 Member
    bumb for great reference
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    What exactly does the Fitbit track? Movement? Heart rate? Body temperature? What?

    I don't exercise. Will the Fitbit monitor anything for me that I'm not already entering in my food diary?
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    What exactly does the Fitbit track? Movement? Heart rate? Body temperature? What?

    I don't exercise. Will the Fitbit monitor anything for me that I'm not already entering in my food diary?
    First off, if you're wearing chain mail and in the SCA, you do TOO exercise! *wink* Secondly, it tracks movement. Every bit of movement you make, apparently! The FitBit does not monitor food intake or anything like that. It uses algorithms to figure out how many calories you burn with each bit of movement your body makes. When you sync it to your MFP account, it goes back and forth between the two to adjust and calculate everything for you. It's fabulous! I discovered that I burn far more calories with my weaving than I previously thought - all because the FitBit Flex tracked each of my movements (which are considerable with all the shuttle throwing). Get one. You won't regret it.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    I have not fought in a long time. I was too out of shape to do it.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Ok-stupid question, but I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly as well as doing what I am supposed to be doing.

    I set my fitbit to 1400 calories accoriding to scoobys calculations for a sedentary level. Now, it says I have to burn 2184 calories/day but if I burned only 2000, that gives me a 600 calorie deficit correct? Which number is the actual TDEE number on my fitbit? The calories burned? I dont know, I am so confused! Sorry! Please help, thanks!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Ok-stupid question, but I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly as well as doing what I am supposed to be doing.

    I set my fitbit to 1400 calories accoriding to scoobys calculations for a sedentary level. Now, it says I have to burn 2184 calories/day but if I burned only 2000, that gives me a 600 calorie deficit correct? Which number is the actual TDEE number on my fitbit? The calories burned? I dont know, I am so confused! Sorry! Please help, thanks!

    I'm not sure what you mean by setting Fitbit to anything. Fitbit does the calorie burn calculations automatically; there is no place to set how many calories you burn.

    The "I have to burn" part is just a goal. It's essentially random and meaningless. What you want to pay attention to is the number of calories it says you've burned. That's a running TDEE. At the end of the day, that number is the total number of calories you've burned that day.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Ok-stupid question, but I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly as well as doing what I am supposed to be doing.

    I set my fitbit to 1400 calories accoriding to scoobys calculations for a sedentary level. Now, it says I have to burn 2184 calories/day but if I burned only 2000, that gives me a 600 calorie deficit correct? Which number is the actual TDEE number on my fitbit? The calories burned? I dont know, I am so confused! Sorry! Please help, thanks!

    I'm not sure what you mean by setting Fitbit to anything. Fitbit does the calorie burn calculations automatically; there is no place to set how many calories you burn.

    The "I have to burn" part is just a goal. It's essentially random and meaningless. What you want to pay attention to is the number of calories it says you've burned. That's a running TDEE. At the end of the day, that number is the total number of calories you've burned that day.

    Actually, with the fitbit one you can set your daily burned calories goal. But thats not what I meant. I meant that I set my calorie goal to 1400. But you said that the number of calories burned is the TDEE, so if I eat a deficit of 500 calories from that number, thats fine right?
  • mistertripps
    mistertripps Posts: 24
    More than anything else, my Fitbit has become a great way to measure my daily activity level as compared to other days. I've had mine for three weeks now and it definitely has made a difference in the amount of extra activity I make myself do. Coupled with the food log on MFP it has made all the difference in how I act on a daily basis. I don't worry so much about competing against others - I compete against myself and what I have done on other days. The Fitbit is just a great way of monitoring your personal activity level.
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    I had a fitbit but found it was pretty much a glorified pedometer. Skip the fitbit and just get a HRM. I lost pretty much all my weight since i started using the HRM and my work outs really improved.
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
    I :heart: my FB. I forgot to put it on one day and I felt like I was missing a limb.

    I had a mini panic attack when I went to play tennis one day without it. I tried to estimate the calories I burned later and remember how much of a pain in the butt it was to try to do that every time I exercised.

    The Fitbit takes away so much annoying guesswork it's unbelievable. I literally never have to sit around and try to calculate how many calories I may have burned playing racquetball or walking around the mall or whatever. It's very liberating, and that's why I started this topic.

    Have been watching food intake & trying to walk each day,adding a bit more steps each time.Sounds like FB works great for you.What model FB would I need? I' m on iPad & don't want to use the computer. Thanks for any info.I'm a complete newbie at eating healthy.Thanks,Pat
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Ok-stupid question, but I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly as well as doing what I am supposed to be doing.

    I set my fitbit to 1400 calories accoriding to scoobys calculations for a sedentary level. Now, it says I have to burn 2184 calories/day but if I burned only 2000, that gives me a 600 calorie deficit correct? Which number is the actual TDEE number on my fitbit? The calories burned? I dont know, I am so confused! Sorry! Please help, thanks!

    I'm not sure what you mean by setting Fitbit to anything. Fitbit does the calorie burn calculations automatically; there is no place to set how many calories you burn.

    The "I have to burn" part is just a goal. It's essentially random and meaningless. What you want to pay attention to is the number of calories it says you've burned. That's a running TDEE. At the end of the day, that number is the total number of calories you've burned that day.

    Actually, with the fitbit one you can set your daily burned calories goal. But thats not what I meant. I meant that I set my calorie goal to 1400. But you said that the number of calories burned is the TDEE, so if I eat a deficit of 500 calories from that number, thats fine right?

    Your "goal" in Fitbit is meaningless. It doesn't affect anything else. It's just like the steps goal - just a bar graph you've either met at the end of the day or not. It doesn't affect the calories burned, your food plan, or what information is synced to MFP.

    Your goal at the end of every day is to have eaten less than the Fitbit says you've burned that day, yes. The number on the screen of the Fitbit at 11:59 PM is your TDEE for that day.
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
    Ok-stupid question, but I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly as well as doing what I am supposed to be doing.

    I set my fitbit to 1400 calories accoriding to scoobys calculations for a sedentary level. Now, it says I have to burn 2184 calories/day but if I burned only 2000, that gives me a 600 calorie deficit correct? Which number is the actual TDEE number on my fitbit? The calories burned? I dont know, I am so confused! Sorry! Please help, thanks!

    I'm not sure what you mean by setting Fitbit to anything. Fitbit does the calorie burn calculations automatically; there is no place to set how many calories you burn.

    The "I have to burn" part is just a goal. It's essentially random and meaningless. What you want to pay attention to is the number of calories it says you've burned. That's a running TDEE. At the end of the day, that number is the total number of calories you've burned that day.

    Actually, with the fitbit one you can set your daily burned calories goal. But thats not what I meant. I meant that I set my calorie goal to 1400. But you said that the number of calories burned is the TDEE, so if I eat a deficit of 500 calories from that number, thats fine right?

    Your "goal" in Fitbit is meaningless. It doesn't affect anything else. It's just like the steps goal - just a bar graph you've either met at the end of the day or not. It doesn't affect the calories burned, your food plan, or what information is synced to MFP.

    Your goal at the end of every day is to have eaten less than the Fitbit says you've burned that day, yes. The number on the screen of the Fitbit at 11:59 PM is your TDEE for that day.

    Ok, thanks for breaking it down in laymans terms for me lol. :O)
  • jeshhh
    jeshhh Posts: 44 Member
    Bump for reference when I get my FitBit Flex next month.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    I don't think I'm really impressed with the Flex. The lack of a display would annoy the heck outta me.

    It has shiny flashing lights!

    This is my first fitbit, but I :heart: it. I'm still getting to know my Fitbit. I'm messing around with the goals and may lower my activity level since I'm being particularly lazy. Currently, I have it set to moderate and have opted "IN" for the negative adjustments (on MFP). I'm seeing on lower activity days that I either need to move my *kitten* more or I need to eat less.

    Do I need to enter my stride length for good tracking? I've seen this mentioned previously, but how do I measure that?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I don't think I'm really impressed with the Flex. The lack of a display would annoy the heck outta me.

    It has shiny flashing lights!

    This is my first fitbit, but I :heart: it. I'm still getting to know my Fitbit. I'm messing around with the goals and may lower my activity level since I'm being particularly lazy. Currently, I have it set to moderate and have opted "IN" for the negative adjustments (on MFP). I'm seeing on lower activity days that I either need to move my *kitten* more or I need to eat less.

    Do I need to enter my stride length for good tracking? I've seen this mentioned previously, but how do I measure that?

    I adjusted mine an inch or two. I got on the treadmill, ran a mile at 6 mph, and then adjusted the stride length in the Fitbit dashboard until the activity record I created also said a mile. Since then it's been pretty spot-on.
  • stefa711
    stefa711 Posts: 196 Member
    I've been using the fitbit one for a few weeks and I am pretty hesitant to eat back all of my extra fitbit calories... Does anyone on here feel like it over-calculates your TDEE?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I've been using the fitbit one for a few weeks and I am pretty hesitant to eat back all of my extra fitbit calories... Does anyone on here feel like it over-calculates your TDEE?

    I used to, but I decided to trust the numbers long term. And you can see how well it's worked out.
  • stefa711
    stefa711 Posts: 196 Member
    I've been using the fitbit one for a few weeks and I am pretty hesitant to eat back all of my extra fitbit calories... Does anyone on here feel like it over-calculates your TDEE?

    I used to, but I decided to trust the numbers long term. And you can see how well it's worked out.

    Thanks! I'll give it a shot.
  • martymum
    martymum Posts: 413 Member
    I am saving up for for one now so bumping for useful info later :flowerforyou:

    martyx
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    I've been using the fitbit one for a few weeks and I am pretty hesitant to eat back all of my extra fitbit calories... Does anyone on here feel like it over-calculates your TDEE?


    I was wondering the same thing. Since getting my FitBit i have been more active and i am burning over 3000 calories, so i wasn't sure if i should eat all the calories it was telling me to eat.
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    I managed to get a FitBit Flex the day they came out (I hurried over to Best Buy and got one of the last 5 they had in stock!). I've been using it religiously ever since and it seems to be keeping me right in line with my goals. I set my MFP calories to as close to my BMR as I felt comfortable and let the FitBit Flex add or subtract calories for my daily goal as I work through the day. Some days I get to have 1600 calories, some days I get to have 1250....it all depends on whether I've been sitting on my *kitten*, or actually doing something active. I also use it to track my sleep habits because I never think I get enough sleep. Guess what? I actually DO!

    The long and the short of it is: it works for me. There's no more guesswork and I just follow what it tells me I can do. If I want another beer or a dessert with my dinner, I just make sure I'm that much more active throughout the day. :)
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member

    I adjusted mine an inch or two. I got on the treadmill, ran a mile at 6 mph, and then adjusted the stride length in the Fitbit dashboard until the activity record I created also said a mile. Since then it's been pretty spot-on.

    Okay, thanks!

    So it really only affects distance, right? I can leave it blank if distance doesn't matter to me? Or will it register less calories if it's not set up (defaulting to average women stride-length)?
  • betsij
    betsij Posts: 299 Member
    I :heart: my fitbit!
    Just sayin
  • MSam1205
    MSam1205 Posts: 439 Member
    Bump! some great info I need to peruse to use my fitbit to the best of my and it's ability:bigsmile: I :heart: mine too!!
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
    I was not a fan of the Fitbit. Just returned it. I am one who also wanted to know what I burned in a day so I could see if my MFP was set properly. I found the fitbit synced with MFP to be so frustrating b/c it constantly changed my calories throughout the day. I do realize that the Fitbit is constantly working, therefore the change, but for someone who needs set numbers. WOW--super annoying. I don't care how many steps I take and I didn't find it motivating to use. I workout most days anyway so trying to fit in the last 200 steps to meet the 10,000/day goal wasn't my thing. I wanted to love the Fitbit but just couldn't. I use a Polar HRM and find it to be all I need. That all being said, people who have Fitbit tend to love it. I just didn't want to be committed to wearing the damn thing all day long, every single day!
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
    Oh and some days, I would go to bed and be under my calorie range. super psyched. Then I'd wake up the next day and whammo---300 calories in the negative for that day. Super freaky!
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