Need help figuring out your TDEE? Get a Fitbit.
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Bump!0
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It's not letting me copy and paste into the message boards on here. The only activity it shows for today is this morning when I was running around getting ready for work. I won't be able to sync til I get home around 5:00.
How do you turn off the 'estimate your daily calories' that Koldriana was talking about? Maybe that's it?0 -
Where did everyone get theirs? I was considering getting the Flex, I thought it would be easier to wear 24/7 than a small clip that I will forget (just as I do my pedometer) but the website says they are on back order 8-10 weeks...
Anywhere else I can buy them??
ETA: All the Best Buy stores have them listed as unavailable as well.
I bought mine and Target and there were a bunch there!0 -
It's not letting me copy and paste into the message boards on here. The only activity it shows for today is this morning when I was running around getting ready for work. I won't be able to sync til I get home around 5:00.
How do you turn off the 'estimate your daily calories' that Koldriana was talking about? Maybe that's it?
I don't have the data so I can't say much about your weird reading for the day. I will say that given your MFP expected burn is in the 1500-1600 range, and you seem to be burning 1000+ more than that on a daily basis, a 751 calorie adjustment is not out of the question.
There's an "estimate your daily calories" thing on the Fitbit site, but it doesn't carry over into MFP. MFP just takes the latest actual burn reported by Fitbit and extrapolates from there by itself.0 -
Okay, no problem! I am sure it will all work itself out later once I workout and sync it once I get home. Who knew I burned over 1000 calories a day! Seriously! I used to wear a HRM and when I saw this thread and how you feel about them, I get it now. I have been telling all my friends about the FitBit.
I just hope eating all these calories I will lose the last 10 pounds. I have been at the same weight for almost a month now. I was doing very well losing a pound a week, then it just stopped. I don't know why??0 -
Where did everyone get theirs? I was considering getting the Flex, I thought it would be easier to wear 24/7 than a small clip that I will forget (just as I do my pedometer) but the website says they are on back order 8-10 weeks... Anywhere else I can buy them??
ETA: All the Best Buy stores have them listed as unavailable as well.
I bought mine and Target and there were a bunch there!
Targets are out of stock as well :sad: Perhaps it is just not meant to be...0 -
How about Amazon?
So today, I had no extra added calories! Weird... I don't know why it did that yesterday.0 -
Bump. Thanks for the info!0
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wow..this changes my thoughts about calories I'm eating a day.. thanks!0
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Hi -I have read through all the responses on this thread and a few others to make sure I am not asking a question which has implicitly been asked and answered anywhere... hopefully not.
Here is the background: I have been on MFP for about 5 months now, started with the basic 1200 calorie goal provided by my stats and indication of Sedentary as my activity level. I have a desk job but also 2 toddlers at home so I knew Sedentary was probably not completely accurate. At the time I joined MFP I didn't do regular exercise but since joining I have made it a priority and try to get in at least 30 minutes, even if it is walking on my lunch break almost every day. I also visited the various calculators (Scooby, Fat2Fit) to estimate my BMR and TDEE once I read through some of the posts here on MFP so that I could better calculate my daily goal. I upped it to 1500 about a month after joining MFP but kept my Sedentary setting. I like to track and eat back my exercise calories even though they are fairly consistent now that I am trying to get moving every day. I have had fairly good success, (5'2, female, 38, OW 150, CW 133, OGW 130, UGW 125) and am so happy that I found MFP.
I recently got a FitBit Flex (about 2 weeks ago). Overall I am very happy with it. I like how MFP and FitBit synch up, I'm happy to eat back the calorie adjustments from FitBit. I do push my kids in a stroller quite a bit, and a double stroller with two toddlers in it in a hilly neighborhood for 30 minutes to an hour of walking I am sure is more of a workout than either MFP would calculate or the FitBit because of the stroller pushing (not moving my arms). I am going to try putting the larger Flex wristband on my ankle as someone earlier suggested - great idea! Anyway, as I suspected, my TDEE when I look at the average from FitBit is higher than the calculators estimated - chasing after the kids really does add up. After about 2 weeks (and I know that isn't a lot of data points yet) the average TDEE is about 2200.
So my question is - after another week or two of tracking to get a more consistent average TDEE, should I:
1) Raise my calorie goal on MFP from 1500 to something more like TDEE-10%, which if the 2200 holds true then that would be a daily goal of ~1980.
2) Change my activty setting on MFP from Sedentary to Lightly Active or even Active?
3) Leave everything alone because the tools are talking to each other anyway and probably accounting for those variables?0 -
Hi -I have read through all the responses on this thread and a few others to make sure I am not asking a question which has implicitly been asked and answered anywhere... hopefully not.
Here is the background: I have been on MFP for about 5 months now, started with the basic 1200 calorie goal provided by my stats and indication of Sedentary as my activity level. I have a desk job but also 2 toddlers at home so I knew Sedentary was probably not completely accurate. At the time I joined MFP I didn't do regular exercise but since joining I have made it a priority and try to get in at least 30 minutes, even if it is walking on my lunch break almost every day. I also visited the various calculators (Scooby, Fat2Fit) to estimate my BMR and TDEE once I read through some of the posts here on MFP so that I could better calculate my daily goal. I upped it to 1500 about a month after joining MFP but kept my Sedentary setting. I like to track and eat back my exercise calories even though they are fairly consistent now that I am trying to get moving every day. I have had fairly good success, (5'2, female, 38, OW 150, CW 133, OGW 130, UGW 125) and am so happy that I found MFP.
I recently got a FitBit Flex (about 2 weeks ago). Overall I am very happy with it. I like how MFP and FitBit synch up, I'm happy to eat back the calorie adjustments from FitBit. I do push my kids in a stroller quite a bit, and a double stroller with two toddlers in it in a hilly neighborhood for 30 minutes to an hour of walking I am sure is more of a workout than either MFP would calculate or the FitBit because of the stroller pushing (not moving my arms). I am going to try putting the larger Flex wristband on my ankle as someone earlier suggested - great idea! Anyway, as I suspected, my TDEE when I look at the average from FitBit is higher than the calculators estimated - chasing after the kids really does add up. After about 2 weeks (and I know that isn't a lot of data points yet) the average TDEE is about 2200.
So my question is - after another week or two of tracking to get a more consistent average TDEE, should I:
1) Raise my calorie goal on MFP from 1500 to something more like TDEE-10%, which if the 2200 holds true then that would be a daily goal of ~1980.
2) Change my activty setting on MFP from Sedentary to Lightly Active or even Active?
3) Leave everything alone because the tools are talking to each other anyway and probably accounting for those variables?
If you have both sync'ed, I wouldn't switch to TDEE, as it includes exercise and will mess up your goals. I'm honestly not sure how it works though. I would probably switch to lightly active, it's not a huge difference anyway...
Honestly that's why I don't want to sync mine. I just eat 20% less than my average with fitbit, and it's been working fine. It's what I'd do, if you can decide to unsync them.0 -
Hi -I have read through all the responses on this thread and a few others to make sure I am not asking a question which has implicitly been asked and answered anywhere... hopefully not.
Here is the background: I have been on MFP for about 5 months now, started with the basic 1200 calorie goal provided by my stats and indication of Sedentary as my activity level. I have a desk job but also 2 toddlers at home so I knew Sedentary was probably not completely accurate. At the time I joined MFP I didn't do regular exercise but since joining I have made it a priority and try to get in at least 30 minutes, even if it is walking on my lunch break almost every day. I also visited the various calculators (Scooby, Fat2Fit) to estimate my BMR and TDEE once I read through some of the posts here on MFP so that I could better calculate my daily goal. I upped it to 1500 about a month after joining MFP but kept my Sedentary setting. I like to track and eat back my exercise calories even though they are fairly consistent now that I am trying to get moving every day. I have had fairly good success, (5'2, female, 38, OW 150, CW 133, OGW 130, UGW 125) and am so happy that I found MFP.
I recently got a FitBit Flex (about 2 weeks ago). Overall I am very happy with it. I like how MFP and FitBit synch up, I'm happy to eat back the calorie adjustments from FitBit. I do push my kids in a stroller quite a bit, and a double stroller with two toddlers in it in a hilly neighborhood for 30 minutes to an hour of walking I am sure is more of a workout than either MFP would calculate or the FitBit because of the stroller pushing (not moving my arms). I am going to try putting the larger Flex wristband on my ankle as someone earlier suggested - great idea! Anyway, as I suspected, my TDEE when I look at the average from FitBit is higher than the calculators estimated - chasing after the kids really does add up. After about 2 weeks (and I know that isn't a lot of data points yet) the average TDEE is about 2200.
So my question is - after another week or two of tracking to get a more consistent average TDEE, should I:
1) Raise my calorie goal on MFP from 1500 to something more like TDEE-10%, which if the 2200 holds true then that would be a daily goal of ~1980.
2) Change my activty setting on MFP from Sedentary to Lightly Active or even Active?
3) Leave everything alone because the tools are talking to each other anyway and probably accounting for those variables?
Something to keep in mind, as soon as you manually set your goal, it doesn't matter what activity level you set MFP to.
Like when you first manually changed goal to 1500, your activity level didn't matter. Only place that math came into place was in calculating "in 5 weeks your weight would be ..." comments and the Goals page math.
Now, Activity level does matter with FitBit if you want the adjustments to be minor each day, the closer you are to reality, the smaller the fluctuations.
Since the MFP activity level has NO exercise as part of the math, it generally won't go high enough to include exercise, but you can get close.
Depends on if you like big adjustments late in day when you sync, and you will really meet those goals despite being late in day. If you skip because too much to eat, then no good.
If you want the smallest adjustments, take a typical week or as many days were average normal and see what the daily TDEE was.
TDEE divided by MFP BMR number (Apps - BMR calculator) = Activity Factor
Select the Activity level closest to that activity factor.
1.25 - Sedentary
1.35 - Lightly Active
1.45 - Active
1.55 - Very Active
Weight loss to maintain.
Manually set eating goal to that TDEE - 10% since this close to goal weight.
Set syncs to negative and positive, and meet your goals.
If you want only positive adjustments mainly, but still not massive ones, follow the above method but only pick average non-exercise days.
Now only exercise will sync across, or when much more active than average day, and meet that goal.
Oh, for either method, whether you manually log lifting (which you should) or rowing or other activity the FitBit is terrible at estimating, take off the same 10% deficit.
On the sync adjustments, take the same 10% off and correct the amount too.
After all, if that had been included in your TDEE, it would have gotten the same 10% off anyway.
So.
1 - yes, with either method above.
2 - depends on how big adjustments you want and you will indeed meet as goals.
3 - no, they should be set as decently as you can. At minimum you already knew you were lightly active.0 -
heybales thank you so much. I don't often post on the forums but I have read through many of them from afar and have always been impressed with your logic and willingness to help strangers without judgement. And Jonnythan I always enjoy your commentary, scientific reasoning, love for fast food, and proclivity toward sarcasm so I was happy to find this post which addressed many of the questions I had since getting my FitBit a couple of weeks ago. Thanks!0
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I've had my fitbit for a little less than a week and I love it so far. But I know I'm not using it to it's fullest potential.
I'm totally confused as to how it sync's with MFP. I figured my TDEE -20%, and set my goal on MFP at 1500 calories, and not eating back my exercise calories. When I synced my fitbit, it was giving me even more calories, and I wasn't convinced that I should be eating them all back And then one day, it was taking calories away and I noticed too late and I figure I ate over for the day! So since I was so confused, I unsynced my fitbit.
How are you guys having a successful sync with fitbit? Do you have your calories set then adjust your day as fitbit sees it? Do you have to check it often to plan your next meal (or snack) throughout the day? Should I set my calorie goal on MFP to 0, and let fitbit dictate each day for me?
As of right this minute (3:45 PM Monday, I've burned 1097 calories according to my fitbit (I have a pretty sedentary day M-F) Right now, since I have some things to do when I get off work, I'm not sure if I'll be working out or not when I get home. So according to this, by the time I'm ready to go to bed, I'll be way under my calorie goal of 1500 if I don't make my workout. (I think at least). Are you constantly adjusting your day according to what fitbit says?
If someone could break down how they have their MFP account set up, along with how their fitbit is set up, I'd be soooo grateful!
I'm thinking that I sound pretty dumb right now, but I want to make full use of my fitbit!0 -
bump for help...
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I keep,it simple. I left my calorie goal in MFP set to what it was before I got the fitbit. Then I just let the fitbit sync and MFP adjusts based on how many calories the fitbit thinks I will burn that day. Easy peasey. No thinking required. If you try to figure out how it works, it will frustrate you to no end. I can't decipher why the calories that MFP adds don't quite match up with what the fitbit is saying I have burned. But I will say that I have had my fitbit for 2 months. I have eaten exactly what it told me to and I have stayed at 185 lbs the whole time. Which is awesome because I want to stay at 185 lbs. that indicates it works like a champ.0
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I've had my fitbit for a little less than a week and I love it so far. But I know I'm not using it to it's fullest potential.
I'm totally confused as to how it sync's with MFP. I figured my TDEE -20%, and set my goal on MFP at 1500 calories, and not eating back my exercise calories. When I synced my fitbit, it was giving me even more calories, and I wasn't convinced that I should be eating them all back And then one day, it was taking calories away and I noticed too late and I figure I ate over for the day! So since I was so confused, I unsynced my fitbit.
How are you guys having a successful sync with fitbit? Do you have your calories set then adjust your day as fitbit sees it? Do you have to check it often to plan your next meal (or snack) throughout the day? Should I set my calorie goal on MFP to 0, and let fitbit dictate each day for me?
As of right this minute (3:45 PM Monday, I've burned 1097 calories according to my fitbit (I have a pretty sedentary day M-F) Right now, since I have some things to do when I get off work, I'm not sure if I'll be working out or not when I get home. So according to this, by the time I'm ready to go to bed, I'll be way under my calorie goal of 1500 if I don't make my workout. (I think at least). Are you constantly adjusting your day according to what fitbit says?
If someone could break down how they have their MFP account set up, along with how their fitbit is set up, I'd be soooo grateful!
I'm thinking that I sound pretty dumb right now, but I want to make full use of my fitbit!
if you want to eat at set amount daily, based on TDEE, then you must unsync your FitBit.
But after a couple weeks, do use the FitBit site to tell you what a better TDEE estimate was then you guessing from 5 levels.
Then do the 20% deficit again.
If you want to sync the FitBit, follow my directions in the post right above yours asking for help. Laid it out.0 -
I got a One off of Ebay...can't wait for it to come in. Sadly I don't have a smartphone it will sync with I don't think...my phone isn't listed on their site. Go figure. Seems to assume everyone has iphones nowadays.0
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I've had my fitbit for a little less than a week and I love it so far. But I know I'm not using it to it's fullest potential.
I'm totally confused as to how it sync's with MFP. I figured my TDEE -20%, and set my goal on MFP at 1500 calories, and not eating back my exercise calories. When I synced my fitbit, it was giving me even more calories, and I wasn't convinced that I should be eating them all back And then one day, it was taking calories away and I noticed too late and I figure I ate over for the day! So since I was so confused, I unsynced my fitbit.
How are you guys having a successful sync with fitbit? Do you have your calories set then adjust your day as fitbit sees it? Do you have to check it often to plan your next meal (or snack) throughout the day? Should I set my calorie goal on MFP to 0, and let fitbit dictate each day for me?
As of right this minute (3:45 PM Monday, I've burned 1097 calories according to my fitbit (I have a pretty sedentary day M-F) Right now, since I have some things to do when I get off work, I'm not sure if I'll be working out or not when I get home. So according to this, by the time I'm ready to go to bed, I'll be way under my calorie goal of 1500 if I don't make my workout. (I think at least). Are you constantly adjusting your day according to what fitbit says?
If someone could break down how they have their MFP account set up, along with how their fitbit is set up, I'd be soooo grateful!
I'm thinking that I sound pretty dumb right now, but I want to make full use of my fitbit!
if you want to eat at set amount daily, based on TDEE, then you must unsync your FitBit.
But after a couple weeks, do use the FitBit site to tell you what a better TDEE estimate was then you guessing from 5 levels.
Then do the 20% deficit again.
If you want to sync the FitBit, follow my directions in the post right above yours asking for help. Laid it out.
Thank you!0 -
Hey OP (or anyone else), I also use a fitbit, how much of a deficit do you aim for daily/weekly to lose weight?0
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