So confused Fitbit Calories Vs MFP Calories

rachel2081
rachel2081 Posts: 1 Member
edited January 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I have the two linked, but they are giving me very different figures!

An example yesterday on fitbit it said 210 cals over ! but on mfp 617 remaining?!?!

Please help!

Many Thanks

Rach

Replies

  • jesslintch
    jesslintch Posts: 63 Member
    From my experience . . .
    You or MFP set the calories for this site. The only time they would change would be if exercise calories were added. You are "promising" you are going to burn a certain number of calories. However, Fitbit is a more fluid method of tracking calories. It will adjust calories throughout the day based on actual calories burned.

    I looked at my average calories over a week on Fitbit and used that to set MFP (1750). On a normal day, I am pretty close to that number on both. On days I am less active (usually Sunday) MFP doesn't know that, my Fitbit does. There are two ways to deal with this. The first would be to meet the 1750 every day and it will even out over the week. (I do check that average weekly to see if there is any change). You could also just follow the number on the Fitbit to determine how many calories for the day. It is definitely more difficult to plan what you eat ahead of time, but is more accurate (especially if you have unexpected things happen that affect the end of your week).
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
    Bump for later. Thx
  • StephieWillcox
    StephieWillcox Posts: 624 Member
    I have the two linked, but they are giving me very different figures!

    An example yesterday on fitbit it said 210 cals over ! but on mfp 617 remaining?!?!

    Please help!

    Many Thanks

    Rach

    Sounds like there could be a couple of things going on:

    1) You have a different target set up on MFP compared to Fitbit (i.e. I have a 1.5lb a week goal set up on both, so a deficit of 750 cals daily).

    2) Your timezones are not the same on both sites (so that at the end of your true day when Fitbit has recorded the whole day MFP still thinks you have more hours left and tries to add on more calories)

    3) You have your activity level on MFP set up to too high a level, without having negative adjustments turned on

    Have a look at your settings and see if any of the above are true?

    Steph
  • ngyoung
    ngyoung Posts: 311 Member
    I think the main difference can be the estimated calories used without exercise that you set up in MFP. Fitbit may be giving a more accurate indication based on your actual movement throughout the day not just a base level plus activity. Based on the readings from fitbit you may not be as active as you have put into MFP. I have mine set to sedentary and just enter in all my activity.
This discussion has been closed.