MFP, Fitbit, Endomondo, and Me.

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pdelucia
pdelucia Posts: 2
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,

I have a fitbit flex that is hooked up to My Fitness Pal. I am also using Endomondo on my iPhone to track
my bicycle rides. Endomondo is also hooked up to My Fitness Pal.

I just went for a bike ride and when I got back, I saw a Bicycling calorie adjustment on My Fitness Pal that I am assuming is from Endomondo. However, I also see a FitBit adjustment. Both are not the same calorie count but are pretty close. (FitBit: 526, Endomondo: 687). I am worried that it is double counting these burned calories. Am I right?

Thanks,
Peter.

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    i dunno, but can't you just look at your daily calorie allotment and see if it's been increased by 526, 687 or 1213 calories?
  • Baldheadracing
    Baldheadracing Posts: 3 Member
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    I just got my Flex. I am still experimenting, but it appears that one has to:
    a. Link Fitbit to MFP to get Fitbit kcals (including negative kcals ;-) reported to MFP;
    b. Link Endomondo to Fitbit to get Endomondo workout kcals to be reported to Fitbit. For an activity that is logged by both the Flex and Endomondo, Fitbit appears to net out the kcals in favour of Endomondo, so kcals appear not to be double-counted. However, I am still testing this.
    c. Link Endomondo to MFP, but then, go onto Endomondo and un-click "Auto-Post New Workouts to MyFitnessPal" so that MFP doesn't double-count the kcals (otherwise it counts kcals from both Endomondo and Fitbit).
    d. Enter all food or water in MFP, do not enter these directly into Fitbit.
    e. Workouts entered into MFP will sync to Fitbit properly if the times are entered, according to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/297-what-information-is-synced-between-my-fitbit-and-myfitnesspal-accounts
    f. Weight syncs between MFP and Fitbit both ways, but doesn't appear to go to Endomondo.

    Any corrections, etc., greatly appreciated.
  • newlife6745
    newlife6745 Posts: 129 Member
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    Baldheadracin, I agree with you. I went through the growing pains as well with both Fitbit & Endomondo. I was freaking out with all of the calories it was showing that I burned but after researching online found the same.
  • pajouey79
    pajouey79 Posts: 39 Member
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    Hoping for a FitBit for my birthday, so bumping this. Thanks, Baldheadracin!
  • Baldheadracing
    Baldheadracing Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks!

    To update b): kcals are over-written for the Endomondo-reported time period, so no double-counting there, but it seems like other parameters are not, i. e., steps, distance, etc. keep their Fitbit values for the time period.

    Some general notes:
    - I suspect that the Flex is a better choice than the Zip for weight loss purposes;
    - check the Fitbit phone compatibility list - phone integration is very nice for the few models currently supported;
    - I personally prefer the Runtastic app over Endomondo, (Android Pro versions), but Runtastic doesn't currently integrate with Fitbit, and Endomondo uses the heart rate monitor in kcal expenditure calcs, but Runtastic doesn't (currently). The latter makes more difference the more aerobically-unfit one is (like me! ^_^)

    In any case, all these kcal numbers are estimates - about half the people similar to you will actually burn more kcals than reported, and the other half will burn less kcals. Which side you fall on isn't as important as following your own trend!
  • ewartluft
    ewartluft Posts: 79 Member
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    Bump for info. My Fitbit flex is supposed to be in the mail today!
  • RetiredCatholic
    RetiredCatholic Posts: 1 Member
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    Dumb question, but when you uncheck "Auto-Post New Workouts to MyFitnessPal", how do you save the change?

    thanks
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
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    I just went for a bike ride and when I got back, I saw a Bicycling calorie adjustment on My Fitness Pal that I am assuming is from Endomondo. However, I also see a FitBit adjustment. Both are not the same calorie count but are pretty close. (FitBit: 526, Endomondo: 687). I am worried that it is double counting these burned calories. Am I right?

    Take off the Fitbit for the bike ride - toss out the fitbit calories since you weren't walking. If you start the timer on the Fitbit it will "remove" that time, but I find it easier to just take it off.

    My first bike ride with it in my pocket gave me about 6,000 steps which I obviously did not take...I use Mapmyfitness.com for all non-walking exercise and the Fitbit for all steps.
  • morrisonpeter
    morrisonpeter Posts: 5 Member
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    I also was not able to save after un-checking the "Autopost new workouts to MyFitnessPal". Anyone do this successfully? I think I will be getting double exercise posts until I figure this out. I don't want to stop syncing with Endomondo entirely, especially if it improves accuracy.
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    bump
  • JBMacGill
    JBMacGill Posts: 1
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    I also was not able to save after un-checking the "Autopost new workouts to MyFitnessPal". Anyone do this successfully? I think I will be getting double exercise posts until I figure this out. I don't want to stop syncing with Endomondo entirely, especially if it improves accuracy.

    Hello, this is my first post. I decided I need to lose weight and impulsively bought a Fitbit One and their scale. I got Endomondo on android when it was 25 cents and had never used it til yesterday. Just wanted to introduce myself :-)

    Wow, it's been months and this problem (quoted above) still exists on endomondo. I got it to save by unchecking the option for both Fitbit and MyFitnessPal and then rechecking it for Fitbit. Hope that helps anyone else having this problem.
  • nicca_jb
    nicca_jb Posts: 1,278 Member
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    I also was not able to save after un-checking the "Autopost new workouts to MyFitnessPal". Anyone do this successfully? I think I will be getting double exercise posts until I figure this out. I don't want to stop syncing with Endomondo entirely, especially if it improves accuracy.

    Hello, this is my first post. I decided I need to lose weight and impulsively bought a Fitbit One and their scale. I got Endomondo on android when it was 25 cents and had never used it til yesterday. Just wanted to introduce myself :-)

    Wow, it's been months and this problem (quoted above) still exists on endomondo. I got it to save by unchecking the option for both Fitbit and MyFitnessPal and then rechecking it for Fitbit. Hope that helps anyone else having this problem.

    I just tried setting up Endo yesterday. I've had the Fitbit Flex for a few months (LOVE it) and have it syncing accurately and consistently with MFP, so no complaints there. I log food and activity other than step-based on MFP, and use Fitbit for everything else (step count, total calorie burn, negative calorie count syncback to MFP).

    I recently posted asking about which running/activity app people use, and got a LOT of variety in answers, so decided to try Endo (as well as a few others). I also cannot get the "Auto-Post" setting to change, so before I even get to play with Endo for very long I'm disabling the MFP connection. Instead going to try only linking Endo and Fitbit. Quite disappointing.
  • pattajames
    pattajames Posts: 2 Member
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    I know this is an old post, but just in case anyone comes across this post like I did.

    In order to turn off Auto post from Endomondo to MFP, you have to do it through the mobile app.

    Login to Endomondo and select Settings-> Connect ->MyFitnessPal.

    Open the Endomondo app, go to Settings->Connect & Share->Manage MyFitnessPal sharing and turn off Auto Post.

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