Fitbit...I don't understand how it works!

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David1406
David1406 Posts: 63
in Fitness and Exercise
I don't understand how the fitbit can make an adjustment when synching with My Fitness Pal.
Firstly, my BMR and TDEE take into account my declared exercise level and frequency, so if fitbit doesn't take this into account, it, in effect, double counts when declaring calories burned.
Secondly, I use Runtastic for my walking activity. Presumably, I would have to turn off fitbit or again, if it synchs with MFP, it would double count.
So when I see on friends MFP diary the phrase 'fitbit adjustment' what exactly is it adjusting? I'm being encouraged to get a fitbit by friends, but am struggling to see how it will benefit me over what I'm currently doing. So many friends seem to eat into their fitbit calories, which seems a dangerous thing to do.
Any guidance would be appreciated.

Replies

  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    when using a fitbit, I believe most people set their activity level to sedentary. Because of the variation in my activity level, I set my MPF activity level to sedentary. MY TDEE is like 2400. On my busy days, I get an adjustment of 600-800 calories. On my lazy days, I might only get 200.
  • amsipub
    amsipub Posts: 84 Member
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    I have a fitbit flex and I have my goals set to 8k steps a day, and 30 min. high energy activity. The more I move the more calories MFP gives me to use for the day. I only use MFP and my fitbit flex. I only use MFP for food tracking and I use my fitbit to track my activity. The fitbit adjustment is the activity that the fitbit is tracking and MFP adding additional calories to the person's daily food intake.
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    I'm using a One, and notice that if I don't log workouts until later in the day when I actually do them. I get home from work and it syncs and I get a fitbit cal adjustment. Then I will go work out, enter the calories burned via my HRM into mfp, and the fitbit adjustment goes away. I'm still trying to figure out how that all works, as I've only had mine a little over two weeks.

    However, it seems to be fairly spot on regarding my daily calorie burn, and after a two month plateau, thinking I was eating TDEE-15%, I FINALLY dropped a few pounds over the past couple of weeks. Seems I underestimated my activity during my work day, and have tried to keep a few hundred calorie deficit from what the Fitbit says I've burned during a day, and it seems to be working.

    I log all my food on MFP, have put my settings to consider a desk job (sedentary? I can't remember.), log my calories according to my HRM and let the syncing do the rest of the work.

    Don't know if this helps... :smile:
  • spinedocmfp
    spinedocmfp Posts: 109 Member
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    MFP does take into account your activity level, but it does not account for exercise goals. Exercise calories only get added when you log them.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
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    The logged exercise calories aren't double counted (unless you log them into both mfp and the fitbit website, you can log them into either). The logged activity overrides whatever fitbit accounted for.

    I wouldn't log walking though. Fitbit tracks steps well and it will adjust mfp calorie goal.
  • IbiH
    IbiH Posts: 250 Member
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    I also set my MFP at sedentary as I have a desk job, I also log any walking or running that at do too. Fitbit then sync's everything and MFP is then adjusted. Basicly I don't do anything with Fitbit apart from clip it to my bra.
  • David1406
    David1406 Posts: 63
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    The general concensus seems to be:
    set MFP exercise levels to sedentary if using a fitbit
    don't use any other form of exercise measurement like runtastic if using fitbit.

    That makes a degree of sense, but doesn't really show me any advantages over an MFP declaration of REAL exercise levels, and Runtastic for specific exercise.

    And as I NEVER eat into exercise cals because I haven't found any system that I totally trust, I can't see that fitbit is a worthwhile investment for me.

    I should add that I've already hit my weight loss goal of losing 15kgs using my current methodology and without the aid of this wonderful fitbit thingy and am now on a maintenance regime.

    Thanks everyone for the guidance so far.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    A Fitbit is good for someone who is starting out and has no idea of how much they actually do in a day. I have one just as a motivational toy, don't place a lot of stock in it's numbers but I have found that it is pretty accurate if I'm just walking. A lot of people think they're really active all day and set their activity level to lightly active or higher based on their perceived movement. I would have told you that I was lightly active because I have a desk job but I'm up and down quite a bit all day. I got the Fitbit and discovered that without making an effort I was getting less than 5,000 steps a day.

    It sounds like you already have a good plan in place and a grip on your calories in/calories out so unless you need another electronic toy to play with I wouldn't recommend a Fitbit.

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