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Help with my FitBit Zip

sgha58
sgha58 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I got a Fitbit Zip for Christmas. What a small thing! I have to remember I have it on! But...it says I have burned 400 calories before I even put it on this morning. How does that happen, does anyone know? And yesterday the calorie burn was 1,1616 for only 1.51 miles, and 3,504 steps! I don't burn that much doing an hour of mountain biking. And how does it download to MFP?

Thanks to anyone who can help me with this.

Replies

  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    I have a FitBit Zip, too. I believe that it estimates the calories burned at BMR, based on the stats/measurements that you entered into the app. So, the 400 calories is likely just accounting for those at rest calories burned thus far.
  • bhsishtla
    bhsishtla Posts: 151 Member
    Same here!!
  • sgha58
    sgha58 Posts: 22 Member
    Do you know how/when it downloads to MFP? That was the purpose of getting one.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Fitbit shows your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which is your exercise + BMR (the calories you burn just being alive). When you set up your MFP account, you chose an activity level. MFP used that plus your age, sex & height to estimate your TDEE. Then you set a weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

    Once you go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and link your accounts, Fitbit will tell MFP your TDEE. If it's more than MFP estimated, you'll get an exercise calorie adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative adjustments (and your goal is more than 1,200 calories), when your TDEE is less than the MFP estimate you get fewer calories to eat.

    Edited to add that the connection is sometimes glitchy. You can usually force a sync by disconnecting & reconnecting your accounts. The first day, Fitbit estimates your BMR for the entire day, so it's usually way off. As the days go by, it gets more & more accurate, almost as if it's "learning" your routine.

    MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
  • sgha58
    sgha58 Posts: 22 Member
    Fitbit shows your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), which is your exercise + BMR (the calories you burn just being alive). When you set up your MFP account, you chose an activity level. MFP used that plus your age, sex & height to estimate your TDEE. Then you set a weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

    Once you go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and link your accounts, Fitbit will tell MFP your TDEE. If it's more than MFP estimated, you'll get an exercise calorie adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative adjustments (and your goal is more than 1,200 calories), when your TDEE is less than the MFP estimate you get fewer calories to eat.

    Edited to add that the connection is sometimes glitchy. You can usually force a sync by disconnecting & reconnecting your accounts. The first day, Fitbit estimates your BMR for the entire day, so it's usually way off. As the days go by, it gets more & more accurate, almost as if it's "learning" your routine.

    MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
    [/quote]
  • sgha58
    sgha58 Posts: 22 Member
    Wow! Thank you so much for the info!

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