Need help figuring out your TDEE? Get a Fitbit.

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  • tiggerlgh
    tiggerlgh Posts: 73 Member
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    Thanks for this post. This has helped me understand much more what my fitbit is doing. I was also able to calc my avg TDEE (used 7 weeks avg daily calories burned per my fitbit). My question is now that I have that number do I do anything here on MFP to update it to the more accurate TDEE? Then to lose ~1.5 lbs a week take the TDEE -20% and eat that amount on average....is that how it works?
  • Cathi888
    Cathi888 Posts: 37 Member
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    saving to reread later
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
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    You sold me.

    Off to buy the fitbit one today. I've downloaded the app on my smartphone and I can't wait to get started.
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
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    Day 2 and I'm very happy with it. It sincs to my phone and I'm addicted to watching the lines turn from blue to orange and then to green.

    It's extremely motivating.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Do I do anything here on MFP to update it to the more accurate TDEE? Then to lose ~1.5 lbs a week take the TDEE -20% and eat that amount on average....is that how it works?
    Go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and connect your accounts. Then Fitbit sends your TDEE to MFP, and MFP sends aggregate meal data to Fitbit. (The connection's been buggy lately, though.) Log food & drink in MFP; log non-step based exercise in Fitbit or MFP--never both. If you choose to log in MFP, you'll be asked for start & end times. MFP will override your step data during that time.

    MFP has a "Fitbit Users" group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
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    Thanks for the info! Hoping to get a FB soon!
  • thesimsisters
    thesimsisters Posts: 73 Member
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    The most useful thing for adjusting is how Fitbit's site shows me calories eaten versus calories burned by day. It also shows an exact calorie deficit on a daily basis. I look primarily at that to see how big of a deficit I'm running. If the deficit is too big I'll raise MFP's goal a bit. If the deficit is too small I lower MFP's goal a bit.

    Either way, stick with MFP for meal planning. Just adjust your MFP goal up or down to make sure you're running an appropriate deficit.

    Wow, thanks for this tip! I did not know I could see this laid out like that. Totally cool! It's a great way to look at calories burned vs calories eaten. Being able to see the whole week etc, really helps me see how my week is stacking up.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Bump to read later when my fitbit arrives in the mail! :bigsmile:
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
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    Interesting...I might have to get one.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I won't buy one because it doesn't know how much I burn from a weight lifting session. I lift 4 days a week and that is my primary form of exercise. I also do cardio here and there, but lifting is my main thing, so it's useless to me. It's a shame because on all other fronts, it seems pretty legit.

    Lifting doesn't burn that many calories. I add 75-100 calories per session depending on how much I do.
  • judyde
    judyde Posts: 401 Member
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    Still considering this! Bump to read later.

    Jonny, do you think if I don't need the sleep monitor, the Zip would be ok?
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
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    I won't buy one because it doesn't know how much I burn from a weight lifting session. I lift 4 days a week and that is my primary form of exercise. I also do cardio here and there, but lifting is my main thing, so it's useless to me. It's a shame because on all other fronts, it seems pretty legit.

    Lifting doesn't burn that many calories. I add 75-100 calories per session depending on how much I do.

    Lifting is also my primary form of exercise. FitBit still tracks how "active" you are during your lifting sessions, but you're correct that it won't track the exact amount of calories you burn because you're lifting. However, as Jonny said, lifting doesn't burn that many calories. I eat according to FitBit's estimate of my TDEE and ignore whatever pittance of calories are burned during weight-lifting.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I :heart: mine. At first it was hard to just let go and trust it to do it's thing. I highly recommend them (I have a Flex).
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    I love my Flex! It's actually confirming the numbers I took months to figure out without one. It's very satisfying. lol
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Still considering this! Bump to read later.

    Jonny, do you think if I don't need the sleep monitor, the Zip would be ok?

    I think the floor/elevation tracking of the One is pretty awesome. I find myself taking the stairs just to hit the floors goal. So I think there's a lot of value to that. I also really like the timer function, as it lets me see how many calories I've burned during a workout, while still working out.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Does the Fitbit also calculate accurately during exercise or would I still get that number from my heart rate monitor? I've been thinking about getting one. :)

    IMO, heart rate monitors are terrible for calculating calories. That's a whole other rant though.

    Just look at the weight loss graphs in the OP to see how accurate the Fitbit is.

    It's not accurate for things where you're not on your feet, like cycling or swimming or rowing. You can just add those manually.

    HRM stand alone, are terrible calculators. But if you use the data correctly (i.e. an online calc to figure gross, then net burns) it matches FitBit almost exactly. Of course, now that I have a FitBit, I don't use my HRM for anything other than staying in my zones. So while I run I have on the FitBit, my HRM and Endomondo for my training plan. My little geek heart is happy.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Still considering this! Bump to read later.

    Jonny, do you think if I don't need the sleep monitor, the Zip would be ok?

    I think the floor/elevation tracking of the One is pretty awesome. I find myself taking the stairs just to hit the floors goal. So I think there's a lot of value to that. I also really like the timer function, as it lets me see how many calories I've burned during a workout, while still working out. And I scored a brand new on on eBay for $38.95! :drinker:
    After much research (reading what each product does and people's reviews of them) I decided the Zip was enough for me. I don't need the sleep tracking, and I am rarely around stairs, so I think the Zip will be perfect for me.
  • cjack19
    cjack19 Posts: 158 Member
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    bumping to read later ... just got one a couple of weeks ago and trying to figure it all out still:) Love it so far!

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