Maintaining with fitbit calorie calculations
mdoyle28
Posts: 62 Member
I am very leary on increasing my calories to what my fitbit one tells me I burn in a day, average roughly 2900-3100 cal, 23000-26000 steps, minimum of 90 "very active" minutes, however I only eat between 1600-1800 calories. I workout at least 5 days a week. I have reached maintenance as of a few months ago and still maintain roughly 1800 calories a day, not eating back my exercise calories, so I net between 800-1000 calories. I have worn my fitbit for about 9 months so the numbers listed are a reflection of that timeframe I have not lost any weight but pay very close attention to not exceed the above numbers. Every thing I read says to maintain you eat what you burn...is this the right thing to do as there are surely days I could use a few hundred more but am afraid to increase calories and gain back, I don't need 3000 calories but theres days I could surely feel better with 2100-2300...any advice on what the right thing is to do??? I am 33, 5'8 and currently 145lbs, from 187, medium frame.
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Replies
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We are very similar height, age and build and I lose on 1600-1800 and my daily burn is between 2200-2500 according to fitbit. Were you previously losing weight on 1600-1800 before you hit your goal weight?0
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How do you have your settings on fitbit? G to the food log page, and on the part where it says calories burned, click one time to the left and edit plan.
Do you have that set to maintainance? (Current and goal weight the same)
I eat around my fitbit calories, and I have been maintaining, so it's accurate for me. Just try it, bmp up calories a bit for a week or so, see how you feel energy wise.0 -
Maintenance takes a whole lot of trial & error to find the number of calories at which your weight stabilizes. Slowly increase your calories until you start gaining, then decrease them even more slowly until you maintain.
Your weight will fluctuate, so choose a range (for example, +/- 2.5 lb.). When your weight goes above your range, cut your calories by 100. When your weight goes below your range, add 100 calories.
Congratulations on your loss!0 -
I was losing on that but I was burning a few hundred more so more like 3200-3400 then when I hit maintenance I did let up a little on exercising quite as much. But I stil eat that amount yet fitbit says I burn close to double what I eat and I am not losing anymore.0
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I'm a little less active, a little older and about the same size (5'8.5" and 136 pounds). I typically eat about 2100 calories a day, regardless of what my Fitbit says. (I usually end my day anywhere between 2000-2500, according to FitBit.) I've been on maintenance for about two years now.
It really sounds like you could/should eat more. Maybe edge up by 100 calories a day, and increase intake on weekly intervals and see how you do.
It took me a while to get comfortable with maintenance mode. I was really nervous about eating more/exercising less, so I continued with my weight loss calories and daily workouts for several months. I lost about 12 more pounds before my doctor actually talked to me about losing too much.0 -
I was losing on that but I was burning a few hundred more so more like 3200-3400 then when I hit maintenance I did let up a little on exercising quite as much. But I stil eat that amount yet fitbit says I burn close to double what I eat and I am not losing anymore.
Something sounds fishy with your FitBit settings, if it says you are burning twice what you eat yet you are not wasting away.
For me, it's been reasonably accurate if a little on the low side (meaning I have to eat a bit more to maintain).0 -
I was losing on that but I was burning a few hundred more so more like 3200-3400 then when I hit maintenance I did let up a little on exercising quite as much. But I stil eat that amount yet fitbit says I burn close to double what I eat and I am not losing anymore.
Something sounds fishy with your FitBit settings, if it says you are burning twice what you eat yet you are not wasting away.
For me, it's been reasonably accurate if a little on the low side (meaning I have to eat a bit more to maintain).
I checked all my settings and they are accurate unless I am missing something. I also find it strange that I don't lose, not that I am trying anymore really but seems like I would.0 -
I'm a little less active, a little older and about the same size (5'8.5" and 136 pounds). I typically eat about 2100 calories a day, regardless of what my Fitbit says. (I usually end my day anywhere between 2000-2500, according to FitBit.) I've been on maintenance for about two years now.
It really sounds like you could/should eat more. Maybe edge up by 100 calories a day, and increase intake on weekly intervals and see how you do.
It took me a while to get comfortable with maintenance mode. I was really nervous about eating more/exercising less, so I continued with my weight loss calories and daily workouts for several months. I lost about 12 more pounds before my doctor actually talked to me about losing too much.
Thanks for the input and awesome job on maintenance. I am trying to get comfortable with maintaining but it still kind of freaks me out0 -
I maintain on what MFP says should be a 250 calorie deficit, but I'm older and that difference was there while I was losing as well. It could be a measurement issue.
That said, I can eat back everything fitbit says I can and maintain. I've done it for 9 months. I find it reasonably accurate.0 -
I have been hearing a lot about fitbits helping people maintain their weight and now I am curious! Sorry for the silly question, but I wasn't able to find out quite how it works by searching around. Does it just give you your calories burned and you are expected to eat under that for the day to maintain?0
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I am very leary on increasing my calories to what my fitbit one tells me I burn in a day, average roughly 2900-3100 cal, 23000-26000 steps, minimum of 90 "very active" minutes, however I only eat between 1600-1800 calories. I workout at least 5 days a week. I have reached maintenance as of a few months ago and still maintain roughly 1800 calories a day, not eating back my exercise calories, so I net between 800-1000 calories.
I have similar stats and I net around 1700-1800. Netting 800-1000 in maintenance sounds like something may be seriously wrong with your metabolism. It sounds dangerous to me, but I am not a doctor nor a dietician.
I generally eat 50-100 cals below Fitbit's estimate for daily burn, I think I am still losing at a slow rate -- hard to tell with weight fluctuations though.0 -
I have been hearing a lot about fitbits helping people maintain their weight and now I am curious! Sorry for the silly question, but I wasn't able to find out quite how it works by searching around. Does it just give you your calories burned and you are expected to eat under that for the day to maintain?
Yes, more or less -- based on your activity it will estimate how many calories you will burn for the day and adjust your calories available to eat accordingly. Its a YMMV thing, I find it pretty spot on, but others, not so much.0 -
My fitbit one seems pretty much on target. I have set to sedentary and I actually have to do quite a bit of moving to achieve my sedentary calorie burn or it actually takes calories off me. I don't think that it adds more calories than I burn...but then my exercise tends to be walking at the moment. If I do another kind of exercise, I add it MFP and then Fitbit magics the numbers around (and tends to reduce the estimated burn that MFP gives).0
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I find my fitbit flex to be fairly accurate. Now that I have a food scale
. I did have a time where my weight loss stalled but that was because I wasn't weighing my food and was grossly underestimating my intake. Now that I am more accurate with my intake the fitbit seems to be dead on if not a little low in my TDEE estimate. I am new to maintenance so I am not quite up to eating at full maintenance calories yet but I am losing weight in line with the weekly deficit it says I have so it seems accurate! 0 -
How do you have your settings on fitbit? G to the food log page, and on the part where it says calories burned, click one time to the left and edit plan.
Do you have that set to maintainance? (Current and goal weight the same)
I eat around my fitbit calories, and I have been maintaining, so it's accurate for me. Just try it, bmp up calories a bit for a week or so, see how you feel energy wise.
OOOOOH I just did that! Thank you! Can it tell your calories and food diary from MFP? That's the bit I wish they'd be a bit more integrated!
Well, I have been working out and my personal trainer asked me eat about 2400 calories and see if I'm still losing weight. I'm trying that now and on some days I will eat back calories, on some I won't. I've started macro dieting too (and that's bloody hard!) and my personal says my diet should consist of 40% fats, 30% protein and 30% carbs.
As I haven't eaten that much carbs recently I tend to feel a bit bloated, but I'm hoping it'll work.
Kinda scared of climbing the scales next week though!0 -
OOOOOH I just did that! Thank you! Can it tell your calories and food diary from MFP? That's the bit I wish they'd be a bit more integrated!
Well, I have been working out and my personal trainer asked me eat about 2400 calories and see if I'm still losing weight. I'm trying that now and on some days I will eat back calories, on some I won't. I've started macro dieting too (and that's bloody hard!) and my personal says my diet should consist of 40% fats, 30% protein and 30% carbs.
As I haven't eaten that much carbs recently I tend to feel a bit bloated, but I'm hoping it'll work.
Kinda scared of climbing the scales next week though!
You can sync the 2 sites, and Fitbit should take the calories and food from MFP.0 -
I've been using my Fitbit One to maintain for a year having lost 2stone with Biggest Loser site.
My food plan is set at 250 deficit and sedentary to motivate me to earn my food not watch my allowance drop if less active and using the personalised setting. I eat minimum 1500 (or whatever Fitibt says I have earned) all weekdays then eat pretty much freely at w/e. I have maintained well doing this and also had more feedom to eat when it suits me.
MFP allows me more than Fitbit but I stick with what has worked and only use here to log food and sync with Fitbit.
Maintenance is a scary head messer for sure, keeping some restriction in week (but not going hungry) has helped me cope with the brain monkey!0 -
OOOOOH I just did that! Thank you! Can it tell your calories and food diary from MFP? That's the bit I wish they'd be a bit more integrated!
Well, I have been working out and my personal trainer asked me eat about 2400 calories and see if I'm still losing weight. I'm trying that now and on some days I will eat back calories, on some I won't. I've started macro dieting too (and that's bloody hard!) and my personal says my diet should consist of 40% fats, 30% protein and 30% carbs.
As I haven't eaten that much carbs recently I tend to feel a bit bloated, but I'm hoping it'll work.
Kinda scared of climbing the scales next week though!
You can sync the 2 sites, and Fitbit should take the calories and food from MFP.
Exactly. Set your MFP settings to sedentary. It takes the exercise calories from Fitbit. If you do something that Fitbit doesn't register well (swimming, biking), log it on MFP and Fitbit will overide those readings with Fitbit exercise for that time period only.
Fitbit calories get added into MFP calorie allotments. Love that.0 -
OOOOOH I just did that! Thank you! Can it tell your calories and food diary from MFP? That's the bit I wish they'd be a bit more integrated!
Well, I have been working out and my personal trainer asked me eat about 2400 calories and see if I'm still losing weight. I'm trying that now and on some days I will eat back calories, on some I won't. I've started macro dieting too (and that's bloody hard!) and my personal says my diet should consist of 40% fats, 30% protein and 30% carbs.
As I haven't eaten that much carbs recently I tend to feel a bit bloated, but I'm hoping it'll work.
Kinda scared of climbing the scales next week though!
I had my mfp settings at active because of fitbit burn readings averaging 2900-3100 calories...should I change it to sedentary and then just eat back some calories burnt if needed?
You can sync the 2 sites, and Fitbit should take the calories and food from MFP.
Exactly. Set your MFP settings to sedentary. It takes the exercise calories from Fitbit. If you do something that Fitbit doesn't register well (swimming, biking), log it on MFP and Fitbit will overide those readings with Fitbit exercise for that time period only.
Fitbit calories get added into MFP calorie allotments. Love that.0 -
Hey I just noticed that as I have a "custom" program on MFP, Fitbit seems to think that I'm going over my allowed calorie allowance. I eat about 2400 calories a day as I'm trying to grow muscle. So is there a way to insert a custom TDEE?
Thank you!
Edit: Actually - could it be because I use MFP as a "Meal Planner" rather than login what I eat? I think Fitbit seems to think that I've eaten all the calories but haven't spend it yet so it gives me these calculations wrong - could that be it? But that means I'd still have to log my TDEE somewhere, wouldn't it? So confusing!
Thank you!0 -
You don't log your TDEE anywhere. Join your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 Then Fitbit sends your TDEE to MFP & MFP sends your aggregate meals & drink (including water) to Fitbit.
Be sure to enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings0 -
You're also pretty tall for a woman. Silly question, but have you calibrated your fitbit? I'm a 6' woman and so I take longer steps. Before calibrating it said I was walking 15,000-20,000 a day. Then I went to the track and counted the number of steps it took me to run and walk 400m (one lap). When I put that into the fitbit settings it lengthened my stride and now even though I'm the same degree of active it has me taking 10,000-12,000 steps a day. That's going to make a huge difference in your calorie burn0
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I also calibrated mine (I'm 5'10 and have long strides). Yes, it's annoying. My husband is taller than me but has shorter legs. He takes 25% more steps to walk the same distance. It seems unfair he gets more calories than us efficient types.
In answer to the earlier comment: as some one else said, the sites are set up so you track food on MFP and track exercise with fitbit. Everything coordinates on MFP. That's what both sites recommend.
If you want to use MFP as a meal planner and log your food in Fitbit, unlink the accounts and just pay attention to what Fitbit tells you to guide your eating and activities. Continuing using MFP for planning.0 -
You're also pretty tall for a woman. Silly question, but have you calibrated your fitbit? I'm a 6' woman and so I take longer steps. Before calibrating it said I was walking 15,000-20,000 a day. Then I went to the track and counted the number of steps it took me to run and walk 400m (one lap). When I put that into the fitbit settings it lengthened my stride and now even though I'm the same degree of active it has me taking 10,000-12,000 steps a day. That's going to make a huge difference in your calorie burn
Never heard of this how do u calibrate it? I have my height entered on the site but is this different?0 -
Bumping this. I'm trying to go into my fitbit maintenance. I burn around 2300 on average but I don't add weight lifting calories to that. I've upped to around 2000 calories and not gained, or lost. I'm pretty lean already. I get hungry still on these calories so I'm unsure if my maintenance will be 2300+ or not!0
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https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/176045-how-do-i-measure-and-adjust-my-stride-length-Never heard of this how do u calibrate it? I have my height entered on the site but is this different?
How do I measure and adjust my stride length?
1. Go to a track or somewhere that you know the exact distance of.
2. Count your steps as you walk across that distance, making sure you travel at least 20 steps.
3. Divide the total distance (in feet) taken by the number of steps to get your stride length.
Your running stride can be calculated the same way, only by running a known distance rather than walking.
To adjust your stride length on your Dashboard, please do the following:
1. Log into your Fitbit.com Dashboard.
2. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of your Dashboard and select "Settings."
3. You will see a field for Stride Length and Running Stride Length. From here, you can manually enter your personal stride length. If you leave these blank, your profile will estimate these values based on your height and gender.
4. Click the "Update Profile" button to save your changes. Note that a sync will be required to update your tracker with your new stride measurements.0 -
https://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/articles/176045-how-do-i-measure-and-adjust-my-stride-length-Never heard of this how do u calibrate it? I have my height entered on the site but is this different?
How do I measure and adjust my stride length?
1. Go to a track or somewhere that you know the exact distance of.
2. Count your steps as you walk across that distance, making sure you travel at least 20 steps.
3. Divide the total distance (in feet) taken by the number of steps to get your stride length.
Your running stride can be calculated the same way, only by running a known distance rather than walking.
To adjust your stride length on your Dashboard, please do the following:
1. Log into your Fitbit.com Dashboard.
2. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of your Dashboard and select "Settings."
3. You will see a field for Stride Length and Running Stride Length. From here, you can manually enter your personal stride length. If you leave these blank, your profile will estimate these values based on your height and gender.
4. Click the "Update Profile" button to save your changes. Note that a sync will be required to update your tracker with your new stride measurements.
Thank you!! I will do this when weather allows...hopefully sooner vs later!0 -
I would trust your body's results over your fitbit. I use a Bodymedia, and it was reading very high. Over the course of nearly 10 months I have tracked my progress and my intake. It confirmed my suspicions that Bodymedia was way off. So be careful with the fitbit. So many have said, it may very well need adjusting.
The truth is that if you are not gaining or losing, then you are eating at maintenance. Tighten up your logging to make sure you are not underestimating your food. This is a much bigger problem in maintenance than when you are losing. Use some of the online calculators as a point of reference. You likely are not too far from those. There is also an excellent one posted in "in place of a road map" group.
Good luck.0 -
Bodymedia's are known to overestimate around 10% I believe?
Couldn't it also be that our bodies get used to a certain calorie intake and when increasing you might see a small initial rise (glycogen) but after that you will maintain?0 -
Bodymedia's are known to overestimate around 10% I believe?
Couldn't it also be that our bodies get used to a certain calorie intake and when increasing you might see a small initial rise (glycogen) but after that you will maintain?
Mine seems to be off by about 20-30%. That is about 600+ calories for me! That makes a big difference fast!
But I was probably underestimating intake a bit too. I got a new digital food scale (my old one was an antique from the 70s and not digital), and it has shown me a few errors!
But the point is the only real way you can verify these numbers is by tracking your eating and your results. It became obvious when I gained weight consistently that mine was off!
I would still take any of these devices as a helpful estimate only! Instead, if you are gaining, cut 100 cals or so. If you are losing add a few calories. The thing that helps me is to remind myself that this is a lifelong journey.0
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