new fitbit user and still confused…..

frangrann
frangrann Posts: 219 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
First of all, sorry I am so dense. I have read the fitbit posts but I am still confused as to whether I log my exercise or not.

For example yesterday: I did the elliptical for 30 min and weight lifting for 30 min. I did not log anything. The fitbit adjustment was 135…...

Today i did an hr long muscle mix class. I logged it as start time and burned 400+ calories then the fitbit adjustment was -30…...

What does that mean "adjustment" and do I see it in my daily calories?

I read that if its walking or running I should not log abut anything else I log start time?

Hope you have an easy answer for me! Thanks!!!!

Replies

  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    If you google , how fitbit calorie adjustment works' you'll find lots of info. You don't need to log any step based exercise but you do for things like strength training.
  • Jenneffinier
    Jenneffinier Posts: 16 Member
    I typically log on fitbit when its running/walking and not MFP I dont know if that is correct or not either
  • KD0BIK
    KD0BIK Posts: 44 Member
    If you have Fitbit and MFP setup to sync, then any step based activity (walking, running etc.) you do not need to log into MFP. This exercise data will be captured by your Fitbit tracker and then synchronized automagically into MFP.

    However, non-step based activities would be logged directly into MFP as these activities are not captured by the Fitbit.

    Hope that helps. The Fitbit is great. I've been using mine since July and through walking and using MFP to manage my food....I've lost almost 50 pounds.

    J
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    MFP has a Fitbit Users group:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1307-fitbit-users

    Edited to add an explanation of Fitbit calorie adjustments:

    When you set up your MFP account, you specified an activity level: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided MFP used your answer, plus your age, sex, height & weight, to estimate how many calories you burn every day (not including exercise). Then you set your weight-loss goal, and MFP subtracted the appropriate deficit to calculate your daily calorie goal.

    Once you link an activity tracker to your MFP account (via the "Apps" tab at the top of every page), you start getting calorie adjustments. If your tracker says you burned more calories than MFP estimated, you get a positive adjustment (meaning more calories to eat). If you enable negative calorie adjustments http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings and you burn less than the MFP estimate, you will lose calories. (But negative calorie adjustments will never drop your daily calories below 1,200.)

    Log food & drink in MFP. No need to log step based activity. Log non-step based exercise (like swimming or spinning) either in Fitbit or in MFP--never both. If you choose to log in MFP, you'll be asked for start & end times. Then MFP will override your step data during that time.

    It will take trial & error to find which settings work best for you.

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