BodyMedia Fit Link & MFP--"extra" cals when just started?

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aurora1423
aurora1423 Posts: 16
in Getting Started
Hi, I just started using my Fit Link this morning. Everything works well so far with MFP, but there's one thing that confuses me:

According to MFP, I earned 1218 extra calories from exercise today! That was right after I'd synced my Fit Link, had never even used it yet. And, to make matters even more confusing, I have not exercised at all today.

Does anyone know where those "extra" calories came from? MFP has now adjusted me up HIGH for the day, and at first I'm thinking "yay!" and I planned something I probably shouldn't have if I'm sticking to my original calorie limit (or even 1900!) Help! I'm thinking of cancelling dinner altogether and just going with what I've eaten so far... wait until tomorrow and sync the Fit Link and see what it says. I know I'll have some activity credit from going up and down the stairs all day (2-story house)...

Is this what's supposed to happen or is there something wrong????

Replies

  • Starfish1277
    Starfish1277 Posts: 13 Member
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    I use the Link armband with MFP and it does automatically make adjustments. It is hard to say what is going on without more information. For instance, if you have dramatically underestimated, or overestimated, you Basal Metabolic Rate here on MFP (chose "sedentary," for the activity level, have it on the lowest deficit possible) the Bodymedia armband will adjust that. The armband also gets "smarter" over time and the more you wear it. I would say just keep wearing it and see what it does tomorrow.

    If you have a lot to lose, you are probably burning more calories in a day then you realize.

    I weigh 250lbs currently. My basal Metabolic Rate is about 1850, on an average day I burn around 2600. When I work out or are more active then usual, I easily burn over 3,000 calories per day. The armband automatically adjusts MFP accordingly. Since the armband "learns," I would just keep wearing it for a couple days and see how it modifies things based on your activity.

    Oh, and if you bought it used, it might think you are whoever owned it before you.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
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    ^^ I agree with Starfish. You are probably burning more cals than you realize. If I had mine set to sedentary I would have really dramatic adjustments even if I didn't move all day. I'm 5'4", 138 lbs, and my average daily burn is pretty close to 3000 (although I do work on my feet a lot). Shocking information, but it made a lot of sense and helped me understand that I had been undereating for a long time. Trust the armband! I set my MFP profile to "active" and let the armband take care of the rest.
  • aurora1423
    aurora1423 Posts: 16
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    I use the Link armband with MFP and it does automatically make adjustments. It is hard to say what is going on without more information. For instance, if you have dramatically underestimated, or overestimated, you Basal Metabolic Rate here on MFP (chose "sedentary," for the activity level, have it on the lowest deficit possible) the Bodymedia armband will adjust that. The armband also gets "smarter" over time and the more you wear it. I would say just keep wearing it and see what it does tomorrow.

    If you have a lot to lose, you are probably burning more calories in a day then you realize.

    I weigh 250lbs currently. My basal Metabolic Rate is about 1850, on an average day I burn around 2600. When I work out or are more active then usual, I easily burn over 3,000 calories per day. The armband automatically adjusts MFP accordingly. Since the armband "learns," I would just keep wearing it for a couple days and see how it modifies things based on your activity.

    Oh, and if you bought it used, it might think you are whoever owned it before you.

    I did buy it new -- thank goodness I don't have to worry about being someone else! (but that's a great point! I never thought of it.)

    I had my BMR set on 'sedentary' originally, but I changed it to 'lightly active' just to see if it changes anything. It doesn't seem to. I'm going back to 'sedentary' because that's truly where it should be.

    I also just changed my exercise from 5 days a week/ 30 minutes to 3 days a week/ 45 minutes, which is more likely for me. That lowered my extra calories from BodyMedia to 990, giving me 2,190 calories as my goal. 2,190 less 990 = 1200 calories, so I'm still at what I thought was my original goal.

    I figure I'm going to have to do a lot of tweaking to get this figured out. But the ultimate goal is to figure out the calories in, expenditure (out) for my body so the fat will burn off. I know that will change and that all the numbers will change as I lose weight and/or change my diet or activity level.

    I think you're right that I should wait to see what the monitor does over the next couple of days. I'm excited to see what the readings are tomorrow.

    Thanks for your help! :smile:
  • livityliv
    livityliv Posts: 110 Member
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    I've got one of those too and have noticed that if I upload my Link with MFP before the end of the day my Link will "guesstimate" how much I will burn that day and input that number for me, before I've burned much of anything. Since it is a guesstimate, it is often way off.

    That said, I wait until the end of the day to upload my data. To keep track of my burn throughout the day I just sync with my phone (by pressing the button on the armband), without uploading the data. The app allows you to see live calories burned, steps taken, etc every time you press that button.

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