Fitbit messing up MFP calories

Hi guys.

I searched the forums for a solution to this, but i need to make a new post.

I just started using Fitbit with syncing to MFP. I am also trying to stay at a certain calorie intake, but the Fitbit daily logging counts as exercise, and I end up with about 600 calories burned at the end of the day. This is messing up my end results.

Shouldn't the Fitbit calories count towards my TDEE and leave my consumed calories alone?

Do I need to make adjustments somewhere, or do I have to turn off syncing alltogether?

Thanks in advance :)

Replies

  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
    I have a flex and on my normal days it does not update any calories at all because I am just not walking enough or doing enough steps. It only updates when I walk a lot of miles.
    as I understand it, It estimates how much you do in your day to day life and only counts calories when you exceed that.
    Maybe try adjusting your activity level.
    I wouldn't worry to be honest, loads of people here have fitbit and all still lose weight. But if it really bothers you, unsync.

    Hope this helps.
  • salvationsdying
    salvationsdying Posts: 205 Member
    any movement is counted as exercise. so it will come out of your eaten calories the only way to stop it is unconnect them. but you also dont want to eat to few calories. I have them synced and I have my fitbit set on the kinda hard one (1.5 pounds a week) so i just cross reference what it gives me vs what mfp gives me. and try to stay between them both. ive lost 35 pounds this way
  • getnfit87
    getnfit87 Posts: 34 Member
    well, it ought not to affect your consumed calories, it however will adjust your goal calories if it measures your steps and pace and the like and decides you have done more than the activity setting you chose on mfp, I can't think of another reason to sync it than to adjust you up based on your estimated activity, however that doesn't preclude there being one. I suppose if you didn't want it to adjust your goal calories based on the estimate of calories burned, you could up the activity level you have chosen, I myself set mine to sedentary and let it adjust up my goal calories based on estimated caloric burn. So it will adjust your goal numbers if it is synced and you do what it considers to be more than your activity setting worth of activity it can measure, just as logging an exercise increases your goal value, so I don't know of a way to disable that as that is probably the purpose of syncing it. If I misunderstood your point let me know, and perhaps there is a way and someone will chime in. Good luck.
  • mebepiglet123
    mebepiglet123 Posts: 327 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong... As often I am...but... Fitbit calculates you tdee on the. Info you put in... So if u burn it eat it....
  • mebepiglet123
    mebepiglet123 Posts: 327 Member
    I used to get pissed off when fitbit told me I used to get negative calories - at the end of the day it will only consider what you tell it....what do you want to achieve?????
  • redwoodkestrel
    redwoodkestrel Posts: 339 Member
    You need to up your activity level on MFP then. If you're set at sedentary, then almost any step-based activity, including just the walking you do daily, will sync from your Fitbit and add to your calories burned. If you want fewer calories burned to come from your Fitbit, then you should up your activity level on MFP - if you're getting 600 extra calories to eat from your Fitbit just from your daily walking around, then you're definitely NOT sedentary. Either way though, it will mean the amount of calories you're "allowed" to eat during the day will go up. Embrace it!

    Also, it takes a week or so for the Fitbit to get a sense of your day-to-day activity level, but once it does the calories allowed through your Fitbit will more closely match those from MFP.
  • BunBun85
    BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
    You need to up your activity level on MFP then. If you're set at sedentary, then almost any step-based activity, including just the walking you do daily, will sync from your Fitbit and add to your calories burned. If you want fewer calories burned to come from your Fitbit, then you should up your activity level on MFP - if you're getting 600 extra calories to eat from your Fitbit just from your daily walking around, then you're definitely NOT sedentary. Either way though, it will mean the amount of calories you're "allowed" to eat during the day will go up. Embrace it!

    Also, it takes a week or so for the Fitbit to get a sense of your day-to-day activity level, but once it does the calories allowed through your Fitbit will more closely match those from MFP.

    This^^
  • Aha.

    In other words; patience, my young padawan :)

    I'll up my activity level and see how it works out.

    Thanks guys.