Fitbit calorie adjustment

Those adjustments sound really high. Do you have your profile data entered correctly on both sites (gender, age, height, weight, etc.)?

If you go to MFP's My Home, Goals, what is your projected calorie burn per day? And what is Fitbit estimating a day's burn at?

When you sync your Fitbit, MFP estimates your total burn for the day based on your stats up to that point. Move more, the calorie adjustment will be higher; move less, it'll be less or negative. For me right now, because I haven't moved much today, MFP has taken away 219 calories. That will change after I go on a walk this morning, just as yours will change with more or less activity than expected.

Right, it's estimating from your activity that you will burn an additional 192 calories on top of what MFP says throughout the day. Are your activity levels and calorie deficits set to the same thing on both sites?

MFP based on your activity level assumes you move at a steady rate all day long. Such as if MFP projects you will burn 2400 a day, it seems to assume that is 100/hr. But life doesn't work that way. If you woke up at 8am, you didn't burn 100/hr while you were sleeping. If you go to bed at 9pm your burn rate will slow down from what you were doing while up & moving around.

With that said, Each time you sync MFP gets a calorie burn # from Fitbit. It compares that burn # to what MFP projects for you to see if you're ahead or behind. Adjustment accordingly.

Fitbit estimates your calorie burn based on your steps, which it uses to estimate your activity level throughout the day. If I sit/sleep for 23 hours and run for 1 hr vs. on my feet though slowly for 10 hrs and sitting/sleeping for 14, I might have more total burn in the 2nd scenario. So its not just about # of steps.

One thing I suggest: after you've used the Fitbit for a week or so look back and see your total daily calorie burned #s. Use this info to set a goal for yourself on daily calories to burn. And then, make sure you hit it. Use this # to determine your calories in. You don't need to change anything in MFP as the Fitbit adjustment will do that for you. Such as if your goal is to burn 2200. You know Fitbit is an estimate, so it might not be entirely accurate. I adjust by 10%. If Fitbit says I've burned 2200 I figure I've probably burned at least 2000. Eat around 1500 for 1 pound/week loss. The extra 200 (2200-500 is 1700 rather than 1500) would be my cushion for estimation errors in Fitbit.

I'm now in maintenance and aim to burn 2000/day according to Fitbit. I eat 1800-1900. (Again leaving a little gap for estimation error.) I have goals within my day for where I want my burn to be. By 1pm, it should be 1000. By 5pm when I leave work: 1300. My BMR is almost 60/hour so at 9pm there are 3 hours left and I want to be over 1800. I know then I'll hit 2000 in a day.

I think this is part of an ongoing issue that diminishes the value of integrating devices with MyFitnessPal. I just did a long, intense, gnarly (like I'm in major pain right now) cardio workout. FitBit calculated my activity burn at 492calories. MyFitnessPal pulled it in, recalculated it and credited my account with 202 calories.

I've never been able to make sense of the algorithm MyFitnessPal uses. I think the way they pull in data from devices is one of their biggest weaknesses. It's really unfortunate, because MyFitnessPal is THE Best Food/Diet tracking application bar none, its fantastic.

Sometimes I disconnect or don't sync my FitBit since having the two integrated can be just silly, another example: Steep trail hike, FitBit burn 298 calories, MyFitnessPal pulls in and credits 38calories. Users are caught between the ego and battle of MyFitnessPal folks and FitBit folks over who has the best algorithm and who is controlling the way our data is managed.

Enjoy your fitbit! Good for you getting moving!

Myrmilt wrote: »

I have my fit bit set at sedentary - it took me some time to figure out the website as I do almost everything via the app.

I have noticed that the fit bit gives me more calories than MFP - but overall the difference isn't that great. I think it's because I have them both set on sedentary with no workouts.

I was adding in my workouts on MFP, but it was making the fit bit adjustment whacky. I think it was due to timing issues, I take my fit bit off when doing yoga or something like that, but I wasn't putting in the right time. I have decided to change that and add all my exercises to the fit bit and let it come over to MFP as one adjustment.

Honestly (don't hate on me), if I had had the fit bit before finding MFP, I probably wouldn't be using MFP. 2 separate systems that track it all versus the one that is on my wrist. But I like seeing the difference, and I really like the weekly reports fit bit sends me via email.

And if my phone hadn't broke and lost all my food data after a month of tracking it, I wouldn't be on either program. Having the data in 2 sources on the web allows me to always have the data. (until the zombies come and the web dies)

Make sure calorie adjustments are off on the FitBit (settings - preferences), especially if you're taking your FitBit off.

Those are really high burns. Are you logging your exercises in both places?

I only log exercises that FitBit can't measure - and I log them on MFP. So yoga, weight lifting, stretching are all logged on here, and they transfer over to FitBit automatically. Anything step related shouldn't be logged anywhere IMO - that's what the FitBit is for.

mlyn627 wrote: »

Make sure calorie adjustments are off on the FitBit (settings - preferences), especially if you're taking your FitBit off.

Those are really high burns. Are you logging your exercises in both places?

I only log exercises that FitBit can't measure - and I log them on MFP. So yoga, weight lifting, stretching are all logged on here, and they transfer over to FitBit automatically. Anything step related shouldn't be logged anywhere IMO - that's what the FitBit is for. [/quote]

Calorie adjustment in fitbit or mfp?

No additional exercise except walking.[/quote]

in fitbit, and I think the poster means "calorie estimations" which is found in your Fitbit.com settings

On the FitBit website.

I peeked at your exercise journal - it seems like the FitBit adjustments are leveling out. It takes a while for your FitBit to get to know you - the longer you wear it, the more accurate it will become. So it looks like the first few days you got high adjustments, and now they seem to be evening out.

mlyn627 wrote: »

I think maybe it's because I changed my activity level to light activity in mfp. Could that be the reason the adjustments have gone down?

It could indeed.

What kind of walking are you doing? What's your BMR? (if you don't know, look here: http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/)

I think I am confused. I don't think this was for me, my diary isn't public. Or at least I don't think it is. If it is, my really high calories burn days are hikes that last about 8 hours, 10 plus miles, with a pack.

I only enter my exercise on my fit bit and let it all come over. I make sure to get the right time logged, so it won't count pilates as steps, or what ever else I do in the gym. I don't mess with the hikes.



quote="mlyn627;30122014"]Nothing aside from the normal everyday walking, I don't even do any extra walking. BMR is 1622[/quote]

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

Myrmilt wrote: »

I have my fit bit set at sedentary - it took me some time to figure out the website as I do almost everything via the app.

I have noticed that the fit bit gives me more calories than MFP - but overall the difference isn't that great. I think it's because I have them both set on sedentary with no workouts.

I was adding in my workouts on MFP, but it was making the fit bit adjustment whacky. I think it was due to timing issues, I take my fit bit off when doing yoga or something like that, but I wasn't putting in the right time. I have decided to change that and add all my exercises to the fit bit and let it come over to MFP as one adjustment.

Honestly (don't hate on me), if I had had the fit bit before finding MFP, I probably wouldn't be using MFP. 2 separate systems that track it all versus the one that is on my wrist. But I like seeing the difference, and I really like the weekly reports fit bit sends me via email.

And if my phone hadn't broke and lost all my food data after a month of tracking it, I wouldn't be on either program. Having the data in 2 sources on the web allows me to always have the data. (until the zombies come and the web dies)

Make sure calorie adjustments are off on the FitBit (settings - preferences), especially if you're taking your FitBit off.

Those are really high burns. Are you logging your exercises in both places?

I only log exercises that FitBit can't measure - and I log them on MFP. So yoga, weight lifting, stretching are all logged on here, and they transfer over to FitBit automatically. Anything step related shouldn't be logged anywhere IMO - that's what the FitBit is for.

And awesome, I quoted the wrong thing. Meh, hopefully who ever needed the advice got it. I think mine is working fine, or at least well enough that I am currently losing with my intake.

I just bought a fitbit charge hr and mfp was giving me too many allowed calories, I set my level of activity to very active and now only the actual workouts are calculated