Fitbit Sync. Am I stupid?

McBoffin
McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
edited November 8 in Introduce Yourself
I'm fairly new here and was hoping someone could give me an idiots explanation on how Fitbit sync works.

I got one today and went for an hour walk. The Fitbit app on my iPhone told me I did 5000 and something steps and recoded the number of calories.

I then added the hour walk to MFP and the hour walk was then added again onto the Fitbit app.

I've read elsewhere that you should use MFP to log food and exercise and the Fitbit sync will just correct it with the actual calories and to more or less ignore the Fitbit app other than for syncing.

Am I right? Is there a more simple explanation?

Help!

TIA

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Anything step-based (walking/running) should not be logged. Fitbit will automatically tell MFP what you burned when you sync.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    That makes sense. Thanks.

    I deleted the walk from MFP and Fitbit has done its thing and apparently I burned 2 calories walking 5k in an hour in the rain. Which can't be right surely?

    Maybe it's just teething trouble with averaging as I've only been using it for part of the day. Sorry for all of the questions but I'm a bit of a numbers geek.
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    I have the Fitbit Flex. I wear it all day and it syncs to MFP. I use MFP to log food and exercise. MAKE sure you put the time you started your hour walk in when logging your exercise in MFP. It will correct itself. If you need to go to the Fitbit app sync and make sure it is up to date then go to MFP app and sync.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Yeah, only having it on for a few hours is going to be a little off. In a few days, once it gets used to your movements, it should give you a more accurate sense of what you're burning.

    Right now, MFP sees what you've burned (your BMR up to when you set up your Fitbit and everything after) and estimates how much you'll burn for the entire day. Move more, you get more calories. Move less, you get less or it will take some away. I wouldn't worry about the two calorie adjustment, since it is brand new. Just eat as normal, and things will look different tomorrow and in the future when you sync it.
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    Do you have your activity settings in MFP on sedentary, lightly active, active...?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I set MFP to sedentary before I linked them. I don't log any step-related activities because fitbit will do those automatically. I log lifting, cycling, and any non-step activities at fitbit.com. I don't log any activities on MFP.
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    When Fitbit syncs up with its calories burned, MFP will adjust for the *additional* activity that would be considered over and above what's normal for your activity level.

    I used to have my activity settings on sedentary since I'm at a desk all day, and MFP would add a lot more calories from my Fitbit activity. Once I increased my calories and my activity level to lightly active, it started taking more steps for MFP to give me any exercise adjustment.
  • Fit_Happens_2021
    Fit_Happens_2021 Posts: 303 Member
    Did you make sure to log the walk at the correct time? This will tell your fitbit dashboard the number you log on mfp. Alternatively you can just choose not to log step based exercise on mfp and instead just let fitbit keep track. I prefer to log on mfp with the calories my heart rate monitor says I used but I make sure to get the time correct so fitbit knows.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    I must have a head injury :-/

    I've added the walk at the correct start time MFP has synced and given me 53 calories for it which seems a bit unlikely as I'm 6'4 and 19 stone, walking for an hour.

    Now the FB app thinks I've been active for 5 minutes.

    I feel a nose bleed coming on.......
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
    edited November 2014
    Welcome to the awesome world of FitBit!

    I only log exercise that is not step based, and when I log exercise I only log it on the FitBit site. I've never had a problem with mine other than an occasional sync-lag.

    There is a great group for FitBit users here, lots of good info!

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    shireeniebeanie wrote: »
    Do you have your activity settings in MFP on sedentary, lightly active, active...?

    Sedentary. I couldn't find "Lazy 40 something" :-)
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    Tiernan1212 wrote: »
    Welcome to the awesome world of FitBit!

    I only log exercise that is not step based, and when I log exercise I only log it on the FitBit site. I've never had a problem with mine other than an occasional sync-lag.

    There is a great group for FitBit users here, lots of good info!

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    I've joined that too. Seems to be like something out of Hogwarts so far but I'm sure I'll get it eventually :-)
  • pjhogan8
    pjhogan8 Posts: 14 Member
    I log everything on MFP with the exact times and let Fitbit do its adjustments. My goal on Fitbit is 10,000 Steps a day, so often, I don't see lots of smiley face goal achievements on Fitbit until after that goal has been reached. Fitbit will deduct from MFP calories earned from exercise, by about half it seems, unless I've already achieved 10K steps, then it's gravy after that, I think? I'm new to this as well. Just started Week 2 on both myself. Sometimes I have to actually log onto my computer for full synching for some reason as the Fitbit App doesn't always register the calories out, so twice now it's said I didn't do anything. Strange, but when I log in and synch online, it seems to send that message to the app eventually.

    I'm nervous to add Endomondo to the mix as I think it would be just too confusing, but some say they are doing it without problem.

    Good luck! Happy stepping. :)
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    So to correct this. Delete the walk from MFP and it'll all sort itself out. Do I need to add the walk to FB? Surely that defeats the object of having the thing measure your walking.

    *places damp towel on head*
  • Tiernan1212
    Tiernan1212 Posts: 797 Member
    McBoffin wrote: »
    So to correct this. Delete the walk from MFP and it'll all sort itself out. Do I need to add the walk to FB? Surely that defeats the object of having the thing measure your walking.

    *places damp towel on head*

    That sounds right to me. Just about the only thing I log on FB is when I swim (I have the FB One and it's not waterproof)

    I never log anything step-based, I let FB sort it out :)

  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    Right. So I'm feeling slightly less stupid ...

    Delete the walk from MFP. Don't add it to FB and it'll all sort itself out?

    I must admit that I could probably have burned more calories on the sofa scratching my head than its credited me for for the walk.
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    edited November 2014
    No, do not double-log your walk. If the Fitbit app seems to show an appropriate number of steps or amount of activity during that time, leave it alone.

    And capecodlady8, I do not recommend linking either account to Endomondo! When I did, it took my info from Fitbit, copied it to MFP, and then copied it back to Fitbit, so my activity (even my daily number of steps) was suddenly tripled. Having to go back through both accounts and delete the extra entries was a headache I didn't need!

    ETA: I love all the extra data that Endomondo offers on my workouts, but I still let Fitbit log all the activity. If Endomondo says the workout was more strenuous than Fitbit, I'll just let it be extra burn in the bank.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    McBoffin wrote: »
    Right. So I'm feeling slightly less stupid ...

    Delete the walk from MFP. Don't add it to FB and it'll all sort itself out?

    I must admit that I could probably have burned more calories on the sofa scratching my head than its credited me for for the walk.

    Groan. I've taken the walk off and MFP has now added 10 calories on rather than taking them off.

    Can that be right?
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    Let it go. It'll be okay tomorrow! :)
  • jdfitzctb
    jdfitzctb Posts: 10 Member
    Here's how Fitbit support explained it in "simple" terms if syncing with myfitnesspal...
    Never log any exercises in "Fitbit". Log whatever exercises you want in myfitnesspal whether they be walking oriented (treadmill), elliptical, step machines, etc...but make sure you put in your start and finish time. The myfitnesspal program will then "know" not to count step activity during that period. They also said I could just leave it in the car when I go to the gym and put it back on when I'm done. I do better leaving it on because that reminds me to log my exercises.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    shireeniebeanie wrote: »
    Let it go. It'll be okay tomorrow! :)

    You read my mind. I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact it hasn't been on all day so there's some crazy pro rata thing going on.

    I'm planning on going to the gym tomorrow so we sha see what happens after that. I suspect MFP will end up telling me I should have stayed at home with some cake.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    What can I say. You were all right!

    I've used it since going to bed at 2 am and it seems to be working fine. I've recoded my exercise on MFP and the Fitbit app has sucked it in perfectly.

    So my plan is not to add step based exercise to MFP and log everything else there.

    Thank you all for your tips and pointers.
  • jessiruthica
    jessiruthica Posts: 412 Member
    Just to throw something extra in the mix... MapMyFitness (Run, Ride, Walk). I've synced my FitBit and MapMyFitness with MFP. I don't ever add cardio exercise directly to MFP (I assume FitBit will take care of it).

    If I specifically set out for a run or a cardio (fast) walk or bike ride, I use MapMyFitness, which logs to MFP, which then passes the information back to FitBit. I still wear my FitBit so I get the steps there, but the combo of MFP, MapMyFitness and FitBit automagically works out the calories without double booking.

    The only exercise I directly log with MFP is non-step-related stuff like when I work out with my trainer. Then I log it as cardio but calisthenics or cross-training. Either way I lower the calorie estimates that MFP defaults to because they always seem high.

    I never enter ANYTHING into the FitBit app (either on my phone or online). Yet, again automagically, FitBit knows I've had active minutes beyond what it can register itself.

    Hope that helps!
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    It does help. Thanks.

    I did a bike ride and used map my ride to feed it into MFP. So I have map my ride linked to MFP and MFP a liked to Fitbit. Seems to be working like a charm.

    My only problem now is to eat enough calories to cover the exercise. (Where did I put the JD?).
  • Christineclendaniel
    Christineclendaniel Posts: 367 Member
    I have a different experience with my fitbit flex. I also have endomondo linked to mfp and I log my walks on it and let it post to mfp. It subtracts those calories burned from the fitbit automatic adjustment so there is no double logging of calories burned. I also manually log when I dance and it also subtracts those calories from the adjustment, so I never get double or triple logging.

    Just what I do.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    Just one more stupid question ......

    When do you guys and gals charge your fitbits? I'd hate to be robbed of the walking by round the house steps or not be able to track my sleep (sleep tracking is something I've never had an interest in - but now I can, it's an obsession).
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    It's good to charge during your inactive or sleep times. I charge when I'm napping on the couch during a lazy day/evening (a few steps to the bathroom during a movie aren't going to count for much) or when I'm too busy to leave my desk at work.

    It's got a battery life of 5 days, give or take. It may drain slightly faster if you use a lot of buzzing alerts, but don't be afraid to use them! Those are great for waking me up in the morning and reminding me to take a lunch when I'm too sucked into the computer to notice the time.
  • McBoffin
    McBoffin Posts: 76 Member
    That's helpful. I'm rapidly becoming obsessed with my Fitbit. I'm guessing that's normal? :-/
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
    Totally. :-)
  • LauramegB
    LauramegB Posts: 2 Member
    I'm hoping to revive this post and tap into you people, because I've read a bazillion threads about this problem, with no clear answer.

    Caveat: I've been using my Fitbit One for less than 24 hours. Maybe things will work themselves out after more use?

    I understand the idea of logging non-step based activity into MFP, as it is synced with FB. And I know you must have the same time zones and log exact time of exercise for the apps to consolidate correctly. But, not one thread has told me whether when doing this, you still put your Fitbit in recording mode during this time?? I thought "no", and did the arc trainer today, noticed the FB was counting steps as I worked out, but added it into MFP and it did not adjust the FB steps for the time spent on the arc trainer. So I'm assuming I got double steps?

    On that note, are machines like the arc trainer or elliptical considered step-based? And the arc trainer counted less calories than when I put 30 minutes of elliptical (closest thing to arc trainer) into MFP.

    Ok one more, these things are synced, but often I log into MFP, and the steps are at 0, and then jump up to a step number from FB in a couple minutes. But I've never been able to find this "Fitbit calorie adjustment" line that I keep seeing in forums about the two! Sooo confused, help, and THANK YOU!
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