how accurate are the fitbit calories from steps?

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magsmichelle
magsmichelle Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I didn't exercise today ( off day) and my new fitbit has added 700 calories to my day from the steps I took.
I haven't done much of anything exercise worthy but walk at work. According to my fitbit I walked almost 20,000 steps and 9.45 miles for an additional 708 calories.

Is this legit? since fitbit added it to MFP as exercise do I really need to eat these? I ate 1547 calories today, and yes I am sure that is correct seeing as I weighed everything directly on my food scale, right down to the amount of cream I put in my coffee.
thanks

Replies

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    I am guessing since you got almost 10 miles in steps from work that you probably need to adjust your activity level on MFP.
    You probably are more active (if you really walk 10 miles at work) than you think you are and should be eating more calories anyway.
  • magsmichelle
    magsmichelle Posts: 34 Member
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    higgins8283801 wrote: »
    I am guessing since you got almost 10 miles in steps from work that you probably need to adjust your activity level on MFP.
    You probably are more active (if you really walk 10 miles at work) than you think you are and should be eating more calories anyway.

    I have myself as lightly active. I am a nurse who only works the weekends.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    magsmichelle wrote: »
    higgins8283801 wrote: »
    I am guessing since you got almost 10 miles in steps from work that you probably need to adjust your activity level on MFP.
    You probably are more active (if you really walk 10 miles at work) than you think you are and should be eating more calories anyway.

    I have myself as lightly active. I am a nurse who only works the weekends.

    I still would readjust my activity level on MFP. You obviously are more active than you think. So yes, I would at least eat some of those 700 fitbit says you can have.
  • zjpq
    zjpq Posts: 198 Member
    edited January 2015
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    when set to sedentary my fitbit gives me 300-400 extra cals for 10K steps so yours sounds accurate!
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    Yeah, if you really did walk 20,000 steps yesterday, that's a lot of activity and you should eat back some calories for sure.

    I saw someone post a rough equivalency between Fitbit steps and MFP activity levels once. I think it was around 3,000 for sedentary, 5,000-6,000 for lightly active, 10,000 for active, etc. I can't remember now, but maybe someone could share it?
  • sandylion
    sandylion Posts: 451 Member
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    The nice thing about having the fitbit adjust it for you, is that on the days that you are not working, it subtracts those calories so that you don't over eat. Or you go for an extra walk to get some calories back. We nurses are on our feet a lot, and that counts for something!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I'd buy that. I have a desk job and don't walk except for trips to the bathroom and the file cabinet-- I usually get about 4000 steps on non-exercise days. I can easily believe that nurses do 5x the walking.

    As for whether the calories are accurate, it seems to depend on the person. It's been extremely accurate for me for the past 8 months. Other people find that it's too high or too low. I'd try eating back the calories for a month or so and see what happens. Or try eating half of them, and then adjust up or down as appropriate.

    Do keep in mind that it will take some calories away while you sleep. For me it's usually about 100.
  • ola130
    ola130 Posts: 39 Member
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    I only use the exercise calories not the fitbit calories to my MFP.
  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Sounds about right.

    I checked back in mine -- 17,356 and my burn for the day was 2588
    I have a chart where I track my deficit -- I take my burn from FB subtract my food from MFP and make sure the deficit is 500 or more.
    MFP - *You've earned 662 extra calories from exercise today

    Been working so far!
  • katkins73
    katkins73 Posts: 416 Member
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    I am set to sedentary and find mine very accurate. Some days I am on my feet a lot and can earn around an extra 1000 cals! Other days I walk much less but try and get my 10,000 steps in which means I can eat around 1600 cals (1200 + step cals)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I am set to sedentary with negative calories ticked and find it accurate

    Have you set your stride length on fitbit?

    I eat back most of my fitbit calories and my weight loss over time has been what I expected

    Yesterday I walked just under 8 miles ...dog walking and shopping and general pottering and ate back over 700 calories :grinning:

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
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    I don't really pay attention to my fitbit, but I went back through and looked and realized I'm more active than I thought I was. Even on my lazy days, I clock over 10k steps. When comparing my calories burned with my tdee it is nearly exact.

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Is it a wrist worn Fitbit? You might want to see if it's logging steps for hand activity regularly. 20,000 steps on a work shift sounds high, even for a nurse. Though if you're on your feet and moving all day, it's entirely possible too.

    Do you HAVE TO eat them back? That's up to you and if your goal is to eat more food, maintain a shallower deficit or lose more weight.
  • magsmichelle
    magsmichelle Posts: 34 Member
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    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    Is it a wrist worn Fitbit? You might want to see if it's logging steps for hand activity regularly. 20,000 steps on a work shift sounds high, even for a nurse. Though if you're on your feet and moving all day, it's entirely possible too.

    Do you HAVE TO eat them back? That's up to you and if your goal is to eat more food, maintain a shallower deficit or lose more weight.

    yes it is wrist worn, on non dominant hand. I have tested it with driving and brushing hair, ect and it doesn't count anything toward my steps during those activities.

    I work 14 hour days Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the NICU. I am on my feet a lot for the majority of my shift. Constantly walking back and forth and running sometimes. I workout Monday-Thursday in the gym.

  • runner359
    runner359 Posts: 90 Member
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    I had a fitbit. It was typically 10-20% off. They just aren't known for accuracy.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I have the jawbone up24, but same concept. I was told to change my activity level to sedentary when I started using it. It's worked great!
  • crunnerwv
    crunnerwv Posts: 32 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I'm a nurse also, haven't worked in the hospital setting for over two yrs now though. I would have loved to have had my fitbit when I did work on the floor though. I'm sure it's easy to get that many steps in a shift! At least now you know you can eat a little more on days you work - if you have the time to eat!
  • hilsidney
    hilsidney Posts: 93 Member
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    I have used my fitbit along side other apps and step counters and have found that it is very accurate in recording actual steps and not wrist activity. I agree that you can definitely eat back some of your calories. 20,000 steps is a lot! Whenever I clock over 20,000, I am pretty tired!! :)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    It does sound reasonable for a 14 hour shift. I figure I walk about 100 steps a minute so if I walk non-stop, it'd take about 3.5 hours to hit 20,000. Walking 25% of your shift sounds pretty do-able.

    What's with hospitals and long shifts? Aren't medical workers less alert after say 8 hours?

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