I think I'm going to have to disconnect my fitbit

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2

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  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    I'm just looking at them on Amazon. I really like the surge but damn its expensive! I do have a really cheap little old fashioned pedometer. I wonder if that would do until I have a birthday or win the lottery?!

    Yeah I got mine as a late Christmas present from my mum.

    They do seem expensive but I know people who would spend more on a watch that just tells the time. How much more does a surge do?
  • tracie_minus100
    tracie_minus100 Posts: 465 Member
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    Fitbit One is awesome!
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.

    Not true ..I set to sedentary and enable negative adjustments and I find it makes me more active and hence eat more
  • Princess4Run
    Princess4Run Posts: 135 Member
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    I agree Fitbit Zip is really all you need and it runs around $50 in most stores, very worth the $$. Mine is very accurate with regards to steps, I linked it with MFP and have sedentary settings with calorie adjustments. I really like mine and had it for 2+ years. I actually just purchased a new one because I recently lost my original one. I was debating on getting a fancier model but I decided I really don't want to wear anything on my wrist all day long.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.

    Not true ..I set to sedentary and enable negative adjustments and I find it makes me more active and hence eat more

    If it works for you, that's great; but unless MFP calculates their calories really weirdly, "sedentary" doesn't mean "bedridden." It should already assume that you are getting up and walking around at some point during the day, using steps that will register on your Fitbit. I have a hard time believing that a person who got to be overweight while walking 10K steps a day will help their weight loss efforts by cutting back on their calories and then treating those same 10K steps as bonus points that they can trade back to the store for more calories over and above their calculated deficit.

    But then I almost never have trouble staying at or under my allocation, so this whole mindset of "I worked out today so I earned this extra food" is weird enough to me, let alone "Today I earned extra food for getting out of bed."
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.

    Not true ..I set to sedentary and enable negative adjustments and I find it makes me more active and hence eat more

    If it works for you, that's great; but unless MFP calculates their calories really weirdly, "sedentary" doesn't mean "bedridden." It should already assume that you are getting up and walking around at some point during the day, using steps that will register on your Fitbit. I have a hard time believing that a person who got to be overweight while walking 10K steps a day will help their weight loss efforts by cutting back on their calories and then treating those same 10K steps as bonus points that they can trade back to the store for more calories over and above their calculated deficit.

    But then I almost never have trouble staying at or under my allocation, so this whole mindset of "I worked out today so I earned this extra food" is weird enough to me, let alone "Today I earned extra food for getting out of bed."

    Well you're assuming that I used to walk 10000 steps (5 miles) a day ...and quite simply I didn't ...that's how I got overweight...chronic laziness and eating too much

    Having a fitbit helped me realise that I wasn't even achieving sedentary which for me was walking 2500 to 4000 steps

    So the fitbit, on days that I don't workout, ensures that I achieve sedentary and more

    I use MFP to ensure that I eat adequately to fuel my strength and fitness gains ...you're damn right I eat back my exercise calories (from both my fitbit and my HRM) that's how the programme is designed to work ...

    If you find MFP system weird, you should work out your TDEE and set your calories manually (to achieve your goals)
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    I thought the allowance that MVP calculates is literally the amount your body needs to function (organ function, hair, nails, teeth, temperature and hormone regulation etc) minus 500 cal deficit. Isn't that why you're encouraged to track/ count your exercise?

    I'm pretty flexible with my numbers at the moment as the weight is coming off and I have a good balance in my diet and feel great. There will come a time when it slows down though so its good to know I have things to tweak.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I thought the allowance that MVP calculates is literally the amount your body needs to function (organ function, hair, nails, teeth, temperature and hormone regulation etc) minus 500 cal deficit. Isn't that why you're encouraged to track/ count your exercise?

    I'm pretty flexible with my numbers at the moment as the weight is coming off and I have a good balance in my diet and feel great. There will come a time when it slows down though so its good to know I have things to tweak.

    No the amount MFP gives you is your BMR (which is what you described) times a multiple based on your activity setting...so if you chose sedentary it's 1.2 x BMR, I think active is 1.6 ...this is a NEAT calculation (non exercise activity thermogenesis I think)

    Your goal weight loss determines the defecit ..eg 1lb a week = 500 but it has a floor ...for women it shouldn't go below 1200, for men below 1500 (although there is currently an app glitch that they have not addressed)

    Then you eat back your exercise calories because you should be cutting from your TDEE (NEAT plus purposeful exercise) not your NEAT
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I downloaded "Noom walk " on my phone a few days ago. So far it seems pretty accurate. It doesn't tell you calories burned though.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.

    Not true ..I set to sedentary and enable negative adjustments and I find it makes me more active and hence eat more

    If it works for you, that's great; but unless MFP calculates their calories really weirdly, "sedentary" doesn't mean "bedridden." It should already assume that you are getting up and walking around at some point during the day, using steps that will register on your Fitbit. I have a hard time believing that a person who got to be overweight while walking 10K steps a day will help their weight loss efforts by cutting back on their calories and then treating those same 10K steps as bonus points that they can trade back to the store for more calories over and above their calculated deficit.

    But then I almost never have trouble staying at or under my allocation, so this whole mindset of "I worked out today so I earned this extra food" is weird enough to me, let alone "Today I earned extra food for getting out of bed."

    Well you're assuming that I used to walk 10000 steps (5 miles) a day ...and quite simply I didn't ...that's how I got overweight...chronic laziness and eating too much

    I didn't assume anything about you. My original post was addressing the OP, who does mention hitting 10K.

    I do think MFP's calorie calculations are weird, which is why I got mine from the IIFYM site and set my calories and macros manually.

  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
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    This is just my opinion on the fitbit (or other fitness monitor )...

    I got the Fitbit Charge HR and Scale a month ago. I was hesitant to spend $300 in the pair. My husband said " It might just save your life." Yeah, totally worth the money.

    My situation is probably different from yours. My father died from CHF 3 years ago. Right before he died, I had bilateral carpal tunnel release they waited to speak with my GP before continuing with the surgery because I was having PVC's. Part of my heart marches to the beat of its own drummer, more or less.

    The cardiologist said that my heart may only be able to support maybe 130- maximum 140 pounds. I have a small hole in my heart, decreased heart function and it is essential that I lose weight.

    For some people it may be another gadget or toy...for me it's a chance for a longer, fuller life. The fitbit makes me get up and move. I never get less than 10k steps a day because I pay attention now. Anyway, if it will motivate you it may be worth it.
  • ChaiTea2015
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    I use the Fitbit Charge and it's pretty accurate. The only thing you have to watch out for is if you use your hands a lot at work. Sometimes your rapid arm movements will be counted as steps. I usually set it to dominant and put it on the arm I'm using less to compensate. The Fitbit has been great for me and checking my progress has become a daily routine. It also helps me think better on what I should eat and if I should eat it. (ex Will I be able to hit my 10,000 steps and be able to walk off that candy bar today without trying or not?) It also gives me a better idea on how many calories I'm actually burning when I work out. The syncing function is a bit twitchy but other than that I love it. Don't use app-style pedometers, they suck.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You just need a basic one like a zip I think ...I'm really not convinced by the new breed

    And yes a standard pedometer is fine, it just doesn't automatically synch

    I'm a sucker for the marketing! I'm just looking, I'm not sure how you record your steps manually on MFP anyway. I think I'm just not destined to get extra calories for my steps :(

    I am so with you on the marketing. I have a One, don't need a Surge, and have no idea what I'd do with one, but I want it anyway.

    About the calories, though - if you're doing a long walk or a 5K or something you can log it as exercise and get extra calories for it. Fitbits are mainly useful for calculating how many steps you get in over the course of daily living, and daily living activities should already be included in your baseline calorie calculations. Adding more extra calories for them on top of that would be a good way to slow your weight loss down to a near-halt.

    Not true ..I set to sedentary and enable negative adjustments and I find it makes me more active and hence eat more

    If it works for you, that's great; but unless MFP calculates their calories really weirdly, "sedentary" doesn't mean "bedridden." It should already assume that you are getting up and walking around at some point during the day, using steps that will register on your Fitbit. I have a hard time believing that a person who got to be overweight while walking 10K steps a day will help their weight loss efforts by cutting back on their calories and then treating those same 10K steps as bonus points that they can trade back to the store for more calories over and above their calculated deficit.

    But then I almost never have trouble staying at or under my allocation, so this whole mindset of "I worked out today so I earned this extra food" is weird enough to me, let alone "Today I earned extra food for getting out of bed."

    Well you're assuming that I used to walk 10000 steps (5 miles) a day ...and quite simply I didn't ...that's how I got overweight...chronic laziness and eating too much

    I didn't assume anything about you. My original post was addressing the OP, who does mention hitting 10K.

    I do think MFP's calorie calculations are weird, which is why I got mine from the IIFYM site and set my calories and macros manually.

    OK, well you quoted me not OP, so I assumed you were talking to me ...apologies
  • runnrchic
    runnrchic Posts: 130 Member
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    I'm just looking at them on Amazon. I really like the surge but damn its expensive! I do have a really cheap little old fashioned pedometer. I wonder if that would do until I have a birthday or win the lottery?!

    I have the misfit shine. The misfit flash is only $30 on amazon.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Today (Saturday morning) I have been pretty immobile. It says I've done 199 steps but it's given me 240 calories.

    There is just no logic to it. I think I'd rather just disconnect it and not get any extra calories for my steps. I will just add exercise calories when I do cardio.

    Does anyone else have a similar problem or know of a solution before I just disconnect it?

    MFP has a Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    Adjustments are the difference between your Fitbit burn (which is TDEE) and your MFP activity level. Enable negative calorie adjustments:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    No need to log step-based activity—your Fitbit is tracking it for you. Log non-step exercise (like swimming or biking) either in Fitbit or in MFP—never both. Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time.

    I love my Fitbit Flex. I lost the weight & have maintained for 8 months by trusting my Fitbit.
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    I should edit. It turns out fitbit hadn't given me 240 calories, it had taken away 240 calories!! That is how much I sat on my *kitten* this weekend!!

    I've decided to save up for an Hr charge. For now I will log my dog walks on MFP and my cardio/circuit training/running with my FT

    Thanks for the advice :)
  • suzeequu
    suzeequu Posts: 110 Member
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    the fitbit is great for step counting..but always lots of trouble syncing it to MFP..fit bit blames mfp..mfp blames fit bit..they say it is a bug..who knows ?
  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
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    I've just disconnected fitbit now. It was a free app on my phone so I'm going to save up for the real thing.