FITBIT newbie HELP!

lisaw19855
lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I have just purchased the Fitbit flex to help motivate me as weight loss has slowed right down, but I have a few questions so thought I would ask here in one big topic to save posting hundreds.

Calorie adjustment on MFP
My MFP is set as lightly active as I generally average 4000-5000 steps a day (while using belt clip pedometer) but Fitbit seems to adjust calories after I go over a certain number of steps (I think it is about 500) Why is this?

Step counting/calories burned
Yesterday I did around 25,000 steps as I was at the stables for 10 hours and mucked out 12 horses and various other jobs including grooming etc, this put my calorie burn at over 3,000 for the day (probably more due to heavy lifting). Is this accurate? does Fitbit count vigorous arm movements as steps?

(Epic diet fail yesterday as ate 2500 calories because I was just starving all day but Fitbit said I burned 3298)

Wearing during exercise classes
I have started Step aerobics and body pump classes, I wore my Fitbit to my class on Monday and it counted some movements that I did as steps so should I also be logging my classes as exercise on MFP?

It says I did 7380 steps Monday (had done 5000 steps with my clip ped before getting my fitbit started) and burned 2421 calories which, after logging on MFP, put my calorie allowance with exercise the same as it would usually do without wearing my fitbit?

So should I be taking if off during classes and just logging on MFP? It now asks me to input a time that I started exercising too.

Mondays MFP 1735 eaten, but was allowed 2208
FITBIT 1735 calories in 2421 out

Replies

  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
    Anyone?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited March 2015
    1. Fitbit Adjustments are based on the difference between what it tracks your calorie burn to be and what MFP estimates it will be based on activity level. Fitbit's calorie burn is BMR + daily activity + exercise. The number of steps doesn't directly relate to the calorie burn it estimates. The calorie burn it gives will vary based on how fast the steps were taken and if you have manually logged any activity. Here is a visual break down of MFP's adjustment though:
      3cc8fr4452fr.jpg
      - If the fitbit burn is under the blue line, you will get a negative (if enabled) or 0 calorie adjustment
      - If the fitbit burn is past the red line, you get a positive adjustment
    2. Yes arm movements can end up being counted as steps with any wrist worn device. I'm not sure how you consider eating 2500 as an epic fail if it still put you at a deficit (which according to your fitbit it was. I eat an average of 2000 calories a day and still lose weight).
    3. You don't need to log anything step based. Fitbit is pretty good with the calories from step based activities. However, if you do decide to log something, as long as you input the correct time and duration it will overwrite the Fitbit calorie burn. It doesn't matter if you log here or on Fitbit. Example video:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8duevx9y9TY
  • lisaw19855
    lisaw19855 Posts: 165 Member
    Thanks for your help I just needed reassurance I wasn't eating too much. x
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