How long does it take for your Fitbit to sync with MFP?

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Today is my first day back to using both my Flex and MFP. So far today they have only been able to sync once on their own. I'm curious if it is typical for it to take a couple of hours or more for them to connect.

Twice today I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting to see my new steps & calorie adjustment and even that did not work the second time.

The last time it did sync was about 11:30 am and it is now just after 1. I also added a workout which went into my Fitbit activity log, but my MFP still shows my steps from before that sync along with a lower calorie burn than the Fitbit.

I'm afraid that I am just starting to become more confused trying to figure it out so any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited March 2015
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    After I update a figure on Fitbit, or a device sync - about 15 seconds for the MFP Fitbit calorie adjustment to show the new figure.

    On their own, the data only comes over after a 100 cal increase in TDEE, and that includes if device is syncing but didn't raise the amount by 100.

    This is all through web accounts, no app usage.

    Yes, your MFP workout addition should have caused sync to Fitbit, which may or may not have increased your TDEE by 100 (especially if the calories of the workout matched what Fitbit had already). If manually logged workout was less calories than what Fitbit had, then it'll take longer for a difference of 100 from last sync to show up.

    A tad over 1 hr is needed for about 100 calories, if your workout logged was less than Fitbit, it could easily be more time.

    Does Fitbit show that manually logged workout from MFP yet?

    What is the Fitbit daily calorie burn so far?

    On MFP for that Fitbit calorie adjustment line, the "i" for more info, when was the time and what calorie amount from Fitbit at that time?
  • RiannaLaraine
    RiannaLaraine Posts: 9 Member
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    After I posted this I did another disconnect and reconnect, and it synced. Right now my Fitbit says I've burned 997 calories and my last adjustment says 933 as of 1:29. Hasn't done another sync after that.

    Are you saying that it won't sync again now with a new adjustment until my Fitbit says I've burned 1033?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Fitbit and MFP don't want per minute syncs, too many resources. Bad enough as it is.

    So Fitbit doesn't send new data until daily burn is 100 higher than last sync.

    If Fitbit is set to Sedentary, that'll likely take more than 1 hr.
    If set to Personalized, perhaps around 1 hr or less.
    If workout added that is smaller calorie burn than what Fitbit saw, perhaps way over.
    If workout added that is much bigger burn, immediately.
    If Fitbit device sync to account, depends on Fitbit setting and what you really did.

    I haven't messed with timing on the app to Fitbit account sync - but I can't imagine they want constant immediate syncs even if your device to phone is willing to do it.
    I'm betting, and seen evidence it appears to be the case, that the phone app holds new device sync stats until some minimum is reached, and then those stats are actually synced over to your Fitbit account, before updated info is sent back to phone app from the account. Logged meals seems to be the exception.

    Actually, now that I'm testing the meal function, the auto Fitbit to MFP sync every 100 cal is NOT happening right now on my account. I see normally happen at night though when I care to look, takes about 75 min for me normally.
    Perhaps they have revised when it happens, depending on settings.
    Because right now with no device sync since last night, MFP has my estimate higher than Fitbit anyway.
    Perhaps Fitbit knows that if I have Sedentary set on their side, and no actual device sync stats, there is no use in syncing to MFP yet, as it's invalid and lower data anyway.

    Ok, just deal meal add in MFP.
    2 seconds to show up in Fitbit.
    That did NOT cause a corresponding daily burn back to MFP from Fitbit sync.

    Which doing the math on my Fitbit adjustment stats.
    Fitbit 1079 @ 13:53 hrs or 833 min or 57.8% of day, so 42.2% of day left.
    MFP daily burn 2156 x 42.2% = 908.8 for rest of day + 1079 Fitbit so far = 1988 projected
    MFP daily burn 2156 - 1988 projected = 168 negative
    Currently sits at 109 negative from the figures from 12:30 am.

    So not that much of a difference despite no syncs or updates for over 12 hours.

    So either they changed the auto-sync setting which I'd totally agree with to cut down on traffic, or my account is having issues too.
  • RiannaLaraine
    RiannaLaraine Posts: 9 Member
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    Thank you for your help! Hopefully it'll be easier for me to understand it the more I use it. It just seemed unfortunate if I would have to always disconnect and reconnect every time. But I'll give it a few days and see if there is more of a problem or if at the end of the day it seems accurate.

    It would be a bit easier for me if my Fitbit app showed me what the daily projected burn was, instead of my goal. So I could see if they matched or were at least close. But I understand what your saying about constantly updating the adjustments. It makes a lot more sense!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Suggest don't even look at Fitbit eating goal.

    MFP for logging eating and diet goals.
    Fitbit for logging exercise and fitness goals.

    You can figure out Fitbit's projected daily burn though, by just adding the deficit to their eating goal that you selected.
    But I'd still go with MFP's projected.
  • RiannaLaraine
    RiannaLaraine Posts: 9 Member
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    Unfortunately it never did another sync yesterday. My adjustment was for 1538 and my final burn on fitbit was 1798.

    I even waited until this morning to complete the day for yesterday and it never fixed itself.
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
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    I can force a sync by either refreshing the page or going to FitBit connect and force a synce there.
  • cai1961
    cai1961 Posts: 59 Member
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    Hi everyone, I asked for friends to encourage me with my Fitbit, some people sent a message to "add them", how do you do that, I can't even find their request..when I opened my IPad the messages were there..now what?
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,651 Member
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    Instead of just unlinking and linking up again, unlink on mfp and then go to the fitbit site and revoke the mfp access. Then wait like half an hour and link back up on mfp.

    Do these actions on the webites and not through the apps.

    Now I have no problem auto syncing.
  • RiannaLaraine
    RiannaLaraine Posts: 9 Member
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    glassyo wrote: »
    Instead of just unlinking and linking up again, unlink on mfp and then go to the fitbit site and revoke the mfp access. Then wait like half an hour and link back up on mfp.

    Do these actions on the webites and not through the apps.

    Now I have no problem auto syncing.

    I will try this! It STILL hasn't updated and I am positive there should be an adjustment. I'm already almost to the mfp projected calorie burn for the day
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Well, my sync from Fitbit to MFP never happened yesterday until I synced the device and my daily burn went above the sedentary it was at, which was less than what MFP was already estimating.

    The easier way to get that type of sync done is not to disconnect accounts, as that puts you at end of line if there are any issues upon reconnect.

    Rather, try creating a Fitbit workout with a decent sized calorie burn well over 100 calories, which will then force a sync from Fitbit to MFP for that update.
    Once that happens - delete it.

    Did you ever see the MFP food entries show up on Fitbit?
    If so, that direction was fine, so even logging a bogus workout on MFP would have worked to increase daily burn.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    cai1961 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I asked for friends to encourage me with my Fitbit, some people sent a message to "add them", how do you do that, I can't even find their request..when I opened my IPad the messages were there..now what?

    Your Fitbit dashboard shows recent messages in a dropdown - it would still be there unless you did indeed accept it already.
  • RiannaLaraine
    RiannaLaraine Posts: 9 Member
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    heybales wrote: »
    Well, my sync from Fitbit to MFP never happened yesterday until I synced the device and my daily burn went above the sedentary it was at, which was less than what MFP was already estimating.

    The easier way to get that type of sync done is not to disconnect accounts, as that puts you at end of line if there are any issues upon reconnect.

    Rather, try creating a Fitbit workout with a decent sized calorie burn well over 100 calories, which will then force a sync from Fitbit to MFP for that update.
    Once that happens - delete it.

    Did you ever see the MFP food entries show up on Fitbit?
    If so, that direction was fine, so even logging a bogus workout on MFP would have worked to increase daily burn.

    Actually revoking access and disconnecting then waiting a while worked.

    I haven't moved much since I got home from work, but once I finally got it to sync it increased my exercise calories by over 400.

    So it doesn't seem to just be if it is 100 or so calories different, they just aren't connecting with each other well.
    My foods, water and activities went directly into Fitbit, but after the 1:30 sync yesterday (that I had to disconnect and reconnect for) no activity was added to mfp even though my Fitbit showed I clearly burned more than mfp said I would.

    If I have to continue to do this for the correct numbers every time, I'll be contacting mfp about it. Or trying another calorie counter.
  • FishyK
    FishyK Posts: 147 Member
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    Hm. Mine syncs pretty regularly with my Charge HR if the app is open. In fact, I watch my heartrate or GPS map walk or steps in real time and the app says "connected". If the spp is closed it may have been awhile between syncs.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    cai1961 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I asked for friends to encourage me with my Fitbit, some people sent a message to "add them", how do you do that, I can't even find their request..when I opened my IPad the messages were there..now what?

    How to add friends: http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-connect-with-my-friends-on-Fitbit

    To see the friend requests you've received, open the iOS app on your iPad & click the "Friends" tab at the bottom, then the "Messages" tab at the top.