Is my step counter double dipping?

Yes, I would consider that double-dipping.

If you want the iPhone to sync with MFP, I'd set myself to sedentary. Or you can delete the step calories burned if you prefer - whatever works for you.

If it works like Fitbit, it's not double dipping. They're synced, so whatever you tell MFP your activity level is, Fitbit won't start giving you extra until you reach that mark. For example, I am set up to need 10K steps. I do not receive extra calories until I hit it and the Fitbit will even take away calories if I don't.

Now if it just logs all of your steps for the day and sends them in as exercise, then yes, it's double dipping.

When I got my jawbone, I was told to switch my activity level to sedentary and enable negative calorie adjustments. Sounds like your phone should have the same principals behind it.

PeachyPlum wrote: »

Yes, I would consider that double-dipping.
If you want the iPhone to sync with MFP, I'd set myself to sedentary. Or you can delete the step calories burned if you prefer - whatever works for you.

Sorry Peachy; but in an unusual move for you, you're not correct!

Summary: there is NO double counting when the apps are synchronizing correctly.

Long version:
If your phone is set to automagically synchronize with MFP like all the other step counter apps are set to, what happens is that MFP calculates a TDEE based on what the other app projects you will burn to the end of day and compares it to the TDEE MFP is generating for you for that same day. If you've burned more as per that other app, you get a credit. If you've enabled negative adjustments and burned less on that other app than on MFP you get a deduction.

THERE IS NO DOUBLE COUNTING.

Even if you put the same walking exercise in MFP and on your phone, in the end it would only count once based on the values in the app that "wins"

Assuming things work as designed, about the only situation that would generate a counting related problem is if you enter some activities on one tracker that you do not enter on the other.

In that case the activities that were solely entered on the tracker that "lost" would not be counted at all for that day.

My personal decision has been that I wanted to smooth my eating a little bit as opposed to continuously chase exercise calories to eat back.

As such I've set MFP to a level I think I will attain on the vast majority of days.
I still allow a positive adjustment as on the vast majority of days I still do more than what MFP is set at.
On the few days that I do less, I either don't worry about it, or I adjust my intake mentally, on the fly.

If you enable negative calories you are just saying to MFP: "no matter what, I trust that other program's TDEE calculation more than yours, and I want you to adjust my calories based on the other program's data and not on your own settings."

Doing so continues the chasing of exercise calories as is common with MFP; but, on the strength of the information provided by the other program. The MFP settings are ignored unless both programs are coming up with the exact same TDEE for you.

To further clarify: a negative calorie adjustment does not enable or disable a double dip. If the apps are working and synchronizing correctly, there is no double dip. If the other app is not accurate in its counting, it WILL introduce its own set of errors.