Accuracy of step counter on phone?
drewmast3r
Posts: 13 Member
I work in a factory and today my step counter says I walked 2.97 miles at work and burned 300 calories. I realize that isn't 100% accurate but am I factoring in the calories right in my diary? I calculate the time for low impact walking until it is close to what my phone says are burned calories minus some just for error sale.
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Same*0
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Errors sake... Stupid phone lol0
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If your job has you on your feet walking the better part of the day, it may be simpler to adjust your activity level in MFP to lightly active or active and then eat to that calorie goal.0
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Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.0 -
Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.
Now I'm confused. I'm set to lightly active but still factor the calories my phone says I burned into the MFP app manually. Nothing is auto synced.0 -
drewmast3r wrote: »Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.
Now I'm confused. I'm set to lightly active but still factor the calories my phone says I burned into the MFP app manually. Nothing is auto synced.
You're essentially double dipping and adding in calories that are already in your maintenance calories. You should only log actual exercise.0 -
The most accurate phone pedometer I found was "noom walk". It wasn't that far off of what my fit bit says0
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drewmast3r wrote: »Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.
Now I'm confused. I'm set to lightly active but still factor the calories my phone says I burned into the MFP app manually. Nothing is auto synced.
You're essentially double dipping and adding in calories that are already in your maintenance calories. You should only log actual exercise.
Would I be better off with a fitbit?0 -
MFP takes into account your activity level and gives you a calorie adjustment for that level. Unless you are very obese the extra steps you are adding in really dont amount to much as you wont burn as many calories as someone who is heavier.0
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If your job has you on your feet walking the better part of the day, it may be simpler to adjust your activity level in MFP to lightly active or active and then eat to that calorie goal.
This is what I do. Recently I've been trying to increase my steps per day but I don't claim any extra calories for them0 -
OP your diary is set to 1820 calories a day, just eat that amount for a couple of weeks and see if you have lost, before making any changes or running out to buy a new gadget. Under eating is not helpful as at some point you will start gnawing on someones arm, a couple days you haven't eaten enough for a small child
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rosehips60 wrote: »If your job has you on your feet walking the better part of the day, it may be simpler to adjust your activity level in MFP to lightly active or active and then eat to that calorie goal.
This is what I do. Recently I've been trying to increase my steps per day but I don't claim any extra calories for them
I try to get in as many steps as I can, but I dont consider them in my exercise totals. Unless I have been on the treadmill or out with the dogs as I walk about 6 miles a day with them.
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drewmast3r wrote: »drewmast3r wrote: »Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.
Now I'm confused. I'm set to lightly active but still factor the calories my phone says I burned into the MFP app manually. Nothing is auto synced.
You're essentially double dipping and adding in calories that are already in your maintenance calories. You should only log actual exercise.
Would I be better off with a fitbit?
I was using the HealthKit App on my iPhone 6 Plus to track my steps and miles, but recently switched to the Fitbit Charge because my iPhone has to be in my pocket to track my steps and my Charge will track all day long since it is on my wrist all the time.0 -
rosehips60 wrote: »If your job has you on your feet walking the better part of the day, it may be simpler to adjust your activity level in MFP to lightly active or active and then eat to that calorie goal.
This is what I do. Recently I've been trying to increase my steps per day but I don't claim any extra calories for them
I try to get in as many steps as I can, but I dont consider them in my exercise totals. Unless I have been on the treadmill or out with the dogs as I walk about 6 miles a day with them.
I do! Especially when I'm hitting 20,000-25,000 in a day
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drewmast3r wrote: »drewmast3r wrote: »Unless it's automatically synced from your phone to MFP, those steps are already accounted for in your activity level.
I just compared my phone's numbers to my Fitbit Flex. Fitbit says I've taken 12,450 steps today, my phone says 14,769. A difference of 2,319 steps, which is a mile for me (and the only time I didn't have my Fitbit on was when I was in the shower). So I would definitely take that with a grain of salt.
Now I'm confused. I'm set to lightly active but still factor the calories my phone says I burned into the MFP app manually. Nothing is auto synced.
You're essentially double dipping and adding in calories that are already in your maintenance calories. You should only log actual exercise.
Would I be better off with a fitbit?
It's up to you. At lightly active, you look like you're around that level, so it probably wouldn't add much of an adjustment unless you work to get more steps. My stats for Saturday (when my Fitbit died halfway through my work shift) showed 7,182 steps, a bit over 3 miles for me, and it ended up taking away 14 calories at lightly active (I probably did 13-14k, so I knew I burned much more, but this is from what it had to work with).0 -
Thank you all so much! Great information.0
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christinev297 wrote: »rosehips60 wrote: »If your job has you on your feet walking the better part of the day, it may be simpler to adjust your activity level in MFP to lightly active or active and then eat to that calorie goal.
This is what I do. Recently I've been trying to increase my steps per day but I don't claim any extra calories for them
I try to get in as many steps as I can, but I dont consider them in my exercise totals. Unless I have been on the treadmill or out with the dogs as I walk about 6 miles a day with them.
I do! Especially when I'm hitting 20,000-25,000 in a day
If I was hitting that many I would too! I think it would just be easier to just change my activity setting in MFP to the next level up.
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I have both a Fitbit and an iPhone. The step counts are always very close and the mileage on the iPhone seems more accurate. It appears to be able to account for changing stride length on the move.0
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