Confused About Fitbit Calories?

andreaheileman
andreaheileman Posts: 48 Member
edited November 17 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello!

So I have the fitbit one and it's synced with myfitnesspal. After a big workout it will say something like 500 calories burned and add it to myfitnesspal. Then as the day goes on, that number goes down! I don't understand why! Does anyone else have this happen to them? Why does it happen?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    It estimates what your whole day energy expenditure will be based on what you've done so far. When your activity slows down it starts taking calories back.

    I think you get a more stable count if you set your activity as sedentary in mfp, then all activity is gravy after a certain number of steps. I just got one, so I'm still playing with it myself.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Part of this is timing. FitBit is comparing your activity level (set up in MFP) to the numbers on your FitBit.

    Do you belong to the users group? Better explanations there.......

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    When it gives you a 500 calorie adjustment on MFP it means that you've burned 500 more calories by that time of day, than what MFP thought you would burn. It is basically assuming that level of activity is going to continue for the rest of the day, and when it does, it slowly begins lowering the calorie adjustment.
  • andreaheileman
    andreaheileman Posts: 48 Member
    ^Oh this makes sense to me. Thank you! I just wish it were more accurate.
  • Picchickolo
    Picchickolo Posts: 6 Member
    I added a specific exercise and it took away the calories added by fitbit. I like the tool but I don't feel it is as accurate. I use my Polar hear rate monitor if I can. Or I just use the calories that MFP gives me.
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