Fitbit Calories Out - Do you eat them back?
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As an experiment, I set my MFP calories to my BMR and lifetyle to "Sedentary". According to MFP, I need 1620 to maintain my weigh on a sedentary lifestyle. If my FitBit calorie burns were correct, netting 1300 cals/day would mean I'd lose 0.64 pounds per week. I started at 128.3 pounds a month ago, and weighed in at 125.2 this morning. For me personally, the FitBit estimates were pretty much spot-on.
Other possible helpful stats:
- Average 18500 steps per day.
- Average 2500 calories burned per day.
- Average 2150 calories consumed per day.
- ~10000 steps were through running (5 miles)
- 22% body fat
- Age 230 -
jojoeastcoast wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »However, the only way to know if the burn is accurate for you is to compare at least 4 weeks of data. I am constantly re-evaluating mine, because while the estimate might be okay for now that could always change as I lose weight. I compare what I lost to what my intake vs Fitbit calorie burn estimates I should have lost.
Example:
30 Day Average Fitbit Burn - 2584
30 Day Average Intake - 1938
30 Day Average Deficit - 646
30 Day Total Deficit - 19380
Expected Loss based on Intake & Fitbit Calorie Burn - 5.53xxx
Actual Loss - 5.4
Either my logging is off by approx 16 calories a day or the Fitbit estimate is too high. It's highly possible that my own logging is a bit off. There were a couple days the past month that I had to completely estimate my intake because I went to eat at a restraunt that doesn't provide calorie information.
However, just because it comes out this close for me, doesn't mean that it will for everyone. Some people have found the calories burned to be around 10% too high. So my suggestion is give it some time and then do your own comparison like I do (cheat: 30 day average burn and 30 day average intake are on your Fitbit profile page).
I really like this approach! I am getting a FitBit (hopefully today), so am interested in this.
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Not to hijack this thread... but I am looking at this calculation, and I realize that I could calculate my TDEE using historical data as well... right?!?
If I take my 4 week average daily NET calories: 1818/day + my 4 week average daily deficit of 250 calories (based on my 2 lbs loss in 4 weeks... 7000 cals/28 days = 250 deficit/day)... can I then presume my TDEE is 2068 calories?
Personally -- I like the concept of being able to burn more/eat more, as I find it motivates me to get out and move more... so I don't think I could work with the TDEE calculation approach to setting constant calorie goals. But I find the calculation interesting. I just checked using an online TDEE calculator, and its pretty close.
[/hijack] *************************
Thanks for posting this OP!
My Flex died a year or so ago, so I'm just going from memory here... but doesn't it estimate/calculate your TDEE each day? No need to factor in your loss/gain - just use the fitbit number.
You could, in theory, compare your fitbit number to cals eaten + weight lost/gained in cals as a double check, but that just brings more estimates into play that could further muddy and already muddy topic.0 -
jojoeastcoast wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »However, the only way to know if the burn is accurate for you is to compare at least 4 weeks of data. I am constantly re-evaluating mine, because while the estimate might be okay for now that could always change as I lose weight. I compare what I lost to what my intake vs Fitbit calorie burn estimates I should have lost.
Example:
30 Day Average Fitbit Burn - 2584
30 Day Average Intake - 1938
30 Day Average Deficit - 646
30 Day Total Deficit - 19380
Expected Loss based on Intake & Fitbit Calorie Burn - 5.53xxx
Actual Loss - 5.4
Either my logging is off by approx 16 calories a day or the Fitbit estimate is too high. It's highly possible that my own logging is a bit off. There were a couple days the past month that I had to completely estimate my intake because I went to eat at a restraunt that doesn't provide calorie information.
However, just because it comes out this close for me, doesn't mean that it will for everyone. Some people have found the calories burned to be around 10% too high. So my suggestion is give it some time and then do your own comparison like I do (cheat: 30 day average burn and 30 day average intake are on your Fitbit profile page).
I really like this approach! I am getting a FitBit (hopefully today), so am interested in this.
*************************
Not to hijack this thread... but I am looking at this calculation, and I realize that I could calculate my TDEE using historical data as well... right?!?
If I take my 4 week average daily NET calories: 1818/day + my 4 week average daily deficit of 250 calories (based on my 2 lbs loss in 4 weeks... 7000 cals/28 days = 250 deficit/day)... can I then presume my TDEE is 2068 calories?
Personally -- I like the concept of being able to burn more/eat more, as I find it motivates me to get out and move more... so I don't think I could work with the TDEE calculation approach to setting constant calorie goals. But I find the calculation interesting. I just checked using an online TDEE calculator, and its pretty close.
[/hijack] *************************
Thanks for posting this OP!
My Flex died a year or so ago, so I'm just going from memory here... but doesn't it estimate/calculate your TDEE each day? No need to factor in your loss/gain - just use the fitbit number.
You could, in theory, compare your fitbit number to cals eaten + weight lost/gained in cals as a double check, but that just brings more estimates into play that could further muddy and already muddy topic.
I meant without a FitBit... I could estimate my TDEE using historical data from MFP.
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jojoeastcoast wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »However, the only way to know if the burn is accurate for you is to compare at least 4 weeks of data. I am constantly re-evaluating mine, because while the estimate might be okay for now that could always change as I lose weight. I compare what I lost to what my intake vs Fitbit calorie burn estimates I should have lost.
Example:
30 Day Average Fitbit Burn - 2584
30 Day Average Intake - 1938
30 Day Average Deficit - 646
30 Day Total Deficit - 19380
Expected Loss based on Intake & Fitbit Calorie Burn - 5.53xxx
Actual Loss - 5.4
Either my logging is off by approx 16 calories a day or the Fitbit estimate is too high. It's highly possible that my own logging is a bit off. There were a couple days the past month that I had to completely estimate my intake because I went to eat at a restraunt that doesn't provide calorie information.
However, just because it comes out this close for me, doesn't mean that it will for everyone. Some people have found the calories burned to be around 10% too high. So my suggestion is give it some time and then do your own comparison like I do (cheat: 30 day average burn and 30 day average intake are on your Fitbit profile page).
I really like this approach! I am getting a FitBit (hopefully today), so am interested in this.
*************************
Not to hijack this thread... but I am looking at this calculation, and I realize that I could calculate my TDEE using historical data as well... right?!?
If I take my 4 week average daily NET calories: 1818/day + my 4 week average daily deficit of 250 calories (based on my 2 lbs loss in 4 weeks... 7000 cals/28 days = 250 deficit/day)... can I then presume my TDEE is 2068 calories?
Personally -- I like the concept of being able to burn more/eat more, as I find it motivates me to get out and move more... so I don't think I could work with the TDEE calculation approach to setting constant calorie goals. But I find the calculation interesting. I just checked using an online TDEE calculator, and its pretty close.
[/hijack] *************************
Thanks for posting this OP!
My Flex died a year or so ago, so I'm just going from memory here... but doesn't it estimate/calculate your TDEE each day? No need to factor in your loss/gain - just use the fitbit number.
You could, in theory, compare your fitbit number to cals eaten + weight lost/gained in cals as a double check, but that just brings more estimates into play that could further muddy and already muddy topic.
Yes it calculates your TDEE daily (and provides an average on your profile page). I was just providing a way to help people see how accurate the numbers were for them.
@jojoeastcoast - yep, you could totally do that. It's still just an estimate based on your own logging accuracy, but it should work just fine.0 -
jeremywm1977 wrote: »Here's my opinion (Bear in mind before you shower me with your scorn that this is my opinion, opinion sprinkled with some facts). This will likely be an unpopular viewpoint.
The thing with FitBit is that it is tracking your steps.......that's it. It's not tracking your effort in making those steps. If you did 5000 steps just walking around your house.......up and down to the bathroom, back and forth to the kitchen to make a sandwich. Maybe a few errands to pick up a gallon of milk, get the kids from school, etc., go ahead and pat yourself on the back for moving around, but I don't think any drastic change to your caloric intake is mandated.
On the other hand, if you did 5000 steps speed walking around your block, holding weights, walking uphill, etc............something to actually make you breathe hard or break a sweat, then maybe (again, "MAYBE") you might consider having a snack.
I'm down from my soapbox.............and now the hatestorm can begin.
No hate here at all, but the fitbits are a bit more advanced than you think, and changing all the time. Even the most basic fitbits record and report not just steps, but active minutes and very active minutes. It will know the difference between running 2 miles in 20 minutes and walking 2 miles in the course of your day, and the calorie adjustment will be reflected accordingly. I can walk 10k steps in my day, or get in 10k steps in a single run. They are different calorie adjustments. Just last month Fitbit gave even more consideration to the concern you have, and now won't award active minutes for anything under 10 consecutive minutes.
All that said, the usefulness of such a device requires a user to have a good understanding of where it is helpful, and what its limitations are. You're right- it won't know if you're running a mile on a flat surface or running it up a steep incline. But a few weeks of user-specific data and its pretty easy to understand where the true calorie adjustments are.
To answer the OPs question: I eat back all but about 50 calories of my adjustment. Mostly because I've learned that the fitbit extrapolates your daily burn through until midnight. If I've had an active evening it seems to think that will continue through long past I've gone to bed. Looking back over enough weeks I've seen it always loses about 50 the next day.
I've had mine 10 months now. I've lost as expected eating back the adjusted calories.0 -
Here is a realted question -- if I am doing, for example, a 30-minute strength circuit, and record it in MFP -- are my calories being a bit "double counted" for the steps I took during the workout?0
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jojoeastcoast wrote: »Here is a realted question -- if I am doing, for example, a 30-minute strength circuit, and record it in MFP -- are my calories being a bit "double counted" for the steps I took during the workout?
It will not double up if you accurately log the time you started and the duration of the exercise. Fitbit will accept the workout recorded and override their numbers by MFP's numbers.
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shadow2soul wrote: »jojoeastcoast wrote: »shadow2soul wrote: »However, the only way to know if the burn is accurate for you is to compare at least 4 weeks of data. I am constantly re-evaluating mine, because while the estimate might be okay for now that could always change as I lose weight. I compare what I lost to what my intake vs Fitbit calorie burn estimates I should have lost.
Example:
30 Day Average Fitbit Burn - 2584
30 Day Average Intake - 1938
30 Day Average Deficit - 646
30 Day Total Deficit - 19380
Expected Loss based on Intake & Fitbit Calorie Burn - 5.53xxx
Actual Loss - 5.4
Either my logging is off by approx 16 calories a day or the Fitbit estimate is too high. It's highly possible that my own logging is a bit off. There were a couple days the past month that I had to completely estimate my intake because I went to eat at a restraunt that doesn't provide calorie information.
However, just because it comes out this close for me, doesn't mean that it will for everyone. Some people have found the calories burned to be around 10% too high. So my suggestion is give it some time and then do your own comparison like I do (cheat: 30 day average burn and 30 day average intake are on your Fitbit profile page).
I really like this approach! I am getting a FitBit (hopefully today), so am interested in this.
*************************
Not to hijack this thread... but I am looking at this calculation, and I realize that I could calculate my TDEE using historical data as well... right?!?
If I take my 4 week average daily NET calories: 1818/day + my 4 week average daily deficit of 250 calories (based on my 2 lbs loss in 4 weeks... 7000 cals/28 days = 250 deficit/day)... can I then presume my TDEE is 2068 calories?
Personally -- I like the concept of being able to burn more/eat more, as I find it motivates me to get out and move more... so I don't think I could work with the TDEE calculation approach to setting constant calorie goals. But I find the calculation interesting. I just checked using an online TDEE calculator, and its pretty close.
[/hijack] *************************
Thanks for posting this OP!
My Flex died a year or so ago, so I'm just going from memory here... but doesn't it estimate/calculate your TDEE each day? No need to factor in your loss/gain - just use the fitbit number.
You could, in theory, compare your fitbit number to cals eaten + weight lost/gained in cals as a double check, but that just brings more estimates into play that could further muddy and already muddy topic.
Yes it calculates your TDEE daily (and provides an average on your profile page). I was just providing a way to help people see how accurate the numbers were for them.
@jojoeastcoast - yep, you could totally do that. It's still just an estimate based on your own logging accuracy, but it should work just fine.
I calculated my TDEE using my calories consumed plus 3500 for each pound lost over the month of April. I compared it to Fitbit's numbers and the TDEE Fitbit gives me is about 100 calories less than my real-time numbers. I consider that quite accurate for a tracker.
ETA: I have had mine for over a year now so they have a good history to base their calculations on.
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jojoeastcoast wrote: »Here is a realted question -- if I am doing, for example, a 30-minute strength circuit, and record it in MFP -- are my calories being a bit "double counted" for the steps I took during the workout?
As long as you are inputting the correct start time and duration then no. Here's a video for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8duevx9y9TY&feature=youtu.be 0 -
Once again, here's a thread telling me to stick to MFP's calories (1200) and that no matter how much I move, it's "just steps" so it doesn't count. Somewhere else is a thread stating that no one but no one should eat 1200 and you should move around more to be able to eat more. Just saying, this is probably incredibly confusing for some people.
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I recently purchased a fitbit flex and the 'calories out' that syncs with MFP calculates my daily calories burned. This is great, but I'm struggling with whether or not I should eat those calories?
If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments, then eating back your Fitbit adjustments means you're eating TDEE minus deficit.
You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users0 -
So far what has worked for me is setting MFP to sedentary and trying to stay at my base MFP calories, but if I do eat back exercise cals I try to do 50% at most unless it's a treat day. Now that MFP wants me to eat only 1200 cals, I find that I would rather eat 1400-1600 on most days, so I have to move and work out a little more to earn the 50%. I try to get a minimum of 30 active minutes and get my heart rate up during my exercise, beyond just getting more steps in while doing the laundry, etc.0
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Steps are steps whether they are taken on the way to the bathroom or out on a walk. I just got a fitbit last week and it has opened my eyes to seeing how much more sedentary i am than I originally thought on days I am working at my desk! I had my calorie goals set to lightly active and I'm ashamed to admit that some days I wasn't even getting in 3k steps! It has definitely motivated me to get up from my desk every hour and walk around a little. Oh, and I will walk to the bathroom furthest away to get a little more activity. Unless I hit my goal of calories burned I will not start eating back anything. So figure out how many calories in the green you need to be to reach your goal and decide if that matches with your fitbit adjustment and go from there. Weight loss is a huge numbers game!0
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I cant tell you what to do but I dont eat back my calories. I'm never hungry because I eat quality food within my calorie limit.0
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