We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Question about exercise calories

Michele714
Michele714 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
just started using the app a week ago and linked to my Fitbit Ultra. It automatically updates my extra exercise calories throughout the day based on the Fitbit information. Several days, including yesterday, I see I have extra exercise calories that I didn't use - last night I had 400. However the next day, when I look back at the previous day's diary, that excess number is considerably less. For instance, last night's 400 is now 86. So it still shows I ate less than allowed yesterday but by a much lower number. Can anyone explain this? Thanks.

Replies

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I believe what is happening is that the software is estimating your calories burned for the rest of the day based on previous activity. Since you aren't burning as many calories while you sleep, the original estimate is too high, so the next day the actual number is significantly lower.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited May 2015
    I can explain...

    MFP takes your stats & activity level and says you're going to use X per day. Lets say its 2400, just for a nice math example. MFP then assumes you use the same rate every hour, or 100 per hour in this example. In reality you have some hours you're sleeping and burning BMR which may only be 60-70. Other hours you're doing normal daily stuff (perhaps 80-90) and then some hours where you're very active and/or exercising and burning 100+ per hour.

    When you sync MFP to Fitbit, MFP takes what you've actually burned and says you're going to burn 100 per hour for the rest of the day. So if you last sync/look at 7pm, and you've burned 2200 already, MFP says 2200 + 5 hours left x 100/hr means you're going to burn 2700 total. 2700 is more than 2400, so you have 300 extra. BUT if you're 'done' for the day then you're not burning 100/hr for the last 5 hours of the day. Maybe you're doing household stuff, sitting on the couch, and then going to bed. Instead of 500 you only burn 330. So your +300 became +130.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    What I do: use Fitbit to know where I'm going to 'end up' for the day. Go to Fitbit.com, to the dashboard and then to Logging. Under the food area, click the little gear icon and change your calorie method to sedentary. Options are sedentary and personalized.

    Personalized estimates what you'll burn based on past activity. Sedentary shows what you've burned + assumes BMR for rest of the day. So move more, burn more, earn more. When I look at my Fitbit app and it shows how many I've logged for the day, and what I have 'left' I know this will increase as I move. I have a goal to burn a certain amount total per day. So I can also look at this and know how much work I need to do to get there.

    I think of it as my destined calories. Right now its morning and I've done very little. I'm destined to hit about 1300 burned IF I DON'T MOVE anymore. But I'll walk at lunch, run some errands, walk/run tonight: and hit 1850+.
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
    StaciMarie1974 That's a great explanation, thank you!
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Note for the MFP discrepancy: the later in the day you sync/check, the less the final adjustment will change.
  • blue_eyes1978
    blue_eyes1978 Posts: 127 Member
    Interesting stuff thanks for all this info very good!!
  • Michele714
    Michele714 Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you, Staci, for the detailed info and to everyone for your replies. I will definitely check my Fitbit settings when I get home. I have the Fitbit app on my phone but I don't seem to be able to do the adjustment there.
  • smrybacki
    smrybacki Posts: 78 Member
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    I can explain...

    MFP takes your stats & activity level and says you're going to use X per day. Lets say its 2400, just for a nice math example. MFP then assumes you use the same rate every hour, or 100 per hour in this example. In reality you have some hours you're sleeping and burning BMR which may only be 60-70. Other hours you're doing normal daily stuff (perhaps 80-90) and then some hours where you're very active and/or exercising and burning 100+ per hour.

    When you sync MFP to Fitbit, MFP takes what you've actually burned and says you're going to burn 100 per hour for the rest of the day. So if you last sync/look at 7pm, and you've burned 2200 already, MFP says 2200 + 5 hours left x 100/hr means you're going to burn 2700 total. 2700 is more than 2400, so you have 300 extra. BUT if you're 'done' for the day then you're not burning 100/hr for the last 5 hours of the day. Maybe you're doing household stuff, sitting on the couch, and then going to bed. Instead of 500 you only burn 330. So your +300 became +130.
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    What I do: use Fitbit to know where I'm going to 'end up' for the day. Go to Fitbit.com, to the dashboard and then to Logging. Under the food area, click the little gear icon and change your calorie method to sedentary. Options are sedentary and personalized.

    Personalized estimates what you'll burn based on past activity. Sedentary shows what you've burned + assumes BMR for rest of the day. So move more, burn more, earn more. When I look at my Fitbit app and it shows how many I've logged for the day, and what I have 'left' I know this will increase as I move. I have a goal to burn a certain amount total per day. So I can also look at this and know how much work I need to do to get there.

    I think of it as my destined calories. Right now its morning and I've done very little. I'm destined to hit about 1300 burned IF I DON'T MOVE anymore. But I'll walk at lunch, run some errands, walk/run tonight: and hit 1850+.

    Excellent explanation!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories