Taking Fitbit off during workout, how to log...

BetzPod
BetzPod Posts: 30 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I have a fitbit flex which i've enjoyed using however i'm totally confused as to the calorie adjustments i'm getting. I've looked into it a bit but still can't get the answer i'm looking for.

Basically I wear my fitbit from when I wake up to when I go to bed. Tried wearing it during the night but didn't like it.

The only other time I take it off if when i'm at the gym, in which case I take it off and use my Polar ft4 watch to calculate my heart rate and calories burned.

So say I go to the gym from 6pm till 7pm, I log that on MFP with the time and calories burned which i've worked out from my watch.

At the end of the day though when fitbit does all it's syncing I have a super low calorie count compared to days when I don't go to the gym.

When i'm putting my info re: the gym into MFP I notice it's showing up on Fitbit too, so does that mean it thinks i've worn my fitbit during that time and is therefore not counting those calories as part of my daily burn??

Sorry if this is confusing, I just can't find the answer anywhere. Should I not wear the fitbit at all on gym days or wear it alongside my heart rate monitor and see how accurate it is??

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Leave your Fitbit on at the gym. Taking it off just introduces the possibility of forgetting to put it back on—or even losing it. Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time, so you're never double dipping your burns.

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the number of calories to maintain your current weight. Your default MFP calorie goal is activity level minus deficit. Adjustments are the difference between your Fitbit burn and your MFP activity level.

    If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings, eating back your 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-users
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
    trade in your fit bit for a polar A300 then you don't have to switch :smiley:
  • BetzPod
    BetzPod Posts: 30 Member
    editorgrrl wrote: »
    Leave your Fitbit on at the gym. Taking it off just introduces the possibility of forgetting to put it back on—or even losing it. Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time, so you're never double dipping your burns.

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the number of calories to maintain your current weight. Your default MFP calorie goal is activity level minus deficit. Adjustments are the difference between your Fitbit burn and your MFP activity level.

    If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings, eating back your 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-users

    Hi there,

    Thanks very much for your reply :) the only thing is that i've read the first two sections on that thread and its made me even more confused haha. At the gym I do cycling/rowing/crosstrainer/weights which that thread states needs to be manually logged as the Fitbit doesn't track it properly.

    Ahh this is so confusing! ><
  • BetzPod
    BetzPod Posts: 30 Member
    ScubaSteve1962 wrote: »
    trade in your fit bit for a polar A300 then you don't have to switch :smiley:

    i'm actually going to look that up right now! i'm easily led :smiley:
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Per_27 wrote: »
    At the gym I do cycling/rowing/crosstrainer/weights which that thread states needs to be manually logged as the Fitbit doesn't track it properly.

    Your Fitbit Flex tracks step-based activity (walking, running, dancing, housework, etc.). Non-step exercise (like swimming and biking) must be logged—either in Fitbit (that's what I do) or in MFP.

    Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I never take my fitbit off except to shower. When I do formal exercise, i.e. treadmill, biking, trampoline, I am careful to log the time in MFP. Then fitbit does not add a calorie adjustment for that time period. It works fine.
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 609 Member
    Per_27 wrote: »
    At the gym I do cycling/rowing/crosstrainer/weights which that thread states needs to be manually logged as the Fitbit doesn't track it properly.

    Ahh this is so confusing! ><

    I don't think the A300 has profile, but he M400 does. but as with your ft4, you would only record your heart rate while exercising, it will separate your training(exercise)/Activity(movement when not wearing the sensor)/BMR (what you burn by just breathing) calories, and sync them to MFP for you by using the polar app in MFP.

    BTW you would need to get a new sensor the H7 which will work underwater.

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2015
    First, there is no reason to take off the Flex while your at the gym. Even if you manually log the workouts later, it will just overwrite what it tracked for that time period.

    Second, a look at adjustments:

    Your Fitbit Adjustment on MFP is always going to be your Fitbit Calorie Burn minus your estimated MFP calorie burn.

    Logging Exercise on MFP ends up like this:
    hpv1zbutptdv.jpg
    Logging Exercise on Fitbit or just having a day that brings your Fitbit calorie burn above MFP's value:
    qk3pu3x9sqi3.jpg
    edit: Forgot to add:
    • Past Red line = positive adjustment
    • Below Blue line = negative (if negative adjustments are enabled) or no adjustment
    • Meets Blue line = no adjustment


  • BetzPod
    BetzPod Posts: 30 Member
    Excellent thanks so much for all your replies, got the hang of it now :)
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