MFP vs Fitbit

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Terpnista84
Terpnista84 Posts: 517 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I set my Fitbit goal to have a 1,000 calorie deficit. I move a lot and workout and I averaged over 3,000 calorie burn for the day. I eat about 2,000 calories so I managed to hit my target deficit with a only a few hundred remaining calories available. On MFP I have about 700 calories remaining.

If you have a Fitbit, do you follow MFP calorie allowance or Fitbits. I noticed that Fitbit shows you the calories you can eat based on what your burned for the day, whereas MFP goes by what your goal is and adjusts as you add activity. Does anyone find a particular method more beneficial?

Replies

  • aqualeo1
    aqualeo1 Posts: 331 Member
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    You can link the two so mfp will adjust your calories depending on your activity. I set mfp on sedentary and let it add the appropriate calories depending on my activity.
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
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    I base my eating on MFP.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I follow mfp's calories. Fitbit for exercise, mfp for calories.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
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    christinev297 wrote: »
    I follow mfp's calories. Fitbit for exercise, mfp for calories.

    This is what I do, too. It has been remarkably accurate in predicting my weight loss.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
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    I have a Garmin Vivoactive, and MFP always has a little less calories remaining than the Garmin app, so I follow the MFP calories remaining. MFP shows the correct calories burned for exercise, but seems to not show all the calories for steps taken.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    You can enable negative adjustments from your FitBit in your MFP settings so that MFP will start showing you the amount FitBit recommends.

    Personally I do not have negative adjustments enabled and I use the MFP number instead of my fitbit number. It is my understanding that FitBit can underestimate your TDEE because it assumes your RMR (resting metabolic rate) any time you are not taking steps or exercising. In reality, you are burning more than your RMR even when you are just sitting around. I think the MFP number is a little more accurate.
  • AuroraGeorge8393
    AuroraGeorge8393 Posts: 100 Member
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    It's the same for me. I use a FitBit Zip. I linked my accounts, have set MFP to sedentary and enabled negative adjustments, but MFP still "allows" me a few hundred calories (between 300-500 calories) more a day than the FitBit dashboard. Not sure why there is a difference between the two since they are based on the same intake and burn. I'm overly cautious, so I tend to rely on the lower calorie estimate provided by my FitBit.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I follow mfp but should they not be the same if you linked them?

    Off to investigate, brb

    Unless my maths is wrong looks to be my fit bit has an extra 50 calories. Not really anything to be concerned over.

    But your saying yours are out by hundreds?
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Terpnista84 wrote: »
    Do you follow MFP calorie allowance or Fitbit's?

    Fitbit prorates your calories by time of day—and goes below 1,200. Ignore your Fitbit calorie goal and follow MFP's, eating back your adjustments.

    But you must enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

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