Newbie question about steps

ChibiNat
ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi

I'm still figuring my way around the MFP app and I was wondering, do the steps we take get taken into account as part of our exercise? If yes, how do we input them? If no, why?

Thanks! :)

Replies

  • Spice1973
    Spice1973 Posts: 83 Member
    Yes they do if you have a device that syncs with mfp like a fitbit or something along those lines. You can link them to mfp by clicking on apps.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    If you have an activity tracker (like Fitbit) connected to your account, then MFP adjusts your calories automatically. In the iOS app, go to More > Steps and select your device.

    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1525167
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    you set an activity level...that would include things like walking from here to there and whatnot.
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    Hi everyone

    Thanks for your advice :)

    I've synced my account with jawbone up but while it shows how many steps I've taken, exercise is still zero.

    Btw, I have a Samsung S4...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    I use a FitBit and have it synched with MFP, I get an exercise adjustment from that but MFP doesn't show my actual steps, I have to look at the FitBit app on my phone (or some devices show it directly on there) to see that.


    Are you getting an exercise adjustment from your Jawbone?
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    I'm not sure what you mean by exercise adjustment, but I've got a food score next to my steps
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    ChibiNat wrote: »
    I've synced my account with jawbone up but while it shows how many steps I've taken, exercise is still zero.

    You're getting a zero-calorie adjustment because you've burned fewer calories than your MFP activity level (sedentary, lightly active, etc.).

    Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Click on the adjustment in your exercise diary to see the math. It's the difference between your UP total burn (which is TDEE) and your activity level.
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    Hi editorgrrl

    Thanks so much for your advice! Ive enabled the negative adjustments. But I don't know where to find the exercise diary...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    ChibiNat wrote: »
    Hi editorgrrl

    Thanks so much for your advice! Ive enabled the negative adjustments. But I don't know where to find the exercise diary...

    Are you on the app or a PC? When I look at my food diary there is an entry at the bottom for exercise calories, it can read cardio, strength, or FitBit calorie adjustment.

  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    edited August 2015
    I'm on the app. I checked my food diary, it shows my meals and water consumption only. Do I need to manually add the exercise, for example as walking?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    ChibiNat wrote: »
    I'm on the app. I checked my food diary, it shows my meals and water consumption only. Do I need to manually add the exercise, for example as walking?

    Then go u to your diary, at the bottom should be an entry for cardio exercise and an adjustment from your Jawbone (I believe, that's how my FitBit works)
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    edited August 2015
    I couldn't find any exercise section in the diary. It only appeared when I clicked on the + sign and then I see cardio and strength. I clicked on cardio and it gave me a list of activities but couldn't see anything for an adjustment for my jawbone... Is this something that only appears in the desktop version?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    A
    ChibiNat wrote: »
    I couldn't find any exercise section in the diary. It only appeared when I clicked on the + sign and then I see cardio and strength. I clicked on cardio and it gave me a list of activities but couldn't see anything for an adjustment for my jawbone... Is this something that only appears in the desktop version?

    are you sure they are linked? Again, I don't know, I don't have a jawbone, but I see a FitBit exercise adjustment on the app automatically, either positive or negative.

    Is there a Jawbone user group here on MFP that may be able to help you with your device specific questions?
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    I think so, my steps appear in my home page...

    I'll try to find one.

    Thanks for all your help and advice :)
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited August 2015
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Is there a Jawbone user group here on MFP that may be able to help you with your device specific questions?

    Yes, but it's pretty quiet: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/13420-jawbone-up-bracelet
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited August 2015
    Your UP total burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat less than that, you will lose weight.

    Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/97

    Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Log food & water in MFP. Ignore your UP calories (the green tab) and follow your MFP calorie goal, eating back your adjustments. No need to log any step-based activity—your UP is tracking it for you. Log non-step exercise (like swimming or biking) either in UP or in MFP—never both. Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your UP burn during that time.
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    Ok, did all that. Don't have any green tab showing jawbone up. I can see steps taken in my home page though. I understand that I haven't reached my step goal for the day and that jawbone is tracking my steps, but even with enabled negativity adjustment, my exercise appears as zero.

    I wish we were allowed to share photos, it would make this easier.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    edited August 2015
    ChibiNat wrote: »
    Ok, did all that. Don't have any green tab showing jawbone up. I can see steps taken in my home page though. I understand that I haven't reached my step goal for the day and that jawbone is tracking my steps, but even with enabled negativity adjustment, my exercise appears as zero.

    If your accounts are connected at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/97 then MFP will send aggregate meal data to UP. But only going forward—not the food you've already logged.

    And MFP will recalculate your adjustment every time you sync your tracker with the UP app.

    Neither happens instantaneously, though. Depending on how busy the MFP servers are, it can take up to 20 minutes.
  • ChibiNat
    ChibiNat Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks editorgrrl, you're awesome!

    I'll wait and see what happens in a couple of days. I'll let you know what happens
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