Step tracking - still add exercise?

I have a misfit shine and I pretty much asked the same thing yesterday.
This is what I was told if you'd like to have a look:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10246226/misfit-shine#latest

Add non-step exercises but do not add your runs, OP. Your step counter will handle runs.

I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.

DeborahKilpatrick wrote: »

I've set the app to track my steps and I get extra calories as a result because I set my activity to sedentary. What I'm confused about is, do I still add my runs in the exercise section?

Do not log any step-based activity—including runs—if you've enabled step tracking. Only log non-step exercise, like swimming or biking.

From the Help section: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1525167

atypicalsmith wrote: »

I only log steps that I purposely walk. Such as a mile in the park, or two miles on the treadmill. I do NOT add any extra steps that might equal a mile from me just walking around Costco or whatever. I would rather underestimate than overestimate my calories burned, and it works.

An automatic step tracker adds in both but it adjusts the calorie burn for casual strolling vs. purposeful walking, vs. running. It adjusts for intensity and duration.

owensy12 wrote: »

I use MFP to track my steps, but I don't find it too accurate. I use MapMyFitness to record runs/walks and these are added into MFP automatically. Is that OK to do?

What do you mean by "use MFP to track my steps"? MFP doesn't track your steps, you need to use a device, like an iPhone or a Fitbit. In the MFP app, go to More (Menu) > Steps. What device is checked?

According to the Help article: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1525167

If you are currently linked with an activity tracker that creates Calorie Adjustments in your diary, selecting "iPhone 5s" will replace your tracker's adjustment with one calculated from the iPhone's motion data.

If MapMy is available as an option when you go to More > Steps, then you should definitely choose that rather than your iPhone. But if it's not listed, then using your phone should be fine.

owensy12 wrote: »

I have an option for 'Under Armour' which I'm presuming is for MapMyFitness. However, the steps it's saying I've done don't match up with what my iPhone says?

You should only see UnderArmour if your accounts are connected. Disconnect them at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/344

Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were using MapMy and tracking your steps with your iPhone. I didn't realize you were using UnderArmour, too.

earlnabby wrote: »

I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.

question about that one earlnabby

do you wear your activity tracker too when you are swimming?

I do my misfit and my polar watch. I log 1 calorie for my swimming manually. And the rest i let my Misfit run the numbers lol
But what i do is in the misfit when the activity shows up i log that as swimming in the app. It gives me less btw than my polar watch ( i keep an excel data list for that atm to see how much difference there is between my hrm and the misfit flash)

Funny is my misfit is low in exercise...lower than my hrm HT7
But the rest, so the end of the day calories burned seems so high to me.

For now the last 90 days data showed with the NEAT method and my polar watch was almost spot on.

Now with my misfit ( i want to go to TDEE soon) i am testing if those numbers turn out right too. So collecting data over a period of time again.
See what happens.


But i find it high for sure
Yesterday swimming according to my polar watch 317 calories. My misfit ended over 3014 daily burn..so that is with swimming and 17000 steps. A lot to me. But we will see in some weeks.

Only add non step like exercise (should be done through the tracker actually).

BurnWithBarn2015 wrote: »

earlnabby wrote: »

I only log my non-step based activity (swimming). Let your tracker do the burn calculations for all step based activity like walking and running.

question about that one earlnabby

do you wear your activity tracker too when you are swimming?

I do my misfit and my polar watch. I log 1 calorie for my swimming manually. And the rest i let my Misfit run the numbers lol
But what i do is in the misfit when the activity shows up i log that as swimming in the app. It gives me less btw than my polar watch ( i keep an excel data list for that atm to see how much difference there is between my hrm and the misfit flash)

Funny is my misfit is low in exercise...lower than my hrm HT7
But the rest, so the end of the day calories burned seems so high to me.

For now the last 90 days data showed with the NEAT method and my polar watch was almost spot on.

Now with my misfit ( i want to go to TDEE soon) i am testing if those numbers turn out right too. So collecting data over a period of time again.
See what happens.


But i find it high for sure
Yesterday swimming according to my polar watch 317 calories. My misfit ended over 3014 daily burn..so that is with swimming and 17000 steps. A lot to me. But we will see in some weeks.

Yes, I wear it while swimming but I typically record less than 100 steps during the 75-80 minutes it takes me to swim my mile and a half (most of those are probably when I hit the wall and push off with my fitbit hand). I am absentminded so if I take it off to swim, I am likely to forget to put it back on. I do log the water aerobics even though I get about 2000 steps per class. That is the only thing my logging would override.

DeborahKilpatrick wrote: »

Thanks everyone, that's really helped clear things up for me. I haven't been logging runs because assumed MFP step tracker would be enough, and it's good to know it will adjust for intensity etc. will add swimming though. I take it a Fitbit is the most accurate way to see how you're burning, though?

Fitbit (and other trackers) are more accurate than online calculators because they adjust for intensity. There are a lot of questions as to whether or not activity trackers with an HRM are accurate. HRM's that you strap to your chest supposedly are very accurate too.

I use a FitBit for tracking steps and only add in nonstep based exercise. FitBit has an app that I track my runs with just so I can keep track of my distance, speed, etc