Garmin and MFP sincing

Kell_bambi
Kell_bambi Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

I have my Garmin sinc'd in with MFP. Yesterday I did 3000 steps and MFP calculated I exercised 290 calories then today I did over 8000 steps and it's calculated less calories than yesterday.

I don't understand why, can someone shead some light onto this please?

Replies

  • Katerbels
    Katerbels Posts: 106 Member
    3,000 steps isn't going to burn 290 calories...so chances are the lower burn for 8,000 steps is more accurate.
  • Kell_bambi
    Kell_bambi Posts: 4 Member
    The 8000 steps was 371 calories.

    Is there a way to make sure the correct calculation is getting done? The calories calculated in my garmin is different to my MFP.
  • SwindonJogger
    SwindonJogger Posts: 325 Member
    I did 18,000 walking steps yesterday and mfp gave me 360 calories. I was wearing a Garmin 235 which measures steps. 371 cals for 8000 steps just sounds too high. Not sure how your Garmin could have calculated for that unless you were running them at a fast pace ?
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    SwindonJogger wrote: »
    I did 18,000 walking steps yesterday and mfp gave me 360 calories. I was wearing a Garmin 235 which measures steps. 371 cals for 8000 steps just sounds too high. Not sure how your Garmin could have calculated for that unless you were running them at a fast pace ?

    It's not unreasonable even with a Garmin. Weight and speed factors into that. The 3000 steps and 290 calories now is a completely different story unless some other activity was involved but not specifically tracked. Looking at your Garmin activity in Connect might help you investigate that. I do trust my Garmin more than I trust MFP.

    With that said, my exercise calories in Garmin are always higher than what MFP gives me, they just are unless the only thing I did was an activity and it came over one for one (which would never happen).

  • Kell_bambi
    Kell_bambi Posts: 4 Member
    20yearsyounger wrote: »
    SwindonJogger wrote: »
    I did 18,000 walking steps yesterday and mfp gave me 360 calories. I was wearing a Garmin 235 which measures steps. 371 cals for 8000 steps just sounds too high. Not sure how your Garmin could have calculated for that unless you were running them at a fast pace ?

    It's not unreasonable even with a Garmin. Weight and speed factors into that. The 3000 steps and 290 calories now is a completely different story unless some other activity was involved but not specifically tracked. Looking at your Garmin activity in Connect might help you investigate that. I do trust my Garmin more than I trust MFP.

    With that said, my exercise calories in Garmin are always higher than what MFP gives me, they just are unless the only thing I did was an activity and it came over one for one (which would never happen).

    What do you do to make sure the garman and MFP have the same amount of calories. These steps are just walking to and from places. No exercise the past few days. I changed it to negative sincing to have the steps I've done automatically put in the exercise section of MFP. But it doesn't seem to be the same as each other. It's always negative which what ive read is because the calories in the garman are less than the MFP so it takes away the difference. However at the end of the day i have a negative subtotal because it has done this sum: calorie goal - food - exercise = - number.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    Kell_bambi wrote: »
    20yearsyounger wrote: »
    SwindonJogger wrote: »
    I did 18,000 walking steps yesterday and mfp gave me 360 calories. I was wearing a Garmin 235 which measures steps. 371 cals for 8000 steps just sounds too high. Not sure how your Garmin could have calculated for that unless you were running them at a fast pace ?

    It's not unreasonable even with a Garmin. Weight and speed factors into that. The 3000 steps and 290 calories now is a completely different story unless some other activity was involved but not specifically tracked. Looking at your Garmin activity in Connect might help you investigate that. I do trust my Garmin more than I trust MFP.

    With that said, my exercise calories in Garmin are always higher than what MFP gives me, they just are unless the only thing I did was an activity and it came over one for one (which would never happen).

    What do you do to make sure the garman and MFP have the same amount of calories. These steps are just walking to and from places. No exercise the past few days. I changed it to negative sincing to have the steps I've done automatically put in the exercise section of MFP. But it doesn't seem to be the same as each other. It's always negative which what ive read is because the calories in the garman are less than the MFP so it takes away the difference. However at the end of the day i have a negative subtotal because it has done this sum: calorie goal - food - exercise = - number.

    They use different formulas so they wont be the same. Garmin automatically adds 20% of your BMR and anything above that counts as active calories eligible for transfer. MFP uses some other formula that gives a different number so when it tries to project out your day etc, there is a difference. It could be off by up to 100 calories for me. I just leave it as is because ultimately by following it I didnt have any major weight loss problems and the number it gives me has allowed me to maintain for a year and a half now.

    However, if you are always in the negative for exercise, then your MFP goal might be too high and it is just getting corrected. Your final number (net calories) shouldnt be negative though (i understand the exercise number being negative). If it truly is, then you are not eating enough. Can you give an example of what yesterday looked like with real numbers

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