FAQ - Syncing, logging food & exercise, calorie adjustments, activity levels, accuracy

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  • mikejdeleon85
    mikejdeleon85 Posts: 81 Member
    is anybody else getting an extremely high exercise number?

    i noticed in the past i hit 10000 steps and it gave me exercise as about 1200 calories burned and now for the past week i been going between 10000-13000 and i am getting almost 2000 calories burned a day from steps. Thanks in adance
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Since there isn't an exact correlation between steps and calories - you'll need to see what the math is actually based on - to confirm that's correct.

    That Fitbit cal adjustment has details you should compare, and confirm, that it's actually correct Fitbit sync data that MFP is doing math with.

    You might find regular topic in group dealing with that or start your own topic so more actually see it.
    Rarely do people read the stickies or FAQ for new posts - so limited eyes on your question for advice.
  • robertsryan89
    robertsryan89 Posts: 1 Member
    So I understand..
    - I play in an ultimate frisbee recreation league twice/week. If I wear my fitbit flex during games, I don't need to log a workout afterwards because ultimate is a step-based activity and my fitbit just accounted for steps/distance/cals burned while I was wearing during the game.
    - If I decide to go for a run or do a track workout while wearing my fitbit flex, I again don't have to log a workout afterward becuase these are also step-based activities.
    - If I go to the gym and lift weights while wearing my fitbit flex then I should log the workout afterwards because that isn't considered a step-based activity.

    When I do log workouts afterwards, it doesn't matter if I use the fitbit or MFP app? Either way it should do the same thing?

    Thanks!
  • NancyN795
    NancyN795 Posts: 1,134 Member
    So I understand..
    - I play in an ultimate frisbee recreation league twice/week. If I wear my fitbit flex during games, I don't need to log a workout afterwards because ultimate is a step-based activity and my fitbit just accounted for steps/distance/cals burned while I was wearing during the game.
    - If I decide to go for a run or do a track workout while wearing my fitbit flex, I again don't have to log a workout afterward becuase these are also step-based activities.
    - If I go to the gym and lift weights while wearing my fitbit flex then I should log the workout afterwards because that isn't considered a step-based activity.

    When I do log workouts afterwards, it doesn't matter if I use the fitbit or MFP app? Either way it should do the same thing?

    Thanks!

    Actually, the way I understand it, Fitbit and MFP use slightly different algorithms to compute your calorie burn from manually logged workouts. MFP is generally thought to overestimate calorie burn. So, while you can manually log in either one, it's probably better to use Fitbit. I log all exercise in Fitbit and all food in MFP.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    So I understand..
    - I play in an ultimate frisbee recreation league twice/week. If I wear my fitbit flex during games, I don't need to log a workout afterwards because ultimate is a step-based activity and my fitbit just accounted for steps/distance/cals burned while I was wearing during the game.
    - If I decide to go for a run or do a track workout while wearing my fitbit flex, I again don't have to log a workout afterward becuase these are also step-based activities.
    - If I go to the gym and lift weights while wearing my fitbit flex then I should log the workout afterwards because that isn't considered a step-based activity.

    When I do log workouts afterwards, it doesn't matter if I use the fitbit or MFP app? Either way it should do the same thing?

    Thanks!

    Correct on workouts needed to log.

    But - Fitbit exercise database has better calculations for the calories, so better to log there.
    Just make a wall post of MFP about the workout to inform friend's list. Do NOT log as 1 calorie as you see some do - that will replace that whole amount of time on Fitbit with a 1 calorie burn - talk about inaccuracy.

    MFP and Fitbit both start with the same database - but Fitbit leaves in original state (METS) and uses your BMR which they have for the calculations.
    MFP converted the database to work with weight using an assumed burn rate (though they have BMR also) so it looses some accuracy depending on where you are in range.

    200 lb 20 yr male and 200 lb 60 yr old female don't have the same base metabolism though MFP method would use that.
    Now, if only a 15 min workout weekly and middle of range - the amount MFP would be off is probably minor to Fitbit, and more inaccuracy in food labels.
    But - if it adds up through the week, it could be bad.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    this question may be asked and answered, if so, i apologize.

    I tend to pre-log my meals in mfp a lot so that i can plan the day, then i adjust any changes as i go. Each time i change a meal though, my fitbit charge hr logs it again. so it's counting breakfast 3 times. This doesn't matter so much because i use mfp for all my food logging, but i don't like having skewed data anywhere, it throws me off.

    any ideas how to fix this? THANKS!! <3
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    It's a bug. You have to delete the wrong item in Fitbit. Eventually they may fix it. But it's been awhile too, so perhaps not.
    But pre-logging is certainly valid method for planning. You'll eventually get to the point where you'll know roughly what a meal is for calories, and could skip the pre-logging to avoid the bug.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    thank you!
  • MrsJ1210
    MrsJ1210 Posts: 135 Member
    My fitbit seems to think I've eaten over 5000 calories today! I've logged everything the same as normal to mfp. I don't pay too much attention to the fitbit but for how many alleged ca loris I'd eaten but it did give me a shock!
  • NancyN795
    NancyN795 Posts: 1,134 Member
    MrsJ1210 wrote: »
    My fitbit seems to think I've eaten over 5000 calories today! I've logged everything the same as normal to mfp. I don't pay too much attention to the fitbit but for how many alleged ca loris I'd eaten but it did give me a shock!

    Go into the Food log on Fitbit. You'll likely see multiple meal entries for one or more meals. Compare the meals to MFP's meals and delete the ones that don't match until you only have one summary for each meal.
  • LadyStylz
    LadyStylz Posts: 1 Member
    Hi heybales, I've been using MFP for 3 years and just bought a Fitbit Alta. My fitness data isn't syncing with MFP. I tried to reconnect using the website on my laptop as you mentioned at the very top of this post and it's still not working. In my Fitbit settings I can't find where I can "Revoke Access". I don't have an "applications" section in my settings. Am I missing something?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    LadyStylz wrote: »
    Hi heybales, I've been using MFP for 3 years and just bought a Fitbit Alta. My fitness data isn't syncing with MFP. I tried to reconnect using the website on my laptop as you mentioned at the very top of this post and it's still not working. In my Fitbit settings I can't find where I can "Revoke Access". I don't have an "applications" section in my settings. Am I missing something?

    Fitbit web account - Settings - Applications - MFP - Revoke Access.

    Just to be clear though - your overall fitness data does NOT sync with MFP - only your daily total calorie burn and the steps.
  • pkw214
    pkw214 Posts: 2 Member
    I've tried revoking access and reconnecting and everything else I can think of - my fitbit still won't sync!!! :(:( Any advice?
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
    I'm having the same problem and just posted on it in a separate thread. I haven't been able to sync with MFP for about 3 days. I've seen a couple of other users having the same problem. I think there's some technical problem going on either with fitbit.com or MFP.
  • sicoe17
    sicoe17 Posts: 120 Member
    I haven't been having any problems with syncing until today. My calorie adjustment from Fitbit to mfp was right yesterday when I went to bed, and has been syncing and working just fine today. However I just went back in my mfp diary to yesterday and now the Fitbit adjustment isn't on there, so it says I went way over yesterday.
  • parkerpoop
    parkerpoop Posts: 3 Member
    my calorie burn hasn't been coming up for the past 2 weeks, it's really getting on my nerves. especially since i walked 5 miles yesterday and felt super good about it.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    For those commenting on missing Fitbit stats in MFP, you might read through several topics in main area instead of the FAQ which is rather limited in scope for topic, and rather unread by vast majority since it's only about the FAQ (usually).

    There are 2 big solutions many are finding success with.
  • dahliagrower11
    dahliagrower11 Posts: 39 Member
    I have just synced my fitbit to my mfp profile a few days ago. The info seems to go from mfp to fitbit just fine but the fitbit info (calories burned or steps) doesn't translate over to MFP. I just have a basic MFP account - is it that you need the premium account to do this?

    Thanks so much for any help....
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    No - read my response right above yours.