Fitbit info transferring to MFP
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hokiemom14
Posts: 105 Member
I'm new to syncing Fitbit and MFP. It is my understanding that if I run or exercise, I should start my timer on my fitbit and then when it stops and syncs it will transfer those exercise calories burned to MFP. It seems to work a little here and there, but it never seems to transfer over all my calories. For instance, today I did a quick 3+ miles and burned just over 300 calories. Only 150 of those calories transferred over to MFP. Is this normal? Will it adjust over time? Just trying to figure out if this is even worth doing or if I should just go back to the old way of adding my exercise into MFP.
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Fitbit doesn't transfer your "exercise" calories to MFP. It transfers ALL your calories to MFP. MFP then does a calculation to compare your "expected" calorie burn (based on your MFP stats and chosen activity level) to your actual calorie burn (based on the calorie burn that Fitbit sent). So, if you exercise but then are less active than your chosen MFP activity level the rest of the day, you'll see a smaller Fitbit adjustment than what you burned during your exercise. If you don't exercise but have a very active day otherwise, you'll see a Fitbit adjustment anyway.
You can see the calculation that MFP does by going to the Exercise page (or Diary in the mobile app) and clicking on the little 'i' next to the Fitbit adjustment (or touch the adjustment in the mobile app).
I would strongly suggest that you read the FAQ found in the stickies. It explains this, and a lot more, in more detail. Here's a handy link: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p10 -
I usually do the reverse. Fitbit only calculates your calories burned based on steps (or an unreliable HRM if you have an HR version.) For a cardio activity I use calories burned either from my Polar or from history (knowing that running 3 miles for me should be about 300 calories, like you.) When you input the start time and duration into MFP, it synchs with Fitbit and actually replaces the "Fitbit" calories with the manual MFP calories. Works really well.0
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Yes - if you know you have a more accurate calorie burn - it doesn't matter where it's logged.
But most here don't - and their level of workouts isn't to that point yet that the inaccuracies would add more than say the calories from a food label inaccuracies.0 -
Fitbit doesn't transfer your "exercise" calories to MFP. It transfers ALL your calories to MFP. MFP then does a calculation to compare your "expected" calorie burn (based on your MFP stats and chosen activity level) to your actual calorie burn (based on the calorie burn that Fitbit sent). So, if you exercise but then are less active than your chosen MFP activity level the rest of the day, you'll see a smaller Fitbit adjustment than what you burned during your exercise. If you don't exercise but have a very active day otherwise, you'll see a Fitbit adjustment anyway.
You can see the calculation that MFP does by going to the Exercise page (or Diary in the mobile app) and clicking on the little 'i' next to the Fitbit adjustment (or touch the adjustment in the mobile app).
I would strongly suggest that you read the FAQ found in the stickies. It explains this, and a lot more, in more detail. Here's a handy link: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p1
this is where i'm getting stuck, i don't have anything on any of my pages on mfp mentioning fitbit, all my info from here goes over there fine but nothing seems to come this way its driving me mad. as its making me out to be a right lardy but i've burned a shed load of calories today from exercise (i know the specific exercise info doesn't come over, but am i right in thinking the calories burned should) i use a surge and use the exercise function to record my activities0 -
whiskey9890 wrote: »Fitbit doesn't transfer your "exercise" calories to MFP. It transfers ALL your calories to MFP. MFP then does a calculation to compare your "expected" calorie burn (based on your MFP stats and chosen activity level) to your actual calorie burn (based on the calorie burn that Fitbit sent). So, if you exercise but then are less active than your chosen MFP activity level the rest of the day, you'll see a smaller Fitbit adjustment than what you burned during your exercise. If you don't exercise but have a very active day otherwise, you'll see a Fitbit adjustment anyway.
You can see the calculation that MFP does by going to the Exercise page (or Diary in the mobile app) and clicking on the little 'i' next to the Fitbit adjustment (or touch the adjustment in the mobile app).
I would strongly suggest that you read the FAQ found in the stickies. It explains this, and a lot more, in more detail. Here's a handy link: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p1
this is where i'm getting stuck, i don't have anything on any of my pages on mfp mentioning fitbit, all my info from here goes over there fine but nothing seems to come this way its driving me mad. as its making me out to be a right lardy but i've burned a shed load of calories today from exercise (i know the specific exercise info doesn't come over, but am i right in thinking the calories burned should) i use a surge and use the exercise function to record my activities
Make sure that "Fitbit Tracker" is selected as you step source in MFP. That's been a problem for some people occasionally for the last few months, although it should get automatically selected when you connect your accounts. You get to that on the web site by going to Apps, then selecting Steps at the top. On the mobile app, select Steps from the menu. If that isn't the problem, then try the disconnect/reconnect procedure (disconnect in MFP, revoke access in Fitbit, WAIT a while, reconnect in MFP).0
