Quick question about Fitbit added calories from steps

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astrocosmiczoom
astrocosmiczoom Posts: 86 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I hoped someone would be able to solve this quickly here.

I used to run a lot and get ~12,000 steps a day. Even then, I would only gain probably ~900 calories on MFP from steps, which seemed correct.

Now, when I do 3,500 in a day, it adds around 600 calories! I shouldn't be getting this many calories for this few steps. Is it based on an average or something? Do I have a setting off somewhere? My TDEE and BMR are the same as back when I was doing 12,000 steps, so I shouldn't be earning that many extra.

Replies

  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    In my opinion you shouldn't link the two. Let your steps be a "bonus".

    Half way through my 60 lb loss I got a fitbit and synced it to MFP. Suddenly I was getting these extra 4-600 calories a day and my weight loss stalled for months until I figured out what was happening.
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    257_Lag wrote: »
    In my opinion you shouldn't link the two. Let your steps be a "bonus".

    Half way through my 60 lb loss I got a fitbit and synced it to MFP. Suddenly I was getting these extra 4-600 calories a day and my weight loss stalled for months until I figured out what was happening.

    I agree with this 100%. I have a fitbit, but I don't even wear it anymore. It's more useful for trying to get you to attempt to move around more, than as an actual gauge.

    Honestly I think a lot of people have issues when they attempt to try to mess with their calorie intake based on activity. Keep it simple, eat at a fixed deficit; any added activity is just a bonus.
  • jeichelb83
    jeichelb83 Posts: 172 Member
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    When I synced mine it adjusted to around double the calorie burn it should have. Now I manually log my cardio and only take a third of what it gives me.
  • ssanford77
    ssanford77 Posts: 20 Member
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    I do have my Fitbit linked but I never eat the calories from it. I don't trust it. If you have changed your activity level with MFP that will change how many calories you receive. I have also noticed that the earlier in the day I sync the more I seem to receive. I suggest only using it for information purposes and don't rely on it to be accurate.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    And here I will disagree with everyone else. I eat back 95-100% of my fitbit added calories and still maintain my weight and before I hit maintenance, I was losing at my planned rate eating back my fitbit adjustment.
  • octopusplum
    octopusplum Posts: 46 Member
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    I think it's a good way to track but can be dangerous if you're eating it all back. If you exercise and don't have negative adjustments it cancels out the lowest of the two which I feel has presented a more accurate picture. Your milage may vary.
  • JinjoJoey
    JinjoJoey Posts: 106 Member
    edited October 2016
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    I have a Garmin VivoActive. I've been using it for months now. I have my activity level set to sedentary in MFP, so my current calorie needs should be about set for pure laziness mode. I'm currently set to maintenance and have been for a few months. I've been eating back all of my daily step calories for months now, that my Garmin gives back to me... Although if I walk 10,000 steps in a given day, it usually only gives me back, anywhere from 200-300 calories... So it sounds like FitBits might overestimate calorie burn... I don't know, as I've never used one. I can say, that my Garmin has been spot-on, for me, since I bought it and I've gained no weight back and even been down, half a pound to a pound, some weeks that I weigh in.

    I should also mention that I jog... A LOT. Usually. 2-4 miles every day. And I've never seen my Garmin double up calories. If I log a jogging exercise on my Garmin, it adds those calories to MFP as extra to be eaten and doesn't add regular step calories at the same time. Sounds like Fitbits might double that up, sometimes.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,021 Member
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    capaul42 wrote: »
    And here I will disagree with everyone else. I eat back 95-100% of my fitbit added calories and still maintain my weight and before I hit maintenance, I was losing at my planned rate eating back my fitbit adjustment.

    This is true for me as well.

    It does seem odd that you are getting a 600 Cal adjustment at 3500 steps. I would check all your settings on both. I have mine both set to sedentary (I have a desk job) and I have negative calories enabled. I usually don't start getting a positive adjustment until I hit over 3500 steps.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
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    I eat back half of them and I lose just like I should.

    I dont log any exercise though in mfp.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    If your Fitbit is giving you 900 calories for 12000 steps something is wrong

    I Eat 100% of my Fitbit zip calories and have for almost 3 years ...I've found that over sedentary I'd get 350-500 calories for 10k steps dependent on intensity

    I'd check your settings

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