Running Garmin that works with MFP?

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Orphia
Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is there a running Garmin that works well with My Fitness Pal?
I had my eye on the Forerunner 235, but a friend says it doesn't send your total steps/calories burned to MFP, and that's a deal breaker.
I love my Fitbit Charge HR because it works great with MFP, but it's getting old and I'd like all the data you get with Garmin.
Don't recommend anything that won't sync with Strava!
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Replies

  • MichaelJSwann
    MichaelJSwann Posts: 35 Member
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    I don't know where your friend gets their information from. I use a Forerunner 230 and my steps and calories get sent to MyFitnessPal and of course, my activities are automatically synced to Strava from Garmin Connect.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    The Garmin platform connects with MFP. Personally I've got a VivoSmart HR, aForerunner 310XT and an Edge 520, each of which send data to MFP easily.

    The FR235 is a good device.

    In terms of ecosystem, I upload to Garmin Connect, which then sends to MFP, Endomondo, Strava and TrainingPeaks.
  • MrStabbems
    MrStabbems Posts: 3,110 Member
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    it does sync the info, however I find garmin grossly over estimates calorie expenditure and I find strava's estimation in a more acceptable range.
  • Gimsteinn
    Gimsteinn Posts: 7,678 Member
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    My garmin syncs it just fine. And I've never had the over estimate calories.
    I kinda love my garmin and I really recommend getting one.
  • treehugnmama
    treehugnmama Posts: 816 Member
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    I love my garmin too vivoactive hr. it syncs my info to mfp. intensity exercise amd steps as well as calorie burn. it plays well with mfp. I don't know what strava is so can't help there
  • iofred
    iofred Posts: 488 Member
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    FR235 is perfect, both as a running watch, an activity tracker as well as a companion to MFP :)
  • davepete57
    davepete57 Posts: 33 Member
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    I have a Vivoactive HR which works very well with running as well as all activities. It also tracks steps and plays well with MFP with the Garmin Connect app
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
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    I've been using a Forerunner 630 for about a year with MFP. I found that I had to alter my profile slightly on Garmin Connect to get my calorie numbers accurate. Other than that, there has been no issues syncing.

    FWIW, if I had it to do over, I would have purchased the 230 (or 235) over the 630. The touch screen is more of a PITA than it is worth.

    The new 735 looks like the perfect watch. Maybe Santa will bring it for me this year. :)
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Thanks everyone for your help!
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,493 Member
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    MrStabbems wrote: »
    it does sync the info, however I find garmin grossly over estimates calorie expenditure and I find strava's estimation in a more acceptable range.

    I have the opposite experience. Strava estimates are consistently 20% more than Garmin estimates.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    All of them.
  • Wkelkel
    Wkelkel Posts: 19 Member
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    Vivoactive hr and fenix 3 hr both work seamless with my mfp sync.

    Imo garmin calculations for calories burnt etc are the most reliable I have used
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Thanks again!

    I've just been offered the FR225 at a bargain price, so I said yes. Can't wait to get started with it!
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    Garmin n syncs great for me. I've never had it overestimate burn. Had my Vivoactive for about a year and a half.
  • Princess4Run
    Princess4Run Posts: 135 Member
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    I love my FR 235. My steps and calories sync no issues
  • U2Bad1
    U2Bad1 Posts: 41 Member
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    I have vivoactive HR and I love it..if anything it seems to be conservative on calorie expenditure.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    I've started using my Garmin Forerunner 225.

    Garmin Connect calories for my runs are being added to MFP, but no calories are being added for steps walked.

    I've earned 1577 kilojoules today from running 7.6 km which is in MFP.

    But I haven't had any calories sent for also walking 7 km.

    My MFP activity level is set to sedentary, and negative adjustments are enabled.
  • MichaelJSwann
    MichaelJSwann Posts: 35 Member
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    Have you enabled activity tracking on Garmin Connect? Do you have Garmin Connect set as your step source in MFP?

    You need to do both to get it to work. My 230 sends steps and activity data no problems.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    MichaelJSwann wrote: »
    Have you enabled activity tracking on Garmin Connect? Do you have Garmin Connect set as your step source in MFP?

    You need to do both to get it to work. My 230 sends steps and activity data no problems.

    @MichaelJSwann Thank you! I think enabling Garmin Connect as the step source fixed it. Thanks again. Now I can see steps added in MFP as well as running activities.

    However, the total calories earned isn't many, compared to the same amount of exercise from Fitbit, which was very accurate.

    This is only about half as many calories as I used to get.

    Could it be my activity levels?

    MFP is set to sedentary, with negative adjustments enabled.

    GC is set to highly active. (8)
  • katharmonic
    katharmonic Posts: 5,720 Member
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    @orphia - I had similar issues when I switched from Fitbit to Garmin. I think I ended up adjusting my activity level in Garmin connect. I currently have it set on 5 but I think I had it higher before. Now the calorie burn matches up better between GC and MFP and is more similar to what I was used to with Fitbit, which has been working for me as I eat those exercise calories back.

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