Steps not showing as calories

Did you try going into goals and enabling exercise calories?

tcraig1970 wrote: »

I'm hoping ok to throw this out there, I think I know the answer but double checking here. I have MFP sync w/ garmen but calories from exercise are different between the two. Should I be entering my exercise plus letting the garmen sync with it?

There is a different algorithm between Garmin Connect and MFP, but just accept what MFP gets from GC. I have a chest strap and compare what an activity puts through to MFP from my VivoActive to what the chest strap calculates and it is pretty close. I say the MFP number is 20% over the strap and figure that into what I eat, but it is actually closer than that.

So, for example, yesterday treadmill run.
Garmin 325
MFP 294
Polar 304 (so in fact, higher than what came through to MFP)

In short, the numbers from GC to MFP are pretty close for me.

And, like @mrramsey1969 posted, don't enter them twice and make sure the negative adjustment is on.

All-day activity trackers will provide a running daily Calorie total that changes from minute to minute. MFP only makes full-day projections based on your stats, so each time MFP and the tracker syncs, MFP uses an algorithm to estimate an adjustment at that specific minute of the day. Throughout the day, when the tracker syncs to MFP, MFP makes a projected estimate for the remainder of the day. Each time the two apps sync, MFP may add or subtract earned Calories based on how much time is left in the day.

It is important to check (initially and if you ever have issues) that your specific activity tracker is being used by MFP as the step source by navigating to Menu > Steps in your MFP mobile app.

If you have your MFP Activity Level set at Sedentary (Not Very Active), you will not get additional Calories added to your MFP projection until the projection is positive. For me, I am set at Sedentary, and I get a positive adjustment starting around 3000 steps.

If you bump up the MFP Activity Level by one to Lightly Active, it will take even more steps (probably a couple thousand more) to start getting a positive Calorie adjustment. If you bump up the MFP Activity Level by one more to Active, it will take even more steps; and if you bump up the MFP Activity level by even one more to Very Active, it will take even more steps.

I would suggest starting out by setting your MFP Activity Level to Sedentary (Not Very Active) and Enable Negative Adjustments* for the initial setting (if that is an option in MFP with your activity tracker). Do this for one week and note how many Calories you get in your activity tracker adjustment at the end of each day. If you consistently earn over 300 Calories in adjustments per day, bump up your MFP Activity Level to Lightly Active for one week, and keep negative adjustments enabled. If you still are getting even more Calories, bump the MFP Activity Level to Active, or if needed Very Active.

*Enabling negative Calories will normally give you negative Calories in the morning, but as you move, the Calories earned will increase throughout the day. Also, the negative adjustment is great for those days that you might be sick in bed all day so that you don't overeat.

Here is a link to a somewhat older question on the MFP Help/FAQ pages that provide a response and explanation to a similar question regarding Apple Health, Apple Watch, and possibly HealthKit.

https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/questions/16326626-tracking-health-kit-and-iphone-but-apple-watch-is-the-chosen-steps-device