Eating my Fitbit Steps back.

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LittleDoodlePoodle
LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Quick question.

I have set my profile to sedentary. This affords me 1200 calories per day. I then count my steps and usually get up to 13000 steps per day.

This then gives me some extra calories. I don't always eat them all back. But sometimes it does make up for an otherwise negative net.

Is this not correct?
My diary is open.

Any advice/critique welcome.
Thanks.

Replies

  • hellobaconplease
    hellobaconplease Posts: 108 Member
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    Yes, that is correct.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Diary is not open. But if you want to eat the extra, eat them. You have a deficit already 'built in'. When you move enough to earn Fitbit calories, it means you have burned more than what MFP expected based on your sedentary setting.
  • LittleDoodlePoodle
    LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
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    Sorry! I just opened it up. #Moron.

    I'm worried that the reason I'm not seeing progress is due to eating the Fitbit calories back... because my logging is OCD spot on.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    When did you start? What was your starting weight? WHat is your most recent weight?
    LittleDoodlePoodle wrote: »
    Sorry! I just opened it up. #Moron.

    I'm worried that the reason I'm not seeing progress is due to eating the Fitbit calories back... because my logging is OCD spot on.

  • LittleDoodlePoodle
    LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
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    I'm almost a month at it now and I haven't lost anything since the first week. I thought maybe female fluctuations but they would hardly mess with three weeks of weighing?
    Started at 165 ish. Now 163.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I looked at your diary over the last week. Out of 7 days, there was one day not logged and one day more than 1100 calories over your goal. If you regularly have days where you overeat, and days that you don't log/track - that could be the source of your inconsistent results.
  • LittleDoodlePoodle
    LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
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    That was only one bold day, and it brings my net calories to 1300, so I should have still lost a pound this week? Especially when I haven't included my exercise calories from hiit which should give me an extra 300 calories on two other days, so I'm more or less at 1200/day net. But you're right. If I have been naughty I should expect improvement.

    It's just frustrating that it's been three whole weeks of no results, when I only had one properly naughty day in all three.

    #Whine
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    If you're wearing your Fitbit during the HiiT then its counting the steps. May not be an accurate calorie burn for the activity, but you're getting credit for something.

    Look for ways to improve your accuracy. Logging everything, using food scale for anything solid. Every day. And keep in mind that 1 pound per week does not mean it shows on the scale each week. Water weight fluctuates prevent that sometimes. But over time, you'd expect to lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks, 8 pounds in 8 weeks, etc. if you're regularly eating at a 500/day deficit. But if you're approximating on your food log, or not tracking some things/some days then you may not be averaging 500/day.
  • ameliabee6
    ameliabee6 Posts: 20 Member
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    I am in the EXACT same boat as you, right down to the amount of time and weight. I even had one cheat day and that's it with my calories averaging out to where there still should be some loss. It's really frustrating but keep at it. Remember the other benefits to this journey - how you feel - your energy levels are increasing, you are eating better, sleeping better etc. Also, I decided to take my measurements and one week when the weight didn't budge my waist shrunk an inch and a half and that alone kept me from wanting to give up. So take your measurements too if you aren't already! Hang in there!!!
  • drakeshattuck
    drakeshattuck Posts: 50 Member
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    Check out one of several studies that found that a fit bit will more likely hurt you more than help. This one I cite talks about people who are aware of calories they exercised and end up eating more than they normally would have because of the information.
    I personally never eat back calories. I stick to the calories and the exercise helps ensure that I meet my goal. For me, this is what works.
    npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/20/494631423/weight-loss-on-your-wrist-fitness-trackers-may-not-help
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    scale for solids like staci said AND semi solids as well. liquids in cups or spoons,I would even weigh my candy,any oil,etc etc
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Ps - quote from the article:

    And they might eat more than they otherwise would have.

    They are posting a theory, not delving in for more detail about what else differs among the 2 study groups.

    And:

    Overall the participants without fitness trackers lost 13 pounds, while the tech-enhanced group lost 7.7 pounds. They ranged in age from 18 to 35 years and had BMIs from 25 to 39.

    We would assume that the tracker group and non-tracker group had similar weight distributions but it did not actually say. So we don't know if the participants wearing the trackers had as much weight to lose as those who didn't wear trackers.
  • drakeshattuck
    drakeshattuck Posts: 50 Member
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    LittleDoodlePoodle wrote: »
    That was only one bold day, and it brings my net calories to 1300, so I should have still lost a pound this week? Especially when I haven't included my exercise calories from hiit which should give me an extra 300 calories on two other days, so I'm more or less at 1200/day net. But you're right. If I have been naughty I should expect improvement.

    It's just frustrating that it's been three whole weeks of no results, when I only had one properly naughty day in all three.

    #Whine

    This happened to me a month ago. I got pissed and decided to have an absolute perfect week. For me that is 1250 calories consumed and no more than 700 net calories, fixed calorie intake and basically 550 calories burned that I don't eat back. I lost 5 pounds the first week, I was probably due. This week I'll be perfect as well and I'm interested in seeing what happens on Friday when I weigh in. If I lose just one pound, I'll be a happy camper.

    I suggest you try what I did and remember, EVERYTHING goes on the list. When in doubt, be conservative and list something that you know is at least as much as you ate or possibly a bit more. Yeah, that single Sincker's mini is about 50 calories. Sometimes the smallest things can mess you up.
  • LittleDoodlePoodle
    LittleDoodlePoodle Posts: 154 Member
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    I do weigh everything by food scale, except when it's a tbsp or tsp but I think I'm going to buy a new food scale and weighing scales, when I can save up for it.

    A lot of my steps are done on treadmill with minimum 4% incline, though sometimes as much as 6%. I have a bum ankle and dodgy disc so I've been focusing mainly on step count but I have been assuming the calories from Fitbit are from a basic step and not an inclined one. So to an extent I underrepresented the calories burned by step, but as I havent been using a HRM I don't calculate any extra calories even though I know an incline should give me some extra burn, however small.

    Really appreciating all of the feedback guys! Thanks so much!
    ameliabee6 wrote: »
    I am in the EXACT same boat as you, right down to the amount of time and weight. I even had one cheat day and that's it with my calories averaging out to where there still should be some loss. It's really frustrating but keep at it. Remember the other benefits to this journey - how you feel - your energy levels are increasing, you are eating better, sleeping better etc. Also, I decided to take my measurements and one week when the weight didn't budge my waist shrunk an inch and a half and that alone kept me from wanting to give up. So take your measurements too if you aren't already! Hang in there!!!
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    If you're wearing your Fitbit during the HiiT then its counting the steps. May not be an accurate calorie burn for the activity, but you're getting credit for something.

    Look for ways to improve your accuracy. Logging everything, using food scale for anything solid. Every day. And keep in mind that 1 pound per week does not mean it shows on the scale each week. Water weight fluctuates prevent that sometimes. But over time, you'd expect to lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks, 8 pounds in 8 weeks, etc. if you're regularly eating at a 500/day deficit. But if you're approximating on your food log, or not tracking some things/some days then you may not be averaging 500/day.

    I did take progress pics but I don't want to take another set until I've finished a month of Kayla. I'm on week 3 now so I'm holding out a little longer. I'll probably take measurements then too, as any improvement is good.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
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    Yes I eat them and yes I lose.... you are not sedentary at 13k steps a day so you should be eating some back.

    Are you new to this workout program, if so that can lead to water retention. Are you eating a lot of sodium or time of month? If I go out even if I stay within calorie goal my loss stalls or small gain, but it falls back off after a few days
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,184 Member
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    LittleDoodlePoodle wrote: »
    Quick question.

    I have set my profile to sedentary. This affords me 1200 calories per day. I then count my steps and usually get up to 13000 steps per day.

    This then gives me some extra calories. I don't always eat them all back. But sometimes it does make up for an otherwise negative net.

    Is this not correct?
    My diary is open.

    Any advice/critique welcome.
    Thanks.

    You are supposed to eat them back. Just leave your setting at sedentary, but realize 13000 steps is not sedentary in any way.

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