Fitbit, MFP and tracking Excercise?

Gr8tDaneLover
Gr8tDaneLover Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I used to track all exercise on MFP before I got my Fitbit. Now I'm confused what to track. Fitbit tracks my steps, so how do I log treadmill and stepper machine activity? I don't want to duplicate tracking of any steps / exercise. But I want to be able to show my trainer what I have done for the week.

Replies

  • Msscorpio82
    Msscorpio82 Posts: 4 Member
    I just recently received mine as well with a similar question. I dont want my calories double but want to log my zumba workout....the agony of it all
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    When you log an activity, make sure you input the exact time that you did it. If your Fitbit is snyced, then it will not give you "step credits" for that time period.

    For example, if you do Zumba (or whatever) from 7-8, log the time and duration exactly. MFP will give you 500 (or whatever) calories for the hour of Zumba, and then it won't count the steps from your fitbit during that time.

    The exception would be is if the activity you're doing is ONLY running or walking. OP mentioned the treadmill, so if you're just walking or running on the treadmill, since that is a step-based activity, don't bother logging it separately since your Fitbit steps will cover it.
  • Jules_farmgirl
    Jules_farmgirl Posts: 225 Member
    Fitbit has the option to "start tracking" an activity, so you could also use this feature in order to pin point your exercise. MFP will pick that up in the calories it gives you and you would have the same tracking to show your trainer.
  • Gr8tDaneLover
    Gr8tDaneLover Posts: 37 Member
    Thank you ladies! This helps a lot! :)
  • charlie035
    charlie035 Posts: 1 Member
    My Fitbit doesn't appear to be syncing my activity to this app? It stopped yesterday, anyone else having similar issues?
  • YinxFed
    YinxFed Posts: 1,094 Member
    I am having the same issue. Although my calories from the food I eat is syncing well, my activities have stopped being synchronised from MFP to my Fitbit Flex.

    And entering my activities directly into my Fitbit app give me totally different readings. I am very confused.

    Any advice from MFP please?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Anything that is step based activity, I don't log - if I go for a walk either on a treadmill or outside, the FitBit captures that and automatically provides it to MFP anyway. Anything that is non step related - like stationary bike, elliptical, or circuit training - I enter as a separate activity on FitBit and then when it syncs with MFP it carries that over in the overall calorie adjustment that MFP and FitBit work out.

    I have found the two systems to be very accurate and work together well. I lost the weight I set out to lose, and am currently maintaining, eating back all my FitBit adjustments.
  • bassetbabe59
    bassetbabe59 Posts: 3 Member
    I've been wondering the same thing! I've started walking and using the treadmill and have been confused about whether to log it or not. It makes total sense to not have to log Step related activity and I don't want to double dip either! However, when I do walk, nothing will show up in my exercise/activity log. I'd like to have a general record of how often and for how long I workout. Does this mean you have to foresake one for the other then? Track steps or track exercise in your log? Thanks so much!!

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