Fitbit vs iphone exercise credit difference huge
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jludwick78
Posts: 34 Member
So if I use my iPhone to sync steps it credits exercise 32 calories for 6000 steps today. If I sync it to my fit bit instead, it credits me 312 calories for about the same steps. . That's a significant difference and can hugely impact my deficit for the day.
Anyone having this issue? I like the Fitbit credit since I can eat more, but if it's way wrong then I'm killing my diet!
Also, I have my activity set to not very active but move anywhere from 5000-10000 depending on the day.
Anyone having this issue? I like the Fitbit credit since I can eat more, but if it's way wrong then I'm killing my diet!
Also, I have my activity set to not very active but move anywhere from 5000-10000 depending on the day.
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Replies
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Depending on your weight...your Fitbit may be very off or could be accurate. I use my iPhone steps and my activity level is set to sedentary. I weigh 183 so 312 cals for 6k would be way too high for me.0
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I'm on my last 10 pounds at 143 so every little thing counts at this point. Maybe I should just go with the lower number. But I'm tired of dieting, and really want to eat those other 300 calories!
I'm quite active as I work in a hospital so I move around a lot oat days, so I feel the 32 calorie credit is not accurate at all.
It's just such a big difference. There's a glitch somewhere in MFP.0 -
Here's one online way of helping you look at it:
- sparkpeople.com/resource/calories_burned.asp?exercise=315
- livestrong.com/article/320124-how-many-calories-does-the-average-person-use-per-step/
- livestrong.com/article/300554-how-many-calories-are-burned-with-2-000-steps-a-day/
In tracking data, I burn about 30 calories per 1000 steps. I'm 5'3 and weigh 120. That's above my 10,000 because I'm set for "active" which includes my 10,000 steps.0 -
jludwick78 wrote: »I'm on my last 10 pounds at 143 so every little thing counts at this point. Maybe I should just go with the lower number. But I'm tired of dieting, and really want to eat those other 300 calories!
I'm quite active as I work in a hospital so I move around a lot oat days, so I feel the 32 calorie credit is not accurate at all.
It's just such a big difference. There's a glitch somewhere in MFP.
Well 312 is definitely way too high. A rough estimate to get an idea of how many calories you burn from walking is calculating your 'weight x .33 x miles walked'.0 -
The Fitbit is more accurate. The 312 is not way too high, in fact it is very realistic for someone weighing 143 lbs. and set to Not Very Active (i.e. Sedentary).
For comparison, I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2, and have MFP set at Sedentary. The last time I got 6,089 steps (6 July), I earned 447 extra Calories as my Fitbit Calorie adjustment, and with 6,108 steps (11 July), I earned 487 Calories.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Calories. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1600 Cals per day to lose those pounds. I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.6 -
The Fitbit is more accurate. The 312 is not way too high, in fact it is very realistic for someone weighing 143 lbs. and set to Not Very Active (i.e. Sedentary).
For comparison, I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2, and have MFP set at Sedentary. The last time I got 6,089 steps (6 July), I earned 447 extra Calories as my Fitbit Calorie adjustment, and with 6,108 steps (11 July), I earned 487 Calories.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Calories. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1600 Cals per day to lose those pounds. I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.
Well there you have it. For 6k steps, I have yet to burn that much but it's possible.0 -
It still amazes me that there is that much of a difference.0
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gamerbabe14 wrote: »jludwick78 wrote: »I'm on my last 10 pounds at 143 so every little thing counts at this point. Maybe I should just go with the lower number. But I'm tired of dieting, and really want to eat those other 300 calories!
I'm quite active as I work in a hospital so I move around a lot oat days, so I feel the 32 calorie credit is not accurate at all.
It's just such a big difference. There's a glitch somewhere in MFP.
Well 312 is definitely way too high. A rough estimate to get an idea of how many calories you burn from walking is calculating your 'weight x .33 x miles walked'.
312 is a bit high, but 32 is a lot low. 6000 steps is 3-3.5 miles and so would be 150-175 calories.
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The Fitbit is more accurate. The 312 is not way too high, in fact it is very realistic for someone weighing 143 lbs. and set to Not Very Active (i.e. Sedentary).
For comparison, I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2, and have MFP set at Sedentary. The last time I got 6,089 steps (6 July), I earned 447 extra Calories as my Fitbit Calorie adjustment, and with 6,108 steps (11 July), I earned 487 Calories.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Calories. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1600 Cals per day to lose those pounds. I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.
That calculation is high... 6000 steps is about 3 miles walking and a more realistic estimate is 150-225 calories at 150 lbs.0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »gamerbabe14 wrote: »jludwick78 wrote: »I'm on my last 10 pounds at 143 so every little thing counts at this point. Maybe I should just go with the lower number. But I'm tired of dieting, and really want to eat those other 300 calories!
I'm quite active as I work in a hospital so I move around a lot oat days, so I feel the 32 calorie credit is not accurate at all.
It's just such a big difference. There's a glitch somewhere in MFP.
Well 312 is definitely way too high. A rough estimate to get an idea of how many calories you burn from walking is calculating your 'weight x .33 x miles walked'.
312 is a bit high, but 32 is a lot low. 6000 steps is 3-3.5 miles and so would be 150-175 calories.
I would go with this one, the lower end.1 -
Fitbit the best
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No personal experience with Fitbit calorie estimation here, but both Garmin sports watch and Polar fitnes band give me around 200-210 kcal. per 10 000 steps, which seems to be in line with popular calculation methods. (79kg/175lbs, 180cm/5'11).0
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stanmann571 wrote: »The Fitbit is more accurate. The 312 is not way too high, in fact it is very realistic for someone weighing 143 lbs. and set to Not Very Active (i.e. Sedentary).
For comparison, I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2, and have MFP set at Sedentary. The last time I got 6,089 steps (6 July), I earned 447 extra Calories as my Fitbit Calorie adjustment, and with 6,108 steps (11 July), I earned 487 Calories.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Calories. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1600 Cals per day to lose those pounds. I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.
That calculation is high... 6000 steps is about 3 miles walking and a more realistic estimate is 150-225 calories at 150 lbs.
The Fitbit Calorie adjustment is not strictly for total steps. It is the difference between what MFP estimates your total daily Calorie burn (or TDEE) is at the chosen MFP Activity Level setting, compared to the estimated Fitbit total daily Calorie burn. I could putter around the house shuffling from room to room and rack up 6000 steps and get a lower Fitbit Calorie adjustment than if I had gone for a purposeful 4000 step walk at 4.0 mph over hilly terrain. All Fitbits have accelerometers, and most have other features, that provide data to the Fitbit algorithms that refine the Fitbit TDEE estimates.
I have been eating back most to all of my Fitbit Calorie adjustments for nearly two years and maintaining a 90 pound loss. The main reason for this I believe is that I am meticulous in measuring and logging food items. I have been logging intake for four years now; take a look at my Diary - it is open. If someone is estimating their food intake, or have an occasional treat meal and not logging that treat meal, or underestimating their Calorie intake, then they may need to eat back only a portion of the Fitbit Calorie adjustment.6 -
There are issues with MFP and Apple's integration. I just ignore what comes over, and go by the Health Kit instead.0
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stanmann571 wrote: »The Fitbit is more accurate. The 312 is not way too high, in fact it is very realistic for someone weighing 143 lbs. and set to Not Very Active (i.e. Sedentary).
For comparison, I am 55, 5'8", 150 lbs, in maintenance at 1820 net Calories, have a Fitbit Charge 2, and have MFP set at Sedentary. The last time I got 6,089 steps (6 July), I earned 447 extra Calories as my Fitbit Calorie adjustment, and with 6,108 steps (11 July), I earned 487 Calories.
I always eat back 100% of my earned Calories. I ate back 90% of them when I was losing a few pounds and had no problem netting 1600 Cals per day to lose those pounds. I do use a food scale to weigh all solids, measuring cups and spoons to measure liquids, and verify all food items I log through outside web sources and Nutrition Facts labels. I trust that my Calorie Intake is pretty accurate, and I trust my Calorie Output is pretty accurate using the Fitbit.
That calculation is high... 6000 steps is about 3 miles walking and a more realistic estimate is 150-225 calories at 150 lbs.
The Fitbit Calorie adjustment is not strictly for total steps. It is the difference between what MFP estimates your total daily Calorie burn (or TDEE) is at the chosen MFP Activity Level setting, compared to the estimated Fitbit total daily Calorie burn. I could putter around the house shuffling from room to room and rack up 6000 steps and get a lower Fitbit Calorie adjustment than if I had gone for a purposeful 4000 step walk at 4.0 mph over hilly terrain. All Fitbits have accelerometers, and most have other features, that provide data to the Fitbit algorithms that refine the Fitbit TDEE estimates.
I have been eating back most to all of my Fitbit Calorie adjustments for nearly two years and maintaining a 90 pound loss. The main reason for this I believe is that I am meticulous in measuring and logging food items. I have been logging intake for four years now; take a look at my Diary - it is open. If someone is estimating their food intake, or have an occasional treat meal and not logging that treat meal, or underestimating their Calorie intake, then they may need to eat back only a portion of the Fitbit Calorie adjustment.
And Neither of those things is going to get you to 400 calories at 5'8" and 150 lbs.
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Saw the same thing when i went from the iphone adjustment to the fitbit. FWIW, the scale seems to follow the fitbit adjustment over the last couple of years for me. In other words (as long as i'm doing my part with accurate logging), if my calorie intake vs. burn numbers for a month or so add up to what should be 5# loss (or gain), the scale will show that. Week to week wasn't really enough due to normal weight fluctuation, but a month or several usually matched up nicely.0
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My Fitbit is very accurate. I'm 5'3" and 114 pounds. My TDEE is usually between 2000 and 2400 calories. I've eaten my calories without issue. However, I think some people misinterpret the calories Fitbit shows in the Exercise section. For example, I just walked for 30 minutes. I walk a bit more than 4 mph on average. Fitbit recorded this and it shows a burn of 142 calories for that time. This does not mean I've earned 142 calories to eat. This means I've burned a total of 142 calories during that time including my BMR. Some people just take all those numbers and add them as actual exercise calories to eat back manually via MFP and that's where things go wrong. If a fitness tracker is being used, it should be linked to MFP if you're using it to determine what to eat back. Your activity level will be readjusted no matter what activity level you've set yourself as, as long as you enable negative adjustments. That's the most important part in my opinion.3
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