Unsure MFP recording Apple Watch steps properly and weight still dropping

rodneyberman
rodneyberman Posts: 2 Member
edited April 2018 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi everyone. I successfully lost 21 kg between September and March and have been trying to maintain since then. I was previously using a different app whilst dieting but switched to MFP after recently getting an Apple Watch because the other app didn't integrate with it the way MFP does. The problem I've got is that whilst it pulls across the data from the workouts I record on the watch, I don't think it's taking enough account of steps I do from general walking. The result is that whilst I am more or less on target in eating the calories MFP says I should be eating, my weight is still dropping and I seem to have gone down another 1 kg in the past week or so. To take Sunday as an example, the Health app on my iPhone says I burned 1,044 calories of active energy. Some of this was from recorded workouts (445 cals from cycling, an outdoor walk and a gym workout) but the rest (599 calories) was from just general activity such as walking round the city centre on a shopping trip. MFP allocated me 448 calories for the workouts (about right), but only another 18 calories for my step adjustment (much less that the 599 my iPhone says I burned). I appreciate not all my steps will lead to an adjustment because my calorie allowance will already be assuming I am doing a certain number of steps, but only allowing me 18 extra calories seems way too low. I believe this is contributing to the fact I am not eating enough and still losing weight. I have MFP set up to track steps from my iPhone and Apple Watch so I am wondering what I am doing wrong. Anyone got any thoughts on whether I have set something up wrong, or if this may just be a flaw with MFP? Any ideas how I can fix it?

Replies

  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
    I wrote this on another thread. I think the sync is broken. I highly recommend the app I mention in the last paragraph- FITIV pulse
    ryenday wrote: »
    As far as I’m concerned the Apple Watch sync has been broken since at least May 2017 when I got my watch.

    If negative adjustments enabled and I perform Any workout that day the MFP sync always gives me a huge calorie negative adjustment for my steps.

    So on days I don’t do a explicit workout but get 10,000 steps I usually get my base calories plus about 90 step calories. BUT on days I do a swim MFP says +300 or so calories for swim and -400 or so calories for steps. The more I workout, the BIGGER the negative adjustment. (And my MFP activity level is set to sedentary so this makes no sense at all no matter what time I do my steps and/or workouts.)

    I gave up. Now that I’m on maintenance and trying to be very exact with my calories MFP is useless with the Apple Watch sync. I track calories burned in a different app (FITIV) and pull my intake calories Out of MFP because I can’t get any good numbers on MFP when syncing the Apple Watch.

  • rodneyberman
    rodneyberman Posts: 2 Member
    edited April 2018
    Thanks for the reply ryenday. That’s a shame. Using another app to track my calories could make having switched to MFP a bit of a waste.

    How does your workaround work, however? I assume the Apple Watch syncs automatically with FITIV Pulse, but does FITIV Pulse then sync automatically with MFP? Or do you have to manually enter the date from FITIV Pulse into MFP?
  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
    rodneyberman wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply ryenday. That’s a shame. Using another app to track my calories could make having switched to MFP a bit of a waste.

    How does your workaround work, however? I assume the Apple Watch syncs automatically with FITIV Pulse, but does FITIV Pulse then sync automatically with MFP? Or do you have to manually enter the date from FITIV Pulse into MFP?

    I told FITIV to pull data from Apple Health. I told FITIV to pull data (everything I ate) from MFP. I told MFP to STOP pulling from Apple health.

    So I still use MFP to log. But when I want to watch calories I check FITIV. The FITIV app is a first rate data organizer, I really love how it works.

    Yes, you are right about it being a Shame. As far as I can find, MFP doesn’t even acknowledge that the Apple Watch sync to MFP doesn’t actually work.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    The continual problems with MFP and the Watch are why I switched to TDEE instead.

    I looked at several months (OK, I'll be honest -- 18 months) worth of data, and based on the RMR testing I had done, calculated out what my TDEE is. I'm fairly consistent in my exercise, so I just set up manual goals instead of relying on my Watch and MFP to work. Because MFP won't own the problem, and it's not Apple's problem to fix, so this helps reduce some of the number-crazy making.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Considering Garmin has the ability to send workouts AND daily calorie burn - what Apple isn't doing correctly is possible to do.

    Then there is the Fitbit and other tracker method - only send daily calorie burn, no workouts (of course steps as a viewing stat only).

    Considering MFP already has the API's and methods for 3rd parties to sync in - I'm guessing Apple didn't want to spend much time with it - they probably figure they should be enough and it's their way or broken way.

    Doesn't the Apple watch also not give daily calorie burn, but only extra activity over some base level burn that is unknown?
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    heybales wrote: »

    Doesn't the Apple watch also not give daily calorie burn, but only extra activity over some base level burn that is unknown?

    Yup. It does the whole "resting" energy thing, that I guess is supposed to be a sedentary activity factor, and then only does "active" calories for METS 3 and higher.

  • okiewoman510
    okiewoman510 Posts: 1,310 Member
    Mine worked correctly until mid February and then I quit getting an adjustment for steps outside of workouts.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited April 2018
    I don't do workouts but my apple watch records my daily steps fine. There was definitely a period when it was NOT. But it seems to be working again. You should know that slow walking doesn't get recording because you are too smooth. Makes me crazy. In March I stood and walked in museums for 12 hours and it gave me 1000 steps. However, my steps seem to be back on par again.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    okiewoman510 wrote: »
    Mine worked correctly until mid February and then I quit getting an adjustment for steps outside of workouts.

    Taking into account it'll still be a fouled up sync process because of Apple's way of doing things - have you confirmed your MFP account settings (app and/or website) indicate the Step Source is Apple?

    If not, steps nor daily calorie burn don't come over.
  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
    nxd10 wrote: »
    I don't do workouts but my apple watch records my daily steps fine. There was definitely a period when it was NOT. But it seems to be working again. You should know that slow walking doesn't get recording because you are too smooth. Makes me crazy. In March I stood and walked in museums for 12 hours and it gave me 1000 steps. However, my steps seem to be back on par again.

    Yeah in days I don’t log a workout at all (uncommon) the step tracker syncs fine to MFP. The problemoccurs when you log a workout. If I log s workout all my step calories are gone or worse, turn into a huge negative adjustment that nearly negates my workout calories (if negative adjustments are turned on).

    Because I walk a lot and regularly (including to and sometimes home from work 1.5 miles away) and because I’m old and short and have a very small calorie allotment anyways the 80 to 160 calories that turn into 0 to -150 calories makes working with the MFP mis-syncs a non starter now that I’m trying to maintain.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited April 2018
    Is it possible to get an idea of what Apple is saying the calorie burn is on a workout without creating one?
    Then manually create an MFP workout first.
    That should then sync over to Apple instead of Apple first to MFP.
    Of course that could still foul up Apple's way of doing math and it would report less steps and daily burn to MFP anyway.
    Or if Apple's workout calorie burn is suspect anyway, for sure manual on MFP first.

    Just curious about that direction.

    ETA: Just caught email in other thread that actually the step count doesn't change. Which I didn't think it would since it's a view only stat. No math done on it.

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