Would you get a tracker that doesn’t sync to MFP?
kiela64
Posts: 1,447 Member
I’ve had issues figuring out my actual calories out and actual maintenance calories. I’m returning to my active job soon following an injury (I’ve been mostly sedentary for the past month and a half). I also swim, and I want a tracker to do that too.
I looked at the Fitbits (charge 3 because of swimming) but found the hard shape of the top hurt my wrist. The Garmin ones look the same.
Of the choices I’m looking at, most are discontinued by the manufacturer (Misfit Shine 2) or don’t connect to MFP (Withings Pop, MOOV Now).
I’m trying to figure out what the challenges would be with ones that don’t connect to MFP.
I previously had a Misfit Flash (that I lost and I’m really sad about!) so I’m familiar with Misfits issues (mediocre data, disagreed with MFP on my BMR and gave me extra calories without moving, often refused to sync for 24h).
So if you use one that doesn’t sync/unsynced let me know? How do you track your cals burned?
I looked at the Fitbits (charge 3 because of swimming) but found the hard shape of the top hurt my wrist. The Garmin ones look the same.
Of the choices I’m looking at, most are discontinued by the manufacturer (Misfit Shine 2) or don’t connect to MFP (Withings Pop, MOOV Now).
I’m trying to figure out what the challenges would be with ones that don’t connect to MFP.
I previously had a Misfit Flash (that I lost and I’m really sad about!) so I’m familiar with Misfits issues (mediocre data, disagreed with MFP on my BMR and gave me extra calories without moving, often refused to sync for 24h).
So if you use one that doesn’t sync/unsynced let me know? How do you track your cals burned?
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Replies
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I have a Fitbit One and Garmin vivosmart3, neither synced with MFP. I use my 6 years of Fitbit reports to learn what my maintenance calories are (1900-2200 depending on weather). I go by TDEE method and only log deliberate exercise which isn't much.0
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Mine is lost, but I had one that didn't auto sync. I use Pacer on my phone and turned off auto sync. I ended up messing around with the numbers anyway, so I just enter it by hand. It's never incredibly accurate no matter what I do.0
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Don’t trackers give calories burned?
Shouldn’t be hard to keep track of. For me it seems that both my Fitbit and MFP overestimate calorie burn. I have it synced to MFP, but really don’t pay much attention to the figures. My Fitbit provides incentive to move more, and I don’t eat back the calories burned.
It’s pretty much simple math if you figure it out manually though, and keep track of it in notes.0 -
I love my fitbit (alta HR) but I don't synch it to mfp as it messes with my head
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missysippy930 wrote: »Don’t trackers give calories burned?
Shouldn’t be hard to keep track of. For me it seems that both my Fitbit and MFP overestimate calorie burn. I have it synced to MFP, but really don’t pay much attention to the figures. My Fitbit provides incentive to move more, and I don’t eat back the calories burned.
It’s pretty much simple math if you figure it out manually though, and keep track of it in notes.
At least when I had the Misfit it would give me like a total TDEE but I couldn’t pull apart what was steps/activity and what was just its assumptions of my BMR. Even when it did sync it would add calories when I forgot it at home or something and the device itself didn’t even move. So I didn’t know what was from movement and what was just this disagreement about BMR.0 -
cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?2
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I don't think I would. I've got a Garmin 3hr and it's been on my wrist since I bought it, except to charge. It makes things so much simpler and I don't seem to have much issue with the calories it reports burned.
But I also have a wifi scale so I don't even type my weight in any more.1 -
So if you use one that doesn’t sync/unsynced let me know?
How do you track your cals burned?
Mine (Garmin) would sync if I connected it I choose not to sync
I track them on my tracker and have a spreadsheet.
MFP data are exported to my computer and in spreadsheet Once a week I update the spreadsheet
Yes more work Less connecting accounts Less connectivity/hacking issues A tiny bit more security -> worth it
Cambridge analytics through connecting accounts still very fresh in my mind2 -
Lolinloggen wrote: »So if you use one that doesn’t sync/unsynced let me know?
How do you track your cals burned?
Mine (Garmin) would sync if I connected it I choose not to sync
I track them on my tracker and have a spreadsheet.
MFP data are exported to my computer and in spreadsheet Once a week I update the spreadsheet
Yes more work Less connecting accounts Less connectivity/hacking issues A tiny bit more security -> worth it
Cambridge analytics through connecting accounts still very fresh in my mind
Interesting! How do you set up your spreadsheet?0 -
I have the Fitbit AltaHR and had to get accustomed to a looser fit on my wrist than I would have typically thought. It likes a little “slop”.
I do sync it to MFP an sometimes it takes up to 30 minutes to see a calorie adjustment display on MFP.
Based on what I have read here about the accuracy, or lack thereof, I mentally adjust all the exercise adjustments by 25% down, I would rather over eat than under eat my calories , especially being keen to habituate myself for the rest of my life.
Good luck to you!0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?
Possibly, I’m not really sure how to do that.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?
Possibly, I’m not really sure how to do that.
do you know how many calories you were eating and what your rate of loss was when losing?0 -
Nope, I love my Garmin. Syncing with MFP is important to to me.1
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I'll preface this by saying I'm not the most active person on Earth, and I'm not truly answering the question you asked, so feel free to disregard
I had a tracker that synced to MFP for a while. It was fun at first. Then it got annoying. Then I realized it was an unnecessary complication for me and ditched it. I weigh daily and track my trend. From that data, along with my daily calories recorded here, I backed into my average daily activity level based on calories in vs. weight lost and set MFP to that. Meaning I have the same calorie goal every day (I may eat more some days and less others, but keep my weekly total in line with my set goal). For people who are very active, with wide-ranging levels of calories burned based on their exercise, this probably wouldn't work. But for lazy little ol' me it's perfect.2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?
I am strongly considering doing that and just always ignoring exercise calories. My exercise per week isn't always the same but usually in the same general range. I should just use a daily goal that has me trend towards the middle of my range, using a different goal depending on whether I need to trend up or down. I was making myself crazy trying to get my burn numbers right and eat exactly the right amount every day, knowing full well that both consumption and burn are always estimates.1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?
Possibly, I’m not really sure how to do that.
do you know how many calories you were eating and what your rate of loss was when losing?
Approximately. It varies a lot because at first I was losing too quickly while I was working at my active job a lot. My intake was aiming for 1lb/week but I had weeks between 2-3lb/week loss rate as recorded by my app. But I didn’t stay there, and I’ve had weeks where I’ve gained. So I’m not sure where to take the data from when it’s so variant, both in activity & intake and loss/gain.
I had a section of time where it looked like I was still losing at a rate of 0.75lb/week while eating quite a lot & being sedentary after my concussion (I made a previous thread about it because I was so confused by that) but a few days later the scale jumped up 2lbs and I think it was just delayed, not a sign of a higher metabolism. Now it says gaining at a rate of 0.9lb/week. But the last time it said this I was on a better track for one week and it returned to a loss rate. I use happy scale if that makes a difference.0 -
Definitely. I actually don't want my tracker/watch/phone syncing with MFP. I think it's easier to keep things separate.
But to you bigger problem/question...
Given that all of this is just a series of estimates and approximations, the only way to know your actual numbers is to log/track thoroughly and consistently for 2 months, while also weighing in regularly. From all that data, you should be able to calculation your numbers.1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »cant you just use your real life weight loss data to get your maintenance?
Possibly, I’m not really sure how to do that.
do you know how many calories you were eating and what your rate of loss was when losing?
Approximately. It varies a lot because at first I was losing too quickly while I was working at my active job a lot. My intake was aiming for 1lb/week but I had weeks between 2-3lb/week loss rate as recorded by my app. But I didn’t stay there, and I’ve had weeks where I’ve gained. So I’m not sure where to take the data from when it’s so variant, both in activity & intake and loss/gain.
I had a section of time where it looked like I was still losing at a rate of 0.75lb/week while eating quite a lot & being sedentary after my concussion (I made a previous thread about it because I was so confused by that) but a few days later the scale jumped up 2lbs and I think it was just delayed, not a sign of a higher metabolism. Now it says gaining at a rate of 0.9lb/week. But the last time it said this I was on a better track for one week and it returned to a loss rate. I use happy scale if that makes a difference.
So happy scale should be able to give you an idea of whether you're gaining/maintaining etc?
None of this is an exact science anyway. You need at least 6 weeks of data before you say it's too much or too little to eat.2 -
I don't sync my Garmin VivoActive 3. When I got it, I watched it for a couple weeks, and saw that it estimated my all-day calorie burn quite inaccurately (as compared with what I knew from almost 3 years of MFP logging). Syncing it would just be an annoyance.
So, on MFP, I log its calorie estimates for certain types of exercise activity that HRMs are likely to be a decent-ish estimator for, and ignore its TDEE estimates.
Why do I keep using it if it's inaccurate? Calories are not my whole world. I like HR for monitoring & motivating exercise, and need GPS-based pace and distance data for rowing. Being old-school (and old
), I always wear a wristwatch. The VA3 is a decent-looking wristwatch. Some of the other stats it gives me are fun, too . . . if sometimes pretty imaginative. (The sleep data is a hoot: It probably thinks I'm asleep right now.) 2 -
Nope.
You were dreaming. You're still dreaming btw. When you finally do wake up, you will find out it is 2052 and you will learn to bow before the Buffalo overlords.1 -
You are so good, you can answer MFP questions in your sleep! Mine always thought I was asleep while watching TV. Ok, most of the time I probably was, at least toward end of the show
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You are so good, you can answer MFP questions in your sleep! Mine always thought I was asleep while watching TV. Ok, most of the time I probably was, at least toward end of the show
I'm usually good for the beginning and end, I just tend to miss some of the middle.
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lol 😂 yes I have zero expectations of or interest in “tracking” my sleep.
I’m leaning towards the Misfit or the Moov now. Misfit at least sorta syncs, even though it’s not really communicating correctly it has the potential to be fixed. Moov seems cool with the coaching features, plus it’s a little cheaper. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m guessing my way forward is kinda unknown still. It would be better if I could do something super consistent where I was making all my food myself and tracking it to the gram with my activity & my weight but tbh I don’t see that happening. Aiming for good enough is enough of a struggle. But knowing where “good enough” is is the challenge 🤷🏻♀️1 -
I just ditched my old fitbit hr for an Amazfit that doesn't sync over. This one provides an estimated burn for the exercise it records, without BMR data, so it makes it easy to record my exercise total at the end of the day if I feel like it. I tend to go more with a TDEE approach, using the Scooby's Workshop calculators, because my daily routine is pretty much the same. I like the watch. It was cheap and it seems pretty accurate. The sleep data is bonkers though. I got five hours last night and it says only 44 minutes of it was in REM. Who knows, maybe its right and that's why I'm exhausted today.0
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Mine didn't connect to MFP (and recently stopped charging). I basically used it to get a better idea of how many steps I took in a typical day and so how active I should put myself down as.
My old fitbit gave odd sleep data too - back when I walked with the kids in a pushchair, the vibration of holding the handles would put it in and out of sleep mode as I walked.
And if I had it on "normal" it said I slept like a log the whole time I was in bed, if I had it on "sensitive" it said I got about 2-3 hours sleep a night !!! (though in light of some recent health issues and finding out I was sleeping worse than I realised, maybe that wasn't so far off...)0 -
Apple Watch - love it. And it’s useful for things beyond fitness.0
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