Activity Level + eating back calories

MelanieCN77 covered the activity level setting, so in regards to the fitbit - it might help to first stop thinking of the added calories as exercise calories.

With the fitbit synced, it's increasing the number of calories it's estimating you're burning above and beyond your activity level setting. (And changing your level to sedentary is only going to increase your calories added by fitbit). You're not the only one I've seen post about how they "feel" fitbit gives them too many calories just because of steps. I think that's not really a helpful or healthy mindset. Exercise is important for health - physical and mental - but it's going to be more beneficial to increase your NEAT, or daily movement without exercise. The more "active" a person is in day-to-day life, the more calories they burn.

Now, that doesn't mean fitbit, or any device is 100% accurate. All devices and systems, like MFP, give estimates. This is another thing people get tripped up by, and sometimes angry or self-righteous about. "My metabolism is slow!! I don't lose on [x] calories like MFP/fitbit/device says I should."

Oftentimes, this is an issue of food logging "issues," which could include loose logging. Loose logging is fine if it works. If it's not working, a person may need to knock a couple hundred calories off their goal because they're likely eating more than the numbers indicate they are.

If you haven't had your fitbit for long, you might give it a few weeks to adjust. However, what you should focus on is gathering your personal data and seeing if your logging matches up with your weight loss. This means giving yourself around six weeks before changing anything. This may seem like a long time, but it's important to allow time for natural weight fluctuations to smooth out your data. In the scheme of things, giving it a reasonable about of time will limit frustrations that happen when someone changes things every couple of weeks because they don't think their strategy is working.

If, after that time you find you're losing more or less than expected, adjust your numbers. This may mean consistently eating only 75% of the extra calories, or whatever. I have also seen people recommend changing the fitbit stats so that you're one inch shorter, if it's giving you too many calories. I've had a fitbit for years now, and mine is accurate. I will say that I don't log any exercise, though. I mostly walk, sometimes run, and do body weight exercises. I just let fitbit count everything as steps, and it's worked for me.

Sorry this post is so long. I hope it's helpful.