Negative Calories on My Fitness Pal

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laslade71
laslade71 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Can someone please explain, in plain English, how this works if you wear a Garmin all the time and you sync activity to My Fitness Pal. I just do not understand how it works and what it means when you are given so many calories for your day, you exercise and those extra calories get added on and then some get taken off?? Sorry if i am being thick.

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  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1399829/step-by-step-guide-to-losing-weight-with-myfitnesspal
  • earlandrew48
    earlandrew48 Posts: 18 Member
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    The great thing about technology is the measure of our advancement, and how it improves our lives. I tell my 13 year old son all the time. When I was his age, we didn't have cell phones to walk around with. If we weren't home, you didn't get us. Late home from school?? My mom sat on the porch, anxious for my return. Now, I can reach him anywhere, send him instant messages. And even track exactly where he is, anytime, real time. How about that!!!
    I'm making progress now because of my myfitness readings. Its made me understand why I was eating 2000 calories a day while only getting 74 grams of protein. Now I'm eating 1500 calories a day, but getting 174 grams of protein. I don't use fitbit watches, and things of the like. For me, this website is all I need. However, if your a gadget type person, learn how it can help, and use it for sure!! Numbers are a science. Improve your numbers, and progress. I can't help you understand how to use it. I just want to encourage you to keep focusing. I've found that the fun isn't the goal. The real magic is the journey getting there.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
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    My understanding is that Garmin reports to MFP how much I do in a day.

    MFP then decides to take some calories away from my daily goal because I'm not sedentary like I said, I'm still. Unmoving. Barely alive, really. So I don't need as much as it thought.

    Then I get some kind of calorie burning exercise like cardio or whatever and MFP lets me have that back as additional food. But since I was still all the rest of the day, my daily remains lower, so I don't get as much.

    Anyways you can ignore all that and just eat your daily goal if you like.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,912 Member
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    Terytha wrote: »
    My understanding is that Garmin reports to MFP how much I do in a day.

    MFP then decides to take some calories away from my daily goal because I'm not sedentary like I said, I'm still. Unmoving. Barely alive, really. So I don't need as much as it thought.

    Then I get some kind of calorie burning exercise like cardio or whatever and MFP lets me have that back as additional food. But since I was still all the rest of the day, my daily remains lower, so I don't get as much.

    Anyways you can ignore all that and just eat your daily goal if you like.

    I think this is very close, but that people would have issues if they said they were Active, but then were only Sedentary.

    If people's activity level fluctuates, and they don't want to see negative calories, the safe bet is to set themselves as Sedentary and get calories as they earn them.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    laslade71 wrote: »
    Can someone please explain, in plain English, how this works if you wear a Garmin all the time and you sync activity to My Fitness Pal. I just do not understand how it works and what it means when you are given so many calories for your day, you exercise and those extra calories get added on and then some get taken off?? Sorry if i am being thick.

    This is written for Fitbit - but the methods remain the same for all trackers (except Apple that sends incorrect info)

    Only difference is Garmin (and a few others) uses the option to send workouts over to MFP - Fitbit doesn't.
    Changes the math a bit. But the end results are the same.

    It's the 2nd section you'll want to review a couple times if really interested in the math. The part about adding a workout manually, that would be the same as Garmin syncing one over.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy

    Terytha's got the basic concept down.

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