How do I add steps manually please?

9Stone12
9Stone12 Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
My Fitbit will not sync anymore, but does still count steps. Can I add them manually? Thanks

Replies

  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    Have you tried to unlink MFP and Fitibt, then relink them using the website versions only?
  • 9Stone12
    9Stone12 Posts: 3 Member
    Yes, I have tried that, it will not sync to anything now - thanks for your help.
  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
    You can add them by adding exercise which is at the bottom of your daily diary page. It's not obvious. I had to really look for it.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    There is no way to manually add steps that then give you an estimate for Calories. You can note the number of steps in the notes section of your Exercise Diary. Or, you could create a custom measurement using the web version which will then sync with the mobile app, and enter number of steps using the created custom measurement in the Check-in (web)/Progress (mobile app) area.

    ​Please see these articles, and search for answers to Frequently Asked Questions and other helpful articles, on the MFP Help/FAQ pages...

    https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/1027586-how-do-i-add-notes-to-my-exercise-diary-

    https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/10704-can-i-track-additional-measurements-or-change-the-default-measurements-

    Another option is to estimate how many Calories you may have earned above your MFP Activity Level and add one of the MFP Walking exercises and modify the amount of Calories.
  • Enthusiast84
    Enthusiast84 Posts: 171 Member
    Another option is to estimate how many Calories you may have earned above your MFP Activity Level and add one of the MFP Walking exercises and modify the amount of Calories.[/quote]

    This is what I do
  • 9Stone12
    9Stone12 Posts: 3 Member
    Many thanks for your help - I think I need a new Fitbit! I will estimate until then.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    MFP has been glitchy lately, I would have used the googlefit app and it used to sync and bring the steps over to here but hasn't worked in weeks and weeks...
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 859 Member
    Or just look at your Fitbit average burn for the week take off your desired deficit then manually change your calories to that, that's what I've done since mfp & Fitbit "fell out"
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    angelsja wrote: »
    Or just look at your Fitbit average burn for the week take off your desired deficit then manually change your calories to that, that's what I've done since mfp & Fitbit "fell out"

    This is a great idea if your workout / life routine is semi-stable.

    I would suggest using a running 3 wk avg, of only normal avg weeks, no sick in bed or super active included.

    That way it's not a goal jumping all over based on 1 week, but slow changes that can still account for seasonal differences that start happening.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    kcusnem wrote: »
    Gah! I have an unrelated tracker and would like to do the same. This seems silly that I can't manually add steps!! I hope they add the option.

    You can add in your stats any number of manually created field names - call one of them Steps and add them for prior day if MFP is giving you a nicer history for tracking.

    If you mean you think steps automatically means a calorie adjustment - it doesn't. That's another figure brought over.
  • janegeer95
    janegeer95 Posts: 7 Member
    Yes... I'm adding calories from Google Fit... Dammed nuisance they are not working together any more
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    janegeer95 wrote: »
    Yes... I'm adding calories from Google Fit... Dammed nuisance they are not working together any more

    I thought they always had the same issue as Apple - sending the wrong info to MFP.

    There was post above about how to use the Google Fit average daily burn total figure to adjust your eating level.
  • kateelliott2016
    kateelliott2016 Posts: 1 Member
    Wanting to do the same thing because I use the iPhone app for counting steps. If you use the web version of MFP you can add all sorts of exercises there, but you put in minutes rather than steps for walking. Better than nothing!
  • AwesomeFood2
    AwesomeFood2 Posts: 2 Member
    I looked up how many calories you burn per step. Person of 160 pounds, it says will burn about 40 calories per 1,000 steps. This is the equivalent of 0.04 calories per step. So I went to "My Exercise," and then in upper right corner clicked on "Create Exercise." Then I named my exercise "STEPS". For calories burned I put 0.04 per minute. Then each day, how many ever steps I take, I record that as number of minutes. So if I took 9,571 steps, I select "STEPS" as my exercise and record that I did it for 9571 minutes to calculate the number of calories burned. Only way I could figure that it works for me. If you want to put in your own data, here's a website. https://calculator.academy/steps-to-calories-calculator/#f1p1|f2p0
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,847 Member
    AwesomeFood2 wrote: »
    I looked up how many calories you burn per step. Person of 160 pounds, it says will burn about 40 calories per 1,000 steps. This is the equivalent of 0.04 calories per step. So I went to "My Exercise," and then in upper right corner clicked on "Create Exercise." Then I named my exercise "STEPS". For calories burned I put 0.04 per minute. Then each day, how many ever steps I take, I record that as number of minutes. So if I took 9,571 steps, I select "STEPS" as my exercise and record that I did it for 9571 minutes to calculate the number of calories burned. Only way I could figure that it works for me. If you want to put in your own data, here's a website. https://calculator.academy/steps-to-calories-calculator/#f1p1|f2p0

    Aside from the fact that you're resurrecting an old thread, I'd like to point out that you shouldn't input ALL of your steps that way. Part of those steps are already included in your MFP activity level, so you're partially double-counting. Even at sedentary, In think the equivalent of around 3500 steps is included.

    Also, that calculator doesn't mention if the given calories burn is gross or net (including BMR calories or not). If it's gross, it's also double counting partially, since that's included in your activity level.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,260 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    AwesomeFood2 wrote: »
    I looked up how many calories you burn per step. Person of 160 pounds, it says will burn about 40 calories per 1,000 steps. This is the equivalent of 0.04 calories per step. So I went to "My Exercise," and then in upper right corner clicked on "Create Exercise." Then I named my exercise "STEPS". For calories burned I put 0.04 per minute. Then each day, how many ever steps I take, I record that as number of minutes. So if I took 9,571 steps, I select "STEPS" as my exercise and record that I did it for 9571 minutes to calculate the number of calories burned. Only way I could figure that it works for me. If you want to put in your own data, here's a website. https://calculator.academy/steps-to-calories-calculator/#f1p1|f2p0

    Aside from the fact that you're resurrecting an old thread, I'd like to point out that you shouldn't input ALL of your steps that way. Part of those steps are already included in your MFP activity level, so you're partially double-counting. Even at sedentary, In think the equivalent of around 3500 steps is included.

    Also, that calculator doesn't mention if the given calories burn is gross or net (including BMR calories or not). If it's gross, it's also double counting partially, since that's included in your activity level.

    Even more "technically". A net amount from a calculator is also not net from MFP. Because MFP is starting from a base on 1.25*BMR for sedentary (1.4x, 1.6x, 1.8x for the other activity levels). And a "net" calculator will usually deduct 1*BMR from the "gross" value, not the 1.25*BMR you've been given for the same time frame as a minimum.

    But, of course, a connected device will replace their own detection with the amount you enter manually, thus nullifying their own detection....

    After taking the time to understand what every-one is doing, I decided that in order to stay sane it is easier to let my Fitbit decide on my total daily burn (TDEE) unpolluted from my own meddling... and (back when I was logging on MFP, now logging elsewhere), my food logging to determine my estimated calories in.

    And my weight trend (as seen from trendweight.com), though for people using phones libra or happy scale may be handier, to determine whether my logging is accurate enough for my purposes or needs some corrections that I can make by adjusting my goals..

Categories