Fitbit?

Is anyone using fitbit connected to myfitnesspal? And if so how is it working out for you?

Replies

  • davidrip1
    davidrip1 Posts: 70 Member
    I am, but to soon to tell. I also, would like input on this. Are the allotted exercise calories reasonable?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Exercise depends.

    HR-based calorie burn formula is only a decent estimate for steady-state aerobic exercise same HR for 2-4 min.
    And even then their are caveats that cause inflated HR readings above what would normally be needed - dehydrated, long into the workout or a very hard prior workout, stressed for other reasons beyond that.

    So intervals or anything with HR bouncing all over the place will be inflated calorie burn calculation.

    That being said, was that a hard 30 min 3x weekly of inflated calorie burn among an otherwise active week?
    In which case the allowed inaccuracies on food labels would be off more than that inflation.
    Or was it 60 min 6x weekly among a very sedentary lifestyle otherwise (no kids, pets, household duties, bump on a log day and night outside exercise)?
    In that case the inflated amount could add up.

    If you are out of shape your HR may be bouncing up high enough to make the device think this is a workout and start doing HR-based calorie burn - and you are only walking normally for daily things - but again - how frequent?

    Just in case if by allotted exercise calories you mean the Fitbit Adjustment that happens to show up under the Exercise Diary - that's not just exercise, or even any perhaps.
    It's merely the difference between what Fitbit reports as daily burn minus what MFP estimated for daily burn with no exercise and your perhaps underestimated daily activity level.
    Could have big adjustment and no exercise just very active that day.
    Could have no adjustment and really hard workout but slept longer that day.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,527 Member
    It is working fine for me.

    My weight trend seems to have consistently, over several years, responded such that my MFP logging and Fitbit TDEE bring about the results I would expect with a (most of the time WAY) less than 5% error.

    Your MFP-Fitbit intergration "exercise" calories do not represent an exercise.

    They are an accounting entry that gets MFP and Fitbit to the same number of calories burned for the day AT MIDNIGHT.

    If you stop moving before midnight because you're watching TV or go to bed, your positive adjustment will decrease slightly.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I have had my Fitbit synced since mid-2015. By comparing it to my long-term trends, I have found that it is reliable for me.
  • kristensmith10048
    kristensmith10048 Posts: 1 Member
    I use the garmin. which is the same as fitbit.. and i use it alot.. enjoy.. walking and tracking..
  • SouthernGal89
    SouthernGal89 Posts: 8 Member
    I'm using the FitBit Charge 3 and have since starting my diet on 1/28. I mostly use it to self-evaluate where I am and make sure that my TDEE and exercise get recorded in some way. It also is nice having it prompt me to get up and move around every hour and check my sleep. I like it well enough I bought my mom one.
  • xamandalovex
    xamandalovex Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks for all the responses! I was just wondering because it seems like a lot of extra even though I am active at work during the day it's just a total difference for me than when I was using mfp before without my tracker. My weight seems to be fluctuating during this week but I think it may be due to my sodium levels. :( (I love soup) it fills me up and the lower sodium ones just don't really do it for me.