Seems Garmin sync'd activity is double counted in calories needed for the day

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mtsarpilot
mtsarpilot Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm new to using MFP and I'm trying to figure out what is correct in the calorie consumption I should have each day. When I established my profile I said I am and "active" individual as I exercise 5 or more times per week, usually solid bike rides that burn 700 to 1200 calories or more per ride. I have my MFP account linked to my Garmin account so MFP can see the activities and thus calories burned as documented from my Garmin bike computer and watch.

With by height and weight, MFP computes my daily calories at 2740 using Harris-Benedict formula and multiplying BMR by 1.5. This number I presume is NEAT and includes what MFP presumes will be my typical calorie consumption including daily activity. MFP then sync's with Garmin and sees I did a bike ride that consumed 1200 calories for a day so it adds that to the 2740 saying I need to eat 3940 calories to maintain weight. It seems it has now double counted my activity. First by assuming it into NEAT using Harris-Benedict multiplier, then again adding the specific activities.

3940 calories is more food than I can possibly eat in a healthy manner. Am I mis-interpretting something here?

Is the question in the MFP profile question "How would you describe your normal daily activities?" supposed to be what your daily life routine is like excluding activities? i.e. since I'm basically a desk job should I be answering with "Sedentary" then let the Garmin sync'd activities add to that or should I be answering "active" because I spend a good part of my day doing some physical activity?

Thanks for your insights

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  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 984 Member
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    mtsarpilot wrote: »
    Am I mis-interpretting something here?

    Is the question in the MFP profile question "How would you describe your normal daily activities?" supposed to be what your daily life routine is like excluding activities? i.e. since I'm basically a desk job should I be answering with "Sedentary" then let the Garmin sync'd activities add to that or should I be answering "active" because I spend a good part of my day doing some physical activity?

    Thanks for your insights


    That question about activity is your day to day life excluding intentional exercise. It could definitely be a lot clearer! MFP is designed such that, in your case, you'd select Sedentary but then track all your exercise and eat those calories too. If you pretty much do the same thing every day, you could select that you're Active and not track your exercise cals, but then you're assuming that your burn from exercise equates to what MFP thinks an Active person of your age, gender, height and weight would burn per day.
  • srk369
    srk369 Posts: 256 Member
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    You can adjust your activity setting, or you can turn on negative calorie adjustment. With negative turned on MFP will adjust with your Garmin calories. I am set to lightly active and right now because I am being a slug, I have -102 exercise calories. Once I start moving today, that will adjust.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I use a Garmin and have my MFP set as sedentary and it is working out just as I expect it should work.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    In MFP you aren't supposed to say you're active because you exercise. If you do, it gives you calories up front for that exercise and then when you sync your Garmin it gives you calories for that exercise again. Your activity level here is for your job, or your routine for things you don't track.

    I have myself down as sedentary because I have a desk job. I ride a road bike and I hike, those calories sync over, everything works the way it should.

    Turning "negative calorie adjustments" on makes activity level not matter, it means work it out from your step count and exercise not from activity level. But the way the adjustments come in over the day can be a little confusing.

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