New Fitbit

stuarta99
stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Well it's not a new one it's my father-in-law's Flex 2 which I'm testing. I've hooked it up to the Fitbit app and connected that to MFP.

I have been using Pacer to track my steps but should I now swap this to Fitbit and does it do it accurately without adding unnecessary calories for steps that are already taken into account?

Will be testing it in the morning on a run, although I use Strava to sync those over.
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    A linked Fitbit will only begin giving you adjustments after you've moved more than your activity level (the one you provided to MFP) would have indicated. So it doesn't give you any calories for steps that are already factored into your basic activity level.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    If you linked accounts (do MFP meal totals show up in Fitbit?) then yes you should switch MFP app setting for Step Source to Fitbit.

    No double counting, the linking is not even as you describe it.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p1

    Accurate depends on how close you physically and in activity match the average user that is defaulted to.
    And even then, tweaks can be made to improve the estimates.
    And even then, there can be inaccuracies either direction. Or about right on!

    Now, the Strava workout that comes to MFP, will be synced over to replace what Fitbit has in it's daily totals.
    But the Activity Record will be there showing snapshot of original data, along with the Workout Record synced over, to at least compare calorie burn totals.

    The last added replaces whatever is there in daily figures.
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    Wow ok quick replies thank you. I just panicked because Fitbit app synced with MFP and I had like -253 calories as I had negative adjustments on so turned that back off and it shows 0.

    So should I keep Strava syncing along with Fitbit?
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    Ok @heybales from that post I've connected it correctly my linking MFP to Fitbit tracker and also sounds like I should enable negative adjustments
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    If you started using it midday - then today's Fitbit data will not be accurate. Fitbit pretty much assumes you are comatose during the hours before you connected it, so would only give you credit for BMR calories burned until that point.
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    Well in fairness I have been glued to my laptop working so did feel like it. So negative on or off?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Negative enabled.
    You decide if you'll eat more based on fact it didn't see you until whatever time.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    I have negatives 'on'.

    Keep in mind: the first week or two is a learning curve. For you & your device. :)
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    Ok negative on. So far after waking it's showing 37 steps at -100. Just off out for a run so will see what it says when back home
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    edited August 2020
    Ok run done with Strava syncingsruhnfnwjdl7.png

    Is Fitbit still showing a negative because Strava has come across?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    You can tap and hold on that Adjustment line to see the math behind it.

    But yes because workout is there. You are getting credit for it.
    But....

    If you selected Not Active on MFP activity level, it means outside of your run, you were less than that level by 187 calories so far.

    From rear in chair or bed until midnight - MFP will keep the same rate of burn for the math which is obviously too high, tomorrow first sync Fitbit account will share the fact you were burning a sleeping rate of calories (not really it's actually more, so underestimated).

    So if you last saw an eating goal at say 8pm and met it exactly, by the next morning you'd be in the red by maybe about 75 calories.

    MFP is estimating BMR level burn x 1.25 for Not Active/Sedentary every hour of the day.
    Fitbit will show the next morning only the BMR level for the 4 hrs.
    Which is a difference, usually minor unless really early to bed, and higher activity level selected.

    Also means if 6 am was first sync, MFP was estimating higher for 6 hrs, Fitbit synced lower - you start the day with negative adjustment.
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    ok call me stupid but I find the adjustment bit confusing. It's showing

    Fitbit calories burned = 1988
    Full day projection based on 712 calories burned as of 7.43am

    MyFitnessPal Calories Burned = 2175
    Includes 293 calories from exercise

    Adjustment -187

    My activity level is set to 'Not very active'. So are we saying that during the day this figure could alter despite me sat down working? And should I still keep Strava syncing alongside Fitibit and eat the figures it shows even taking into account the negative so possibly less than my 1500?

    I have lost a total of 7lb in the couple of months that I've been doing this, but seem to have stagnated the last couple of weeks. Admittedaly I don't really need to lose any as I'm bang in the middle of my BMI so I thought maybe that might be why I'm not losing but maybe it's because I'm not taking these negatives into account. Although I was obviously doing something right at the start.

  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    I see the number has dropped to -124 but then the steps have also increased to 4501, so not sure if it's a time thing or just that my steps have gone up
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    ok completely confused now, steps gone up to 4639 but adjustment gone down to -146
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited August 2020
    Steps is a figure like glasses of water - display only and no math done with it by MFP.

    Reread the 2nd page of the FAQ.

    Fitbit for daily activity estimates calorie burn at BMR rate if no movement seen. Otherwise it's by distance, time, and weight moved - very accurate.
    MFP is estimating BMR x 1.25 for ALL time during the day.

    There will be constant adjustments as obviously that rate is not correct when sleeping & sitting.

    Yes to Strava if you trust it's calorie burn over the Fitbit.
    Yes to eating to goal.
    No as male it won't go under 1500 total.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    MFP expects your day to burn 1882, before exercise. Because Strava recorded 293, MFP now expects you to burn 2175 for today.

    MFP is getting data from Fitbit, when combined with what MFP expects for the day, to now say you're going to burn a total of 1988. 1988 - 2175 = -187

    My way of thinking about it: I look to Fitbit for my calorie burn #s but I'm also not doing anything major, or using other devices to track burn.
    stuarta99 wrote: »
    ok call me stupid but I find the adjustment bit confusing. It's showing

    Fitbit calories burned = 1988
    Full day projection based on 712 calories burned as of 7.43am

    MyFitnessPal Calories Burned = 2175
    Includes 293 calories from exercise

    Adjustment -187

    My activity level is set to 'Not very active'. So are we saying that during the day this figure could alter despite me sat down working? And should I still keep Strava syncing alongside Fitibit and eat the figures it shows even taking into account the negative so possibly less than my 1500?

    I have lost a total of 7lb in the couple of months that I've been doing this, but seem to have stagnated the last couple of weeks. Admittedaly I don't really need to lose any as I'm bang in the middle of my BMI so I thought maybe that might be why I'm not losing but maybe it's because I'm not taking these negatives into account. Although I was obviously doing something right at the start.

  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    edited August 2020
    As you move, Fitbit gives you more 'credit' for calories burned. So the continued movement reflected in Fitbit will drive the negative adjustment down as the day goes on.

    It can get terribly confusing if trying to use multiple devices/methods to calculate calorie burn for the day. If it proves too much, and you want to keep using Strava: you can always disconnect Fitbit from MFP and just use the Fitbit to monitor your total movement/step level. Or disconnect Strava from MFP?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Strava is only doing workouts though, not daily calorie burn.

    The effect obtained is like using a Garmin.
    Daily calorie burn and workouts both on MFP.
    The adjustments being seen would happen even if no Strava had been brought over.
  • stuarta99
    stuarta99 Posts: 93 Member
    ok thanks, I'll keep it as is for a couple of days and see what happens especially on a day when I don't go for a run although sounds like I would still have what's now -156 whether Strava was connected or not.

    I can see that the 1988 from Fitbit is obviously a projected based on what I've done today and is now at 2019 but I'm not going to keep that pace up so it will be sorely disappointed later when I don't hit 2019. Therefore 2019 from what Fitbit thinks I will do to 2175 from MFP from my 1882 plus what Strava added in = -156

    So on that basis, if I hadn't done my run, MFP would have been 1882 and fitbit projected at maybe my average of 1517 so would be 1517-1882 so I'd be -365?
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Here is my long winded explanation of Fitbit & MFP and how they work together.

    MFP expects you to burn 1882 daily. Which works out to about 78 cals per hour.
    Based on that I'll assume your BMR is 1505 per day, or roughly 63 cals per hour.

    Fitbit uses the same BMR, and if you're not actively moving Fitbit gives you credit for burning at this rate.

    Let's say you wake up at 6am and sync. MFP expects you to be at 78 x 6 or 468. But Fitbit says you are at 378, so -90 adjustment.

    Over the next few hours, you do some normal daily stuff. And you go for a run. At 9am Fitbit NOW shows you have burned 815 calories as of 9am. They do the math again. MFP expected 78 x 9 = 702. Fitbit says 815 total, so 815-702 = 113 adjustment.

    Each time you sync, the #s are compared. One mental note to make: at some point you are going to be 'done' for the day. If you are pretty inactive after 6pm or 8 pm or 10 pm, you'll have 6, 4, 2 hours at night where Fitbit does little more than register BMR. If at 8pm you show an adjustment for today of +150, you should expect that to decrease as the night continues on. In your case, about 17 per hour since 78-63 = 15. So mentally ignore about 15 cals per hour remaining in the day after your last sync.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    How this changes with logging extra activity in MFP, as you've somewhat seen, is that increases the # that MFP projects for you. With a 293 logged exercise MFP expects you to hit 2175 instead of 1882. So then each time you Sync, MFP is comparing your Fitbit # to 2175 rather than 1882.

    I assume you were wearing the Fitbit during the run, and I'm guessing it rewarded a slighly lower # of calories burned than the Strava. Erring on the side of caution and using lower #s: you may ultimately find you don't need both systems to link to MFP. Though Strava may provide you additional comparison tools.

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