Activity level using fitbit

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toadflaxbex
toadflaxbex Posts: 55 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
Does it matter which activity level I select if my fitbit is connected to MFP? I’m set quite low as I’m at a computer all day and only really exercise when I want to if that makes sense. But starting to move a bit more now spring has sprung. My fitbit is sending a decent amount over for walking but concerned it’s too much. I set my own calories (1350) so don’t use the recommended amount as a goal.

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    You get an adjustment when your activity per your device exceeds the activity level you selected in MFP...it's not just sending over numbers for "walking". Just like a car, when you move more, you burn through more fuel.

    Your activity level is used by MFP to give you a calorie target...if you're customizing your goals, that's all irrelevant because you're just doing your own thing...that could be fine or not...just depends.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    If you set your own calories, then the amount of the adjustment is irrelevant for you.
  • speyerj
    speyerj Posts: 1,369 Member
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    If your Fitbit has a heart rate monitor and your age, height and weight are accurate in Fitbit, I find that the estimated calorie burn that Fitbit sends over to MFP is fairly accurate. So long as you enabled negative calorie adjustments, it doesn't matter if you set your activity level to sedentary or slightly active. Fitbit will adjust accordingly through out the day as it refreshes.
  • JustaNoob
    JustaNoob Posts: 147 Member
    edited March 2021
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    I had a similar question about this, hope you don't mind OP. I set my calories using the TDEE method but set myself as very sedentary. So I'm eating 1500 calories a day-- I set it to lose 1.5lbs a week.

    But I've been adding in movement everywhere I can and my Apple watch says I am burning 2600-3000 all day. I'm wondering if my Apple watch is accurate and if I am creating too large of a deficit for myself.

    I've been logging for about 3 weeks and have had a hard time sticking to my calorie count-- but I've been logging everything. My average (including overeats) looks to be about 1800 a day. I have not lost anything yet, but I tend to lose weight in "whooshes" and carry water weight from overeating weekend meals for a good while so I could easily be holding on to 4.5lbs.

    How accurate are fitbit and apple for tracking TDEE? Should I just keep trying to stick it out with the 1500 and see what the scale does before making any adjustments?

    Edit: Or since my average has been 1800, should I try that for the next couple weeks to see if anything comes of that number... then try 1500 if the scale doesn't go down?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Trackers can be a decent estimate of daily burn in average use cases.

    Meaning decent amount of daily activity it can estimate using distance moved and weight (which is very good).

    Decent amount of workouts mainly cardio in nature.

    The farther you get away from average use cases - the more inflated (normally) the calorie count.

    If getting 10K or more steps - now the stride length setting for getting best distance matters more.
    If not active much daily but lots of interval type exercise daily - now the fact of inflated calorie burn may start to matter.

    There are some tweaks set it and forget it. (like getting accurate stride length)
    There are some changes to process just do it differently and it's done. (like manually logging Weights on Fitbit, or intervals of any sort for what they actually are instead of by HR used)

    Apple sure claims to be accurate - and I'm sure falls into the same trap for using HR-based formula when it shouldn't be used.

    Ya - too big a deficit not good either, at start or with lots to lose body may not rebel now, but may be in process of adapting - making it more difficult later.
    You can use scale weight for progress - you'll need a month to discern anything if a woman, and the 2 weigh-ins are hopefully valid ones without expected water weight fluctuations - or wait another month. By then, too aggressive could have had negative effects already.

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