iPhone calorie adjustment decreases when adding a manual workout

MichaelPuncel wrote: »

That all makes sense to me. I think the problem is that MyFitnessPal is assuming the calorie burn I enter was ALSO tracked by my tracker app. However the tracker is only counting steps, and I’m manually entering a bike workout. Therefore I do expect a discrepancy between the tracker and MFP

For best results you probably should be wearing your activity tracker while performing activities, but regardless- your assumption here isn't exactly correct.

The way the adjustment is derived is by comparing your total calories burned from your tracker against the total calories already provided by MyFitnessPal. If you wear your tracker all day, this is going to be more accurate, period. The thing about this general activity is that it is not always guarenteed you will receive a calorie adjustment. You have to exceed the assumed threshold for activity (which you can learn more about via the FAQ I linked above) before you get more calories back to your net calorie goal.

Regardless, if you choose to enter a manually created workout- whether that is one created by your device (like an automatic Apple Watch workout for example) or one you create in MFP- you get that calorie adjustment immediately, no matter what. Even if you sat on the couch literally all day, if you record a workout, you will receive a calorie adjustment for it.

To balance this out, you will often see your general activity adjustment lowered whenever you log a workout- it doesn't always zero out or go into negatives, but the math behind the scenes is taking into account all of your activity to ensure you aren't getting back way more calories than you should via adjustments.

This is all to say- Yes, you should be wearing your activity tracker during activities for best results, but if you're just taking it off to do a bike ride and then logging it as an exercise, you're probably fine.

MichaelPuncel wrote: »

To balance this out, you will often see your general activity adjustment lowered whenever you log a workout

So MFP is assuming since I did a manual workout that I will probably be a bit less active for the rest of the day? But then if I actually am active I will earn back the adjustment?

You can still earn an adjustment after recording exercises, yes, but it's not because the program is assuming you'll be less active. Think of it this way; your general calorie adjustment is a ceiling you have to hit to earn more calories. If you log an exercise (which automatically gives you a calorie adjustment no matter what) the ceiling to receive adjustments through normal activity gets higher to compensate.

No. Your peloton workout- like any other workout you independently log- will always give you a calorie adjustment, no matter what. It is actually the X in your example that would be affected.

Please take a moment to read through these FAQs;

https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032623871-What-is-the-Calorie-Adjustment-in-my-Exercise-Diary?_gl=1*1v0j05m*_ga*NzM2MDgwOTUuMTY5MjgyOTY1MA..*_ga_VG80VV73C6*MTcwODYzNzY2NS44MzUuMS4xNzA4NjM3NzkzLjAuMC4w

https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032273612-How-does-the-Step-Tracking-feature-work?_gl=1*1v0j05m*_ga*NzM2MDgwOTUuMTY5MjgyOTY1MA..*_ga_VG80VV73C6*MTcwODYzNzY2NS44MzUuMS4xNzA4NjM3NzkzLjAuMC4w