Calories "left" vs "left in budget"

[BeckyBalboa]

Hey 😁

First post, apologies if this is not in the right place... 

Was just after an explanation of the calories left to eat vs calories left in budget. On the food tile it says (I have screenshots but can't figure out how to put them in the post) 980 cals in/1318 cals left, and then when you click on the food tile to add calories eaten it says 980 cals in/2729 cals out and 989 calories left in your budget. 

So why is the tile saying 1318 calories left but then 989 in my budget? 

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity.

[Lilbiddy]

There are many problems with this app that have been going on for years. That's if you can actually synch with it.

Fitbit's priorities are flogging new devices with even more complications. That's it. Otherwise they would concentrate on developing an android app for all phones that reliably works and customers don't fear that every update will be the death knell for their device.

[Sparklefly74]

Has this issue ever been resolved? I'm experiencing the same "glitch."

[gtg947h]

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@Sparklefly74 wrote:

Has this issue ever been resolved? I'm experiencing the same "glitch."

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Apparently this is intended as a "feature"--see my earlier post.  But it's only present on the Android app; the iOS version doesn't do it.  It's a numerical representation of whether you're "in the zone" or not.  What the smaller number (not the one on the tile, but the one in the logging section) is showing you is the difference between the red and blue lines below.

See

[Sparklefly74]

Thank you! Your replies explain it perfectly!

[SonRepos]

No... Not really

[Jam-Marie]

I'm still having this problem. I understand that as the day goes on your calorie budget increases, but even at the end of my day, the budget under the food tile and the food tile itself are different. 

[gtg947h]

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@Jam-Marie wrote:

I'm still having this problem. I understand that as the day goes on your calorie budget increases, but even at the end of my day, the budget under the food tile and the food tile itself are different. 

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The number on the food tile (when you first open the app) is the total for the entire day.  In my graph earlier, it's the difference between what you've put in so far, and where Fitbit thinks the far right end of the graph (the red line) is going to be at the end of your day.

If you tap on the food tile and open the page where you input the food, the "calories remaining" number is the difference between what you've put in, and the red line on the graph at that time of day.

For sake of discussion, let's say Fitbit predicts that you'll be able to eat 3000 calories a day.

Let's first assume that it's now noon (1200) and you have not logged any food yet for the day.  The number on the tile will say "you have 3000 calories remaining" but the number in the food page will say "you have 1500 calories remaining" because it's assuming that you eat those 3000 calories in a steady trickle throughout the day.

In another example, let's say it's 0800 and you have already input your breakfast (say, 500 calories).  The tile will say "you have 2500 calories remaining" and the number inside the food page will say "you have 500 calories remaining", because it assumes that at 1/3 of the way through the day (8/24) you will have eaten 1/3 of your daily calories (so, 1000).  If you have only logged 500 at that point, it'll still say you can eat 500 more to be on that red line.

In a third example, let's say it's 1600 and you have entered all 3000 of your calories.  The tile will tell you that you have reached your goal and have 0 calories remaining; going in the food logging page it will tell you that you are 1000 calories over budget.  Later at 2000 the tile will still say you have 0 remaining, but the food logging page will now say you're 500 over target.  Just before midnight, the food logging page will finally say "you have reached your goal" and have 0 remaining.

See my attached screenshots below. 

Fitbit is predicting a total of 3290 calories for the day.  As it's about 1330, that's .5625 of the day, so .5625 x 3290 = 1850, which is what Fitbit thinks I should have eaten by this point to be "on target".  I've gone ahead and logged my predicted dinner for so far (haven't eaten it yet) but Fitbit thinks I have.  2343-1850 = 497, which is why Fitbit says I'm "over my budget".

(If anyone's wondering, I have a -250 deficit programmed in to account for errors in food accounting and calorie burn estimation.  It works as a pretty good fudge factor and I've maintained my weight for a few months using that).

Again, for whatever reason the iOS app works differently, and the number inside the food logging page matches the tile, but the over/under/on target logic still works like the above.

[Heatseeker22]

Perfectly explained. I appreciate it. Anyone who doesn't see this as the explanation for the problem/"glich" just isn't comprehending. It's also sad a fitbit rep can't even explain it. Worst part is the blatant disregard for Android users.

[gtg947h]

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@Heatseeker22 wrote:

 Worst part is the blatant disregard for Android users.

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Fixed it for you.  Fitbit doesn't care about UI bugs, dropped functionality, or how users actually use the interface.  All they seem to care about now is selling hardware and making new shiny pretty interfaces.

[Simplifi]

I cant believe how long this glitch has been going on. I guess Fitbit couldnt care less to fix it. Pretty sad. I have the same glitch... TWO years later! Insane. 

[SunsetRunner]

I I'm having the same issue on my dashboard calories left is one number and when I click on that tile calories left in budget is much lower. What does this mean in which is correct?

[Lilbiddy]

Well, it's been over 2 years since a moderator said it was a glitch and one new dashboard later fitbit have,  as usual, done sweet Fanny Adams about it. This is the new experience is it, seems like the same old (insert your own choice word) to me.

[Fitbutt84]

I also have this problem  but I figured out that the difference is the same ammount as what I burned during my fitness. So the calories left account for it but the remainder of my budget does not. 

[Dodgermf]

OK, so this has been going on for years apparently. My two screens are alway right around 1000 off. I’ll add screenshots next. Anyone?...

[Dodgermf]

 

 

[klevlocke]

Thanks for this. I just did 10 miles and ate a 130 calorie english muffin and the non tile calories left said I only have 700 calories left to eat for the day. Heck. I already burned close to that. So confusing!!

[klevlocke]

Fitbit should pay you. You are more responsive with clearer, well laid out explanations than I have ever recieved from Fitbit. Thank you for your service!

[Fitbutt84]

Haha thanks. The people who design it probably don't use it. And my
personality type means I won't drop something that bothers me until I
figure it out. Glad it helped!

[WorkingOnIt4000]

2023 and same issue as 2017. This causes me a lot of confusion. I keep going over the budget but have not eaten all the allowed calories. This glitch really needs fixed. Thank you.

So if the app is not going to be fixed how about just having the graph show the correct info as shown on the main screen. I use the graph and hate that it displays that I over eat when I actually am under calories. It is so frustrating when something that should work, and is a know "glitch" for years, doesn't get fixed. Otherwise the app works great fir me--just the darn graph in calories in budget.

[RodrigoMFitbit]

Hello everyone. Thanks for reaching out about the calories shown on the Fitbit app. 

I would be happy to explain what the calories on the dashboard mean and why they do not match those in the food tracking tool. These are pieces of information are calculated differently. The number of calories left displayed on the dashboard/today depends on your activity during the day. So, the more active you are during the day, the greater the number of calories you are still allowed to consume. This is determined based on your intake and consumption. If you go to the tool where you can enter the food, your calorie deficit for the day will be displayed. This number is directly related to the food recorded and the eating plan you have chosen. These are the calories you can still consume to stay within the target range of your selected eating plan. The other calorie value shown on the app varies throughout the day as explained on the "best answer" for this thread.