calories over budget explanation

[jojomontyjohn]

newbie to this and not getting why it consistently tells me im over my calorie budget at the same time as it says i have a couple of hundred calories left?my output is way over my input too.any thoughts?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[eshrdlu]

It's December and you want to take a European vacation next July (weight loss goal).  The trip will cost $3500 (calories).  You will need to save $500 (calories) per month  for seven months in order to go.  You earn (eat) $2000 per month.  Your goal:  cut your spending (calories) to a minimum, say, down to $1500 (your budget).  

Say you do like to have some extra spending money (calories), so you get a part-time job earning $300 per month (exercise).  You just increased your budget to $1800.  .

In January and February, you put $500 (calories) in your savings jar.  If your spend (eat) your $1800 and no more, theoretically, a you will go to Europe in July.  And if you save some of the $300 (extra calories), you will have extra for the trip.

Now let's say you have to see a doctor in March.  The visit and prescription, cost $175.  That's okay; you can cover it from your $300 (calories) earned part time.  You may be able to pick up extra hours too in case there is another emergency.  But this time, the doc is covered and you still have $125 of spending money.  In April, your part-time hours are temporarily cut, so you are now earning $150 per month.  You still need $1500 to live.  Then it's your paents' 60th anniversary and you have to get them a gift, so you spend $200 (calories), and now you are dipping into the $500 (calories).  

You are over budget, and you are still safe.  You still saved $450 of your $500 toward the trip, so you have to find a way to save the extra $50 (calories), or postpone your trip by a couple of weeks.

Your weight loss goal is your vacation plan.  It's theory until you get on the plane.

Calories are the same as money.

If you want extra calories, you have to treat them as a part-time job and burn them.

You can't always plan for every situation.  Sometimes you want or need more calories and go over budget.

But you can never mess up as long as you do not go over your your total income -- calories -- in the example, $2300.  What you do is add time to your goal 

Make sense?

Moderator Edit: Format

[amanda4911]

It is difficult. I have my fitbit set for a daily deficit of 500 calories. So far, my deficit for the day is already 752 calories and it shows my calorie intake as red. I am also 169 calories below my set amount of intake. If I have already exceeded my deficit, it should not be in the red. 

[eshrdlu]

It took me a couple of weeks to figure it out. It shows in the red when you exceed calories up to that point in the day, but not for the whole day. So it may I think, show that you have an anticipated budget for the day if you burn the minimal calories for the rest of the day.

It's crazy, right?!! I think it's too complicated, but I guess it's to encourage us to spread out our calories through the day.

Typos, compliments of my Android phone

[ilovepink2]

I had been questioning this and found this to be very helpful. Thanks so much!

[SparksA85]

I had been noticing this too with the intent to comment on that as well. Yes, I think calories are supposed to be evenly distributed, contributing to budgets throughout the day.

Also, in response to someone asking for how the max calories are set, it's based on your current weight, weight loss goal (total and weekly), and activity level. This is why you "earn" extra calories by working out.

[HillyRhee]

Does anyone know how to make the budget meter ( calories in vs calories out ) appear on the dashboard on the app for your phones ?

I use to have it and its gone! I'm not sure how to get it back or where it went. I've been googling this all day. I know if I click the food, I can see it (the calories in vs out but not the meter ) but it was just easier to see it on my dashboard.

It it makes any difference, I am using an iphone 6.

Hopefully someone can help!

Btw, I did click edit on the dashboard and thought maybe I hid it, but its not an option there. I do see it however when I log onto Fitbit on the computer. 

Thanks in advance.

[SunsetRunner]

I just wanna say, I've been using fitbit for a long time. This part of fitbit is very annoying. In all honesty, I personally use myfitnesspal to keep track of everything until fitbit revamps the in/out. I understand how it works, but it took me forever to figure it out. It also requires work on the user end to keep track . Myfitnesspal does everything for you. Fitbit needs to step it up .

[SLK-ABC]

I am still confused by the calories Over/Under - How am I over budget with 151 calories left?

Moderator Edit: Format

[TTreece]

My biggest issue is that there are days where I go to bed and it says I'm "in the zone" for my calories. When I wake up, suddenly I'm 100 calories or more over budget! I'm not sleep eating and I'm certainly not sleep tracking! What the heck is going on???

[bboeckeler]

Let me get this straight....if I want a deficit of let's say 500, then my calories left should be at least 500 to be in the zone.  

My question then is...if I eat all the calories it says I have left, would I maintain, lose, or gain?

[TTreece]

Sent from my iPhone

[Goldysmith]

Let me get this straight....if I want a deficit of let's say 500, then my calories left should be at least 500 to be in the zone.

My question then is...if I eat all the calories it says I have left, would I maintain, lose, or gain?

This is correct from what I can gather. You have successfully met your selected food plan deficit at that moment in time. This is on going and will change when more calories are burned through additional exercise/normal body function or additional calories consumed. Open for correction if this is incorrect.

[Momsbugs98]

Mine will tell me over budget when I'm 150 calories below calories burned, and I have no weight loss goals set at all. Any weight loss I achieve will be a bonus to getting in shape, but I'm not interested in seeing a schedule for it. So my calories in /out should be only based on number burned, right? But it's not.

[lcordani]

I see this everyday! I dont know if I should stop eating or what!! I add a bit more exercise to even it out but that doesnt always work. I thought fitbit was supposed to help me and guide me... Not frustrate me 😞

[Lilyofthevalley]

I do understand how it works, but…
1) It's negative and demoralizing to always be over budget & in the red zone (even though I'm losing weight. 45 lbs so far).

2) It's not useful information.
It does not help me target or maintain my correct calories for the day, during the day, while I need the info. Certainly not at a quick glance either. I need to know, "Can I eat this apple right now?" and still remain on target for the rest of my day. Yes, Fitbit assume I'm going to exercise.

My schedule mandates that I need to get up early in the day and immediately eat my breakfast, not go exercise first to burn calories so I can afford to eat. The Fitbit insists I exercise first before I eat in order to to keep my calorie budget in balance.
This is not tolerable. Do not dole out my calories based on time. I need to be able to get the Fitbit to work with my schedule.
Currently, the way it functions only offers the option to exercise first to get a big enough kCal deficit early in the day. I only want to be able to eat a single peach and cup of tea. Which currently would put me over-budget every morning.

It would be nice if the kCal feature would be some thing I could use to plan my current meal, but it's not. I can't wait until Fitbit decides it's late enough in the day for me to eat OR go run before breakfast.

I'm over budget every single morning. It's useless. Myfitnesspal.com is free and can do it. Sparkpeople.com can do it for free. Why can't Fitbit do it?!?! I paid for this.

So I'm forced to ignore the kCal meter for my meals. It's useless to me. That leaves me a glorified pedometer. My phone was already doing that.

Please, two things Fitbit…
1) fix the timing issue with the kCal meter.
Let me control when I eat and when I exercise. Make dietary kCals dependent on meals, not  a function of the hour of the day. I do understand that the algorithms that currently make this app function are dependent upon one other.

2) Water-proof/soap-proof the next version of Alta. I'd like to be able to swim or shower (or wash my hands) in it. I love the size, shape & changeable wristbands of Alta.

Moderator Edit: Format

[SLK-ABC]

Thank you for your post and the fact that you have lost 45 pounds, so far, (congrats!) validates that the calorie tracking really needs to be revamped

Moderator Edit: Format

[keelys1]

i'm confused too...my fit bit is showing 1228 calories out and 987 in....yet it tells me i'm 249 calories over....so if i deduct 249 from 987 (the 249 being what i supposedly over).....does that mean i can only consume 738 calories per day in order to lose anything at all...i thought as a woman i could eat approx 2000 calories a day..my fit bit was suggesting a deficit of 750 calories a day in order to lose..this would mean consuming 1250 calories per day which sounds about right yet i have consumed only 987 and its insisting i'm over by 249 ???

[Workhardforit]

To Fitbit
I would like to ask for the Android app to be simplified with dealing with the calories. I have recently have gotten the Fitbit and I enjoy it so far. But I found the calorie budgeting a little complicated to understand. I have used other apps in the past that was more simple and even more detailed. I suggest that not only It Made Simple but it should give more information such as showing a break down of our daily intake of fats, carbs, proteins, ex so we can become better awaire of what we should be improving on for a better healthier life. Thank you.

[Complicate]

Hard to understand calories over budget,
For example I can have 1900 calories, already
have 1200 and already over budget, don't have to lose 2

[keelys1]

I set a calorie deficit of 750...today I burned 1308 calories and input 464 so I should have 94 remaining....yet it's telling me I still have 258 remaining ???