Fitbit & Lifesum calories

[vjeaninev]

Hi I’m a new fitbit user ☺️

When I look at how many calories I have burnt on my watch and in the Lifesum app, it dosen’t seem to match. Do anybody know why? 

[Dominique]

Welcome to the community, @vjeaninev!

First time I hear about the Lifesum app, but it appears it can be linked to your Fitbit tracker. I assume you have done so. If this is the case, calories burned should come from your Fitbit. If calories in Fitbit and Lifesum don’t match, maybe it’s a syncing issue?

[vjeaninev]

Yes I have linked it, but my watch is brand new, så I find it hard to believ that it might be a sync problem, but I cant rule it out.

Få Outlook til iOS

[vjeaninev]

Hi 

I have synced it to lifesum, but it still dont seem to match. I find it hard to believe that it might be a sync problem, considering that my watch is only 2 days old, but of cause I cant rule it out ☺️

[Dominique]

Are there any metrics other than calories (e.g. steps) that the Lifesum app takes from Fitbit? 

Btw, a similar problem was reported last Summer by @JustasN. 

[vjeaninev]

I dont know to be honest. I have had my fitbit for 2 days, so I’m completly new to all of this ☺️

[Dominique]

I would suggest you focus on the Fitbit app for everything related to your activity (calories, steps, active minutes, heart rate etc.). The Fitbit app should display the same numbers as the tracker, once you have synced your tracker to your phone.

[larsyencken · Accepted solution]

Hi there! I work at Lifesum, I can give you a quick answer.

When Fitbit shows you your calories, it displays what you burn through activity as well as what you burn through just existing, living and breathing. What you burn just by existing is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You can read more about it if you're interested: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate

Lifesum does not include your BMR when it shows your calories, it only shows calories burned from exercise. That's why the two numbers look different. Instead your BMR is shown as the amount of food you're allowed to eat if you don't do any exercise.

I hope that clears it up. Enjoy the two apps together!

– Lars

[Must]

What about step counts? I connected my Fitbit to Lifesum. The exercise calorie burns are being synced but the step count is coming from Apple Health not Fitbit. When I disconnect Apple Health, still no step data is imported from Fitbit. 

[jal333]

Is it better to record your food eaten in Fitbit or Lifesum?  Does food consumed/calories consumed in fitbit synch with Lifesum?

[Merberr]

Hi Lars,

I have a follow up question:

With this in mind (ie, the fitbit tracker is sending all activity calories through to lifesum), should my lifesum goat's activity levels be set to "low activity"? (Seeing as the fitbit accounts for all calories lost through any activity including steps etc?)

Thanks,

M

[larsyencken]

Hi Merberr,

You're right, your activity level should be set low if you're using
automatic tracking, since the activity level is a kind of multiplier to
factor in all the small movements you do in a day, and your Fitbit will
pick up much of those. The good news is that the Lifesum app automatically
makes this adjustment for you, so nothing you need to change!

Best,
Lars

[MMS89]

So, why is it not synchronising to my lifesum. How can I make that work, because on the app it Fitbit is compatible an I’ve turned that on but nothing is happening, which makes me to fill that in manually. 

[heathercarlson]

 Hi! I'm trying to connect my Lifesum to my fitbit, but every time I try to, it won't sync. Do you have any advice on how to sync it? Thanks in advance!

[Mathilde.v]

Hi Lars!

I have a follow-up questions, if you are still here 🙂

I am not sure if the calorie adjustments Lifesum makes in the transfer from Fitbit works as intended.

I.e. today I tracked 30 min. jogging/running on my Fitbit. According to Fitbit I burnt 258 kcal. In Lifesum this running appears as "high intensity exercise" 30 min, but is reduced to only 95 kcal.

If I instead drop syncing with Fitbit, and  register 30 min jogging directly in Lifesum, it appears as 260 kcal burnt.

How is this possible? Which number should I trust?

Best regards,

Mathilde