Under/Over/Goal Met

[DevaDeb]

Sometimes when I am under the number of calories allowed on my fitbit program, the dashboard shows me as "under".  Other times when I'm under, the dashboard shows me as "goal met".   Sometimes when I'm under, and not at goal met (in the yellow zone),with zero calories left, and the area under food logged registers "good job, you met your goal of X calories today".  Other times, like tonight, the food log area indicates 149 calories left I could eat, but the dashboard shows me in the "goal met" green zone.  I understand why it is good to be in the green zone.  I do not understand the difference between why sometimes being under calories allowed is the green zone and sometimes it is the yellow zone. 

Does anyone understand this?  Can you explain it to me so I can be more effective in my efforts?

[BurdsNest]

I've asked this same question, when I first started using my FitBit.  I'm a data person, and the graphs and numbers didn't jive.  I THINK the when you go over, it's your deficit.  If you are within 50pds of whatever deficit you choose,  it says "over."  If you are eating the exact number of calories that you put out, then the other graph says "Congratulations!"  Yes, it's confusing.  I was told not to pay attention to it, but it's there for a reason.  Yes, it will say you have 230 calories left.  You eat something for 90 calories, and the second graph will put you over.  Again, I think that's because you know have gone over your deficit amount.  

Would love to find out how this REALLY WORKS!!

If you find out, let me know!

[DevaDeb]

Thank you. So far this makes a little sense.....more than I had before!!! If/when I find out more, I'lll let you know

Deb Merchant

[Heybales]

It's a snapshot of that moment in time, looking at burn and eating, and pro-rated deficit.

So if deficit is 500 daily and it's noon, 250 is used in math.

Burn - eaten - deficit = guage results.

And I'd suggest rarely if ever does someone have their day match up to where those 2 are going to match, or be within the 150 calorie range (50 below, 50 in, 50 above).

Wake up and before breakfast results at just before 8 am. 

Burned 640 sleeping. Way under that "goal".

Eat 400 for breakfast.

500 cal daily deficit is 167 at this point.

640 - 400 - 167 = 73 over "goal" at this point.

But you are about to go 4 hrs until your next meal. Do you really care you went over by 73 cal's?

Really doesn't seem useful until perhaps the very end of day, and you are curious what size snack you can have to meet goal.

Oh wait, there's that other tile there that says exactly what it is.

Ya, not useful in my mind.

[youngWerther]

I switched from time zone to get a daily totals and goals set after diner at 9 p.m.  The values are now more interesting but it gets also more confusing even for the application itself 🙂

[josephz2va]

I never meet the goal. I consume 1700 cals average a day and burn up to 4200 cals average a day. So I have 2500 deficit for an as needed basis. As long as I eat the good quality foods in portion controlled. And I don't starve at all.

The key is the quality of the food and the efficiency of your exercise. Not how much calories you need to consume to maintain yourself. Bad quality would be eating anything like a can of peanuts or protein shakes over a portioned control method. Foods you can consume as needed can be found by searching for foods such as the link here to Eat To Build Lean Muscle to shred unwanted fat. As long as it's portion controlled like a cup of low fat yogurt or 100 calorie almond pouches.

You don't wanna go crazy overboard to meet the calories. Been there. 200 cals x 15 servings (can of nuts). Way bad. 5 pounds gained a day doing that.

[Heybales]

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@youngWerther wrote:

I switched from time zone to get a daily totals and goals set after diner at 9 p.m.  The values are now more interesting but it gets also more confusing even for the application itself 🙂

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Interesting idea for doing that. That might work for night shifters too.

But, I'd think you could not use the app, which is tied to phone time, no matter the set time zone.

[youngWerther]

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@Heybales wrote:

But, I'd think you could not use the app, which is tied to phone time, no matter the set time zone.

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Even the web app gets a little confused after 9 pm by using the computer time and date and having the different fitbit date.  But as I don't eat then it's not a problem.  

I reached my month weight loss goal (2kg = 4.4lbs) already,  so I am switching to a daily deficit of 250 kcal (that's a mere 1/10th of josephz2va work) and feel an increased need to be precise -  even if precision probably doesn't matters much.