Big d​i​f​f​e​r​e​n​c​e in M​F​P a​n​d F​i​t​b​i​t c​a​l​o​r​i​e​s

[markp666]

Hi all,

(I first posted this in the MyFitnessPal Group but havent been able to get to the bottom of it, so I'm cross-posting here. Sorry to anyone that sees it twice!).

I've been using MFP for some time but I'm new to Fitbit and trying to understand how they sync together, but I'm rather confused because I see very different numbers in the two apps, even though they are sharing data and have the same weight-loss goals set. For example, I've had a moderatly sedentary day (been at my desk all morning), have just eaten lunch, and this is what the two are saying re calories:

MFP: Goal = 1340, Food = 907, Exercise = 669, so Available = 1102

Fitbit: Goal = 1552, Food = 907, Exercise = 990, so Left = 645

It seems to me that MFP is allowing extra food because of exercise, but Fitbit is not, so I'm wondering which is correct! Also not sure why the two have different calorie goals for the same weight-loss target.

If anyone can help me to understand better what is going on, that would be much appreciated! For example, maybe I've got something set up wrong?

Regards,

Mark

[LZeeW]

On the Food Log page of your computer Dashboard, in the area marked Food Plan, there is a blue gear icon.  If you click on it, you will see a dialog box with a choice for Personalized or Sedentary.  Personalized bases your calories on previous activity levels on previous days.  Sedentary starts low and adds calories based on your activity that day. 

Sounds like MFP is set up like the Fitbit Sedentary setting.  (I do not use MFP).  If your Food Plan is set on Personalized, try Sedentary.  If it is already on Sedentary, then I got nothing.

[markp666]

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@LZeeW wrote:

Sounds like MFP is set up like the Fitbit Sedentary setting.  (I do not use MFP).  If your Food Plan is set on Personalized, try Sedentary.  If it is already on Sedentary, then I got nothing.

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Thanks very much for the suggestion.

Indeed it was set to "Personalised" but when I changed it to "Sedentary", it reduced my avaiulable calories in the Fitbit dashboard even more, so there was an even greater difference compared to MFP, so I changed it back!

The problem that I have is that MFP seems to allow me far more calories than Fitbit does, and this confuses me since the weight-loss goals I set are the same.

I am erring on the side of caution and working on the lower estimates from Fitbit, but it would be interesting to understand why MFP is using the data it pulls from Fitbit to increase my daly calorie allowance. Perhaps I'll ask on the MFP site.

[Lilyheart]

On my numbers, if I look at the totals morning or mid day I get numbers similar to yours.  By the end of the night they are almost the same.

How my numbers look to be calculated.  This is just what I've kinda figured out:

Fitbit: What you've actually burned so far today plus what is the bare minumum needed for the remainder of the day if you stayed in bed (if the setting is on Sedentary).

Fitbit: What you've actually burned so far today plus what FitBit caculates you might burn the remainder of the day based off previous data (if the setting is on Personalised).

MFP:  The base amount needed to burn throughout the ENTIRE day using the activity setting set on your diet profile plus/minus any corrections needed based off the activity you've had so far today with a minimum of 1200 calories.

What settings you chose on which site really depends on how you use them and your lifestyle.  My level of activity varies DRAMATICALLY from one day to the next, so I can't use previous days data to project today's.  Dinner is usually my biggest meal and evening is when I get the best data as most of the day is finished.

My settings:

Fitbit: Sedentary.  I look at the number given to me by fitbit and allow myself to eat all the way up to that total morning and afternoon.  I'll "earn" more calories later and that will give me what I need for dinner to finish my day.  When I'm off work and just puttering around the house it seems I earn on average an additional 50 calories per hour so if I need to plan for some type of exception I can add that in my head to figure out the rest of my day.

MFP: Lightly active on the diet profile.  With rare exception, this is the activity level I would have on my lowest days (days off where I don't have other plans besides usual house things).  I use the MFP total to plan what I have room for on dinner.

Both have the same weightloss goal.

So I start my day using FB as it best tells me what I've burned "so far" so I can refuel myself correctly.  Then I use MFP for dinner so I can make sure I meet my overall goals.  By the end of the day the two websites are within each other by no more then 40 calories or so but the average difference is around 15.

So you have three options:

• Total calories based off of no activty for the remainder of the day
• Total calories based off activity on previous days
• Total calories based off of a preset static activity level that gets adjusted throughout the day based on actuals.