Fitbit sending double calories to myfitnesspal.com

[Wojess5381]

I walk a similar walk every day so know my calorie burn. Yesterday and today Fitbit app has shown usual calorie burn as has myfitnesspal but Fitbit imports double calories to myfitnesspal. I've changed time zones in past week but have done that before with no issue. Looks like I under ate by 1400 calories yesterday.

[chrobb]

I'm seeing the same behavior, and I also switched timezones (6 hour differential). It started then. I wonder if the apps are somehow confused by a differential in the timing. 

[chrobb]

I think I figured it out. Yes, it's due to the time differential. When I click on the Fitbit adjustment in the exercise tab on the MFP website, it shows the projected total calorie burn that's sent over from Fitbit for the entire day. It also shows what time the calculation is made. So, as of right now, it's approaching midnight in the timezone I'm in (and the timezone MFP thinks I'm in). Fitbit is 6 hours behind, so it thinks its coming up on 6PM. So, it's projecting six more hours of calorie burn and sending that number over to MFP. MFP uses that number to determine the adjustment. 

I found some earlier threads with similar issues. The advice was to force quit the iOS fitbit app, make sure your phone is being set to the right timezone, then restart the fitbit app. I've done that, and it's still reporting the wrong timezone. The Advanced settings in the Fitbit app also show it thinking it's my current timezone, but the data export to MFP seems to be stuck in my originating timezone. 

Smells like a bug. 

[Wojess5381]

I think I've solved it. When I changed time zones on both apps Fitbit it saved but on myfitnesspal pal it didn't so they were on different time zones and as I do a similar walk each day it looked like double calorie adjustments were sent to exercise but it was actually exercise from two days that were going into one day. Hope that's right.

[chrobb]

Ah, yes. I see the same thing. MFP didn't change by Fitbit did. That must have lead MFP to interpret the Fitbit projected TDEE 6 hours behind when it actually was. Good find. 

[MeylinP · Accepted solution]

Welcome to our Community @Wojess5381! It's nice to see you around more often @chrobb! I noticed you seemed to find a great solution to this. I'd like to add that you can also follow the steps @SunsetRunner provided in this thread. If that doesn't work you can try the following:

1. Log in to your Fitbit dashboard and click Log > Activities. 
2. Verify that the activity was not logged twice. 
3. Go to your Account Settings (found under your profile picture), and scroll down to Preferences. Disable Calorie Estimation. 
4. Turn off Personalized Meal Plans in your Fitbit account. 
5. Wear your Fitbit for all activities. 
6. Log your cardio exercise on the MyFitnessPal site. 

Hope this helps, let me know how it goes!