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Garmin Connect Active Calories/MyFitnessPal Synch Issue

Former Member over 9 years ago

I reached my goal weight before the summer, took a few month off from strict calorie monitoring, so of course I've put some weight back on. I'm getting back on the wagon this week. Unfortunately, my active calories from Garmin Connect are not transferring to MyFitnessPal. I've disconnected and deleted both apps, tried synching from the computer, updated my vivofit... no dice.

Anyone having the same issue or know of a fix? Thanks.

0 atj777 over 9 years ago

I have Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal connected.

I don't get active calories going from MyFitnessPal as such. I think that is working as designed. If I do an activity with my vivoactive, the calories for that activity show up as Exercise in MyFitnessPal. No other calories are transferred directly. i.e. if you don't do any activities, you won't get credit in MyFitnessPal.

Any food I add to MyFitnessPal get sent to Garmin Connect as calories consumed. This means both apps can keep track of calories burned and consumed and make their own estimates.

The only other connection is it is possible for MyFitnessPal to make a "garminconnect calorie adjustment" if Garmin Connect estimates a higher "calories burned" than MyFitnessPal does. To date I have not seen that happen.

0 Former Member over 9 years ago

I have Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal connected.

I don't get active calories going from MyFitnessPal as such. I think that is working as designed. If I do an activity with my vivoactive, the calories for that activity show up as Exercise in MyFitnessPal. No other calories are transferred directly. i.e. if you don't do any activities, you won't get credit in MyFitnessPal.

Any food I add to MyFitnessPal get sent to Garmin Connect as calories consumed. This means both apps can keep track of calories burned and consumed and make their own estimates.

The only other connection is it is possible for MyFitnessPal to make a "garminconnect calorie adjustment" if Garmin Connect estimates a higher "calories burned" than MyFitnessPal does. To date I have not seen that happen.

You are correct in that it should show on my Daily Dairy as 'Cardio Exercise', but under that heading it should show as 'Garmin Connect calorie adjustment'. It does not. For example, yesterday, based on steps alone, the Garmin Connect app shows 248 active calories. That 248 should show up under the 'Garmin Connect calorie adjustment', which would give me 248 extra calories to consume. I got a big fat zero.

After disconnecting, reconnecting, deleting both apps, manually syncing, syncing via the computer, I can't get it to register the calorie adjustment at all. I know it used to be a common error between the two apps/websites... Is it still an issue and how can I fix it?

0 atj777 over 9 years ago

For example, yesterday, based on steps alone, the Garmin Connect app shows 248 active calories. That 248 should show up under the 'Garmin Connect calorie adjustment', which would give me 248 extra calories to consume. I got a big fat zero.

That's not how it works - at least that is not my understanding...

Garmin Connect makes an estimate of the total calories you burned in a day. This will include active calories as well as Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is what you'd burn if you lay in bed all day and did nothing at all. It's what your body burns just to stay alive. Active calories and BMR are estimated using an algorithm based on your height, weight, age and probably some other factors. Garmin Connect shares the total calories with MyFitnessPal.

MyFitnessPal also estimates total calories for the day. Again this will be BMR plus active calories. The active calories can include any workouts you may have done (with Garmin Connect). MyFitnessPal will have their own algorithm (which may be different from Garmin) and uses height, weight, age and also at least the Activity Level within Goals (mine is set to Lightly Active). I believe the Activity Level will be used to estimate the active calories portion of the calculation as MFP has nothing else to go on other than workouts/activities coming from Garmin Connect.

The calorie adjustment takes the total calories (estimate) from Garmin Connect (or the projection for the full day) and compares it to the total calories (estimate) from MyFitnessPal and if Garmin Connect number is higher, you'll get credit. If the GC number is lower you get nothing (but you can set it to handle negative values).

I believe in your case, regardless of what your active calories may be, MyFitnessPal is estimating a higher total calories for the day than Garmin Connect and so you get nothing. Tap garminconnect calorie adjustment in your MFP Diary and then tap Calorie Adjustment and it will show you the two numbers.

Also see: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1084232-what-is-the-calorie-adjustment-in-my-exercise-diary?article_id=1084232-what-is-the-calorie-adjustment-in-my-exercise-diary

0 cbjesseenh over 9 years ago

There must be considerable variation in the GC & MFP algorithms for BMI/Active Calories. I find a difference of 239 calories, using a FR920XT with HRM for exercise and the step counter on. As my goal is to cut 200 calories per day to hit 1lb/week weight loss, that's kind of mooting the point. I'll go with the lower Active Calorie estimate, which is MFP, I guess.