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MFP Calorie Sync

Former Member over 8 years ago

My calories seem completely off...

MFP gives me 1510 base calories a day on a sedentary lifestyle.

Garmin says 1564 (close enough)

I did an hour's worth of exercise today for 343 calories (sounds about right) and 2635 steps (again, about right)

But then it says I have 2011 active calories + 1549 daily calories so I should be eating 3558 calories???

That seems extremely high given my activity for the day.. that's more than double my base calories. I would have expected my calorie requirement for the day to be closer to 1800-1900... that is based off of my prior experience using a fitbit for a number of years (I switched to garmin because waterproof).

MFP is in alignment with this (3414 calorie allowance currently) and says garmin has reported 1561 calories for doing 2635 steps (seems way out there) with the 343 for general aerobic (which sounds right)

Since I'm trying to lose weight, this is a rather important difference. I'm not worried about a less than 20 calorie difference between MFP and Garmin, but I AM worried about an almost 1600 calorie difference between what I would have expected, and what's being "reported".

0 billhart46 over 8 years ago

I did an hour's worth of exercise today for 343 calories (sounds about right) and 2635 steps (again, about right)

But then it says I have 2011 active calories

While I agree that your active calories do sound high, they are not just from the exercise and steps.

Put the cursor over the ? mark by Daily Steps.

RMR just includes the calories needed to keep breathing, heart beating, and brain working while sitting.

Any efforts would be more calories. That would include even minor things like typing on the computer or lifting a beer, although those are VERY small.

But other, more vigorous efforts, such as scrubbing floors would not be counted as steps, but they are part of what is displayed the calories from "Daily Steps".

Depending on the device these calories are computed from HR and/or motion.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

While I agree that your active calories do sound high, they are not just from the exercise and steps.

Put the cursor over the ? mark by Daily Steps.

RMR just includes the calories needed to keep breathing, heart beating, and brain working while sitting.

Any efforts would be more calories. That would include even minor things like typing on the computer or lifting a beer, although those are VERY small.

But other, more vigorous efforts, such as scrubbing floors would not be counted as steps, but they are part of what is displayed the calories from "Daily Steps".

Depending on the device these calories are computed from HR and/or motion.

I'm not sure where the ? is... I only got the vivosmart HR this past weekend, but I'm familiar with what RMR is.

The RMR + exercise anything else today might account for 400-500, or at least has in the past with the FitbitHR. My activity today was not unusually high for me.

This really feels like I'm getting 'double credit' off the RMR.

0 billhart46 over 8 years ago

Here is my page where it shows the breakdown between activity calories (timed) and from other activities.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/daily-summary/billhart46/2017-02-03/activities

Mine also seems a little high.

But in my case the "steps' as such, or not a measure of what I was doing. I was installing hardware on kitchen doors and drawers. Lots of movement, carrying, and going up a ladder and thus calories burned. But a small kitchen and most of my steps where less than 10 so it did not count as Steps.

0 Former Member over 8 years ago

Here is my page where it shows the breakdown between activity calories (timed) and from other activities.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/daily-summary/billhart46/2017-02-03/activities

Mine also seems a little high.

But in my case the "steps' as such, or not a measure of what I was doing. I was installing hardware on kitchen doors and drawers. Lots of movement, carrying, and going up a ladder and thus calories burned. But a small kitchen and most of my steps where less than 10 so it did not count as Steps.

No permission to view

For my day I:

Did a bunch of work on the computer (I work from home)
Slid a counter out of the way in the kitchen (less than 1 minute of effort, done with assistance)
Had some bloodwork done (lots of sitting and waiting, not many steps)
Went Swimming (45 minutes in the pool, that's the 343). Only steps going from to/from car/changeroom/pool
Groceries (about a half hour, accounting for the bulk of my steps for the day)

As you said, typing can account for some calories, but... not 1600 worth, and there's no way that much was expended moving that counter! ;)

0 billhart46 over 8 years ago

NOTE - I am not saying that the calories computed are correct. But rather that they are not just from steps.

I am surprised that you can't see my page as I don't have all of the privacy set to anyone. Where you logged onto Connect at the time?

Anyway on the connect menu (3 strips, upper left corner) and select full page HR. That will give you the Daily Summary, Timeline view.

Then select Activities. That shows you the breakdown of the activity calories including the "Daily Steps" and where the ? marks is.