Re: [Exercise Videos]LONG! : MFP and fitbit link experiment

[Guest guest]

> *I think some of you were talking about linking MFP with fitbit?

hi michelle - this long response is my experiment with linking

MFP and the fitbit:

when i got my fitbit, i started using the food logging on fitbit.com

it was a bit awkward and their recommendations on how much to eat

to lose weight was nuts (gave me too much food).

so i linked my fitbit to MFP and used the the MFP food log which

is easier to use. surprisingly it lacks a couple of features

that the fitbit log has, but the MFP log is easier to use in

terms of finding foods in their database and for logging quickly.

especially if you track more than just calories. i only

found a few items that i had to correct in their database.

for my fitbit log i had to enter almost all of the foods that i

ate because their database did not have my foods in it, and if it

did then they werent correct. i would actually go to the MFP

database to look up the nutrients and then enter them into

fitbit.com... LOL. my own database of foods at fitbit grew

quickly however and became much easier to manage, but i didnt

like having to enter all of that stuff, so i was reduced to

entering and monitoring calorie counts only (which is pretty much

all that im looking at right now anyway so i dont get overwhelmed)

anyway, i eventually started to get suspicious about the intake

recommendations that MFP was giving me, it just did not seem

right either.

at this time fitbit.com made modifications to their

recommendation section and how this data is presented. so i

went back to using the fitbit food log. im very used to it now

and not find it as awkward as i used to. the new

recommendations are largely improved and seem much more accurate.

now i can see my exact burn and intake numbers right on my

main dashboard which is so much easier.

the downside for me with having MFP and fitbit linked was that i

had to sync alot more often, which was a pain. i use a laptop

but the fitbit charger is on my desktop in my office. but by

having everything at fitbit.com, i can sync so i see up to date

activity info, then i can enter my intake remotely on my laptop

and can see right away where i stand. with logging food at

MFP, i would eat and then feel i had to sync again to see stats

up to date. i dont like having a bunch of usb accessories

dangling from my laptop, and i dont want to damage the

charger/sync'er, so i leave it in my office.

also i didnt like having to go to two websites all of the time...

MFP to log/monitor food and fitbit.com to log/monitor activity.

if you are linked, do not enter activity on MFP and do not

enter food on fitbit.com or everything will get messed up.

also, the activity from the fitbit is entered into your MFP log

as an adjustment, which lacks detail - if you want to see your

actual activity, you have to go to fitbit.com. and your food

data from MFP is entered into your fitbit log as one line which

also gives no detail - if you want to see the actual foods you

ate, you have to go to MFP.com

concerning the fitbit adjustment that is posted to your MFP, some

days you will get one and some days you will not. this can be

confusing, but it is all in how MFP is figuring out your base

metabolism. and it does that based on one setting... your

activity level. so i suggest that you set your activity level

to 'sedentary' on MFP so that you will get your full fitbit

adjustment every day and can better see your activity show up on

MFP.

just one more thing... if the link fails for some reason between

MFP and fitbit then you are on your own. it seemed quite

reliable while i was using it though.

thats about all i can think of about my experience with this....

i hope it is helpful,

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

I like the link between my FitBit and MFP. I don't have a laptop and I only use my desk top computer to enter my data.

I hated using the food portion of the Fitbit but I love it on MFP. I think that s because MFP allows all of its user to enter and change the food info. while the Fitbit only allows the one user YOU to change things. The MFP lets you click on the foods you eat while the Fitbit is more complicated requiring you to scroll more.

I don't have any problems with them linking. You don't have to place your fitbit on the charger to link you just have to be near it.

I don't mind going back and forth between the two sites as their tabs are next to each other on my browser.

As for calorie counts I know how much I need to eat so I don't depend on the fitbit or the MFP for that information.

Jen

> *I think some of you were talking about linking MFP with fitbit?hi michelle - this long response is my experiment with linking MFP and the fitbit:when i got my fitbit, i started using the food logging on fitbit.comit was a bit awkward and their recommendations on how much to eat to lose weight was nuts (gave me too much food).so i linked my fitbit to MFP and used the the MFP food log which is easier to use. surprisingly it lacks a couple of features that the fitbit log has, but the MFP log is easier to use in terms of finding foods in their database and for logging quickly. especially if you track more than just calories. i only found a few items that i had to correct in their database.for

my fitbit log i had to enter almost all of the foods that i ate because their database did not have my foods in it, and if it did then they werent correct. i would actually go to the MFP database to look up the nutrients and then enter them into fitbit.com... LOL. my own database of foods at fitbit grew quickly however and became much easier to manage, but i didnt like having to enter all of that stuff, so i was reduced to entering and monitoring calorie counts only (which is pretty much all that im looking at right now anyway so i dont get overwhelmed)anyway, i eventually started to get suspicious about the intake recommendations that MFP was giving me, it just did not seem right either.at this time fitbit.com made modifications to their recommendation section and how this data is presented. so i went back to using the fitbit food log. im very used to it now and not find it as awkward

as i used to. the new recommendations are largely improved and seem much more accurate. now i can see my exact burn and intake numbers right on my main dashboard which is so much easier.the downside for me with having MFP and fitbit linked was that i had to sync alot more often, which was a pain. i use a laptop but the fitbit charger is on my desktop in my office. but by having everything at fitbit.com, i can sync so i see up to date activity info, then i can enter my intake remotely on my laptop and can see right away where i stand. with logging food at MFP, i would eat and then feel i had to sync again to see stats up to date. i dont like having a bunch of usb accessories dangling from my laptop, and i dont want to damage the charger/sync'er, so i leave it in my office.also i didnt like having to go to two websites all of the time... MFP to log/monitor food and fitbit.com to

log/monitor activity. if you are linked, do not enter activity on MFP and do not enter food on fitbit.com or everything will get messed up. also, the activity from the fitbit is entered into your MFP log as an adjustment, which lacks detail - if you want to see your actual activity, you have to go to fitbit.com. and your food data from MFP is entered into your fitbit log as one line which also gives no detail - if you want to see the actual foods you ate, you have to go to MFP.comconcerning the fitbit adjustment that is posted to your MFP, some days you will get one and some days you will not. this can be confusing, but it is all in how MFP is figuring out your base metabolism. and it does that based on one setting... your activity level. so i suggest that you set your activity level to 'sedentary' on MFP so that you will get your full fitbit adjustment every day and can better see your

activity show up on MFP.just one more thing... if the link fails for some reason between MFP and fitbit then you are on your own. it seemed quite reliable while i was using it though.thats about all i can think of about my experience with this.... i hope it is helpful,:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your feedback, Carolyn. It sounds like a pain in the butt to link them to me. I've been using MFP since yesterday and I really like it. I cant believe how easy it is. I thought sparks was easy, thus takes half the time that sparks takes. Sparks is back up and running now but I'm thinking of just continuing to use MFP. I might check out fitbits food log and see if its any better then when I tried it before. Like you, I had to enter in pretty much all of my food because it didn't have much to choose from. I just got an email from fitbit saying they have a new app. I'll have to check it out.Thanks for the info. ~~ Sent from my Thunderbolt 4GLTE ----- Reply message -----To: <exercisevideos >Subject: LONG! : MFP and fitbit link experimentDate: Thu, Mar 22, 2012 9:14 am > *I think some of you were talking about linking MFP with fitbit?hi michelle - this long response is my experiment with linking MFP and the fitbit:when i got my fitbit, i started using the food logging on fitbit.comit was a bit awkward and their recommendations on how much to eat to lose weight was nuts (gave me too much food).so i linked my fitbit to MFP and used the the MFP food log which is easier to use. surprisingly it lacks a couple of features that the fitbit log has, but the MFP log is easier to use in terms of finding foods in their database and for logging quickly. especially if you track more than just calories. i only found a few items that i had to correct in their database.for my fitbit log i had to enter almost all of the foods that i ate because their database did not have my foods in it, and if it did then they werent correct. i would actually go to the MFP database to look up the nutrients and then enter them into fitbit.com... LOL. my own database of foods at fitbit grew quickly however and became much easier to manage, but i didnt like having to enter all of that stuff, so i was reduced to entering and monitoring calorie counts only (which is pretty much all that im looking at right now anyway so i dont get overwhelmed)anyway, i eventually started to get suspicious about the intake recommendations that MFP was giving me, it just did not seem right either.at this time fitbit.com made modifications to their recommendation section and how this data is presented. so i went back to using the fitbit food log. im very used to it now and not find it as awkward as i used to. the new recommendations are largely improved and seem much more accurate. now i can see my exact burn and intake numbers right on my main dashboard which is so much easier.the downside for me with having MFP and fitbit linked was that i had to sync alot more often, which was a pain. i use a laptop but the fitbit charger is on my desktop in my office. but by having everything at fitbit.com, i can sync so i see up to date activity info, then i can enter my intake remotely on my laptop and can see right away where i stand. with logging food at MFP, i would eat and then feel i had to sync again to see stats up to date. i dont like having a bunch of usb accessories dangling from my laptop, and i dont want to damage the charger/sync'er, so i leave it in my office.also i didnt like having to go to two websites all of the time... MFP to log/monitor food and fitbit.com to log/monitor activity. if you are linked, do not enter activity on MFP and do not enter food on fitbit.com or everything will get messed up. also, the activity from the fitbit is entered into your MFP log as an adjustment, which lacks detail - if you want to see your actual activity, you have to go to fitbit.com. and your food data from MFP is entered into your fitbit log as one line which also gives no detail - if you want to see the actual foods you ate, you have to go to MFP.comconcerning the fitbit adjustment that is posted to your MFP, some days you will get one and some days you will not. this can be confusing, but it is all in how MFP is figuring out your base metabolism. and it does that based on one setting... your activity level. so i suggest that you set your activity level to 'sedentary' on MFP so that you will get your full fitbit adjustment every day and can better see your activity show up on MFP.just one more thing... if the link fails for some reason between MFP and fitbit then you are on your own. it seemed quite reliable while i was using it though.thats about all i can think of about my experience with this.... i hope it is helpful,:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

> As for calorie counts I know how much I need to eat so I don't

> depend on the fitbit or the MFP for that information.

how do you know that?

my intake changes in conjunction with my activity level. this

not only changes every day but throughout each day.

so having fitbit (or MFP+fitbit) constantly calculate my needs is

extremely helpful and i have lost weight using them. even

though i thought i was eating the proper amt, i realized quite

quickly that i was either over-eating or under-eating. calorie

counting and figuring out when to eat more, or to stop, to

maintain a deficit for weight loss is much much easier with the

software to help.

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

According to my scale I have to eat 2,300 to maintain my weight. I try to keep my calories between 1,200 and 1,600 a day. I'm not losing now because I'm not getting enough sleep....I'm worrying about stuff instead. So going to bed earlier is my priority. I have been able to stay at the same weight for the last few days without gaining so we'll see what happens. Jen

> As for calorie counts I know how much I need to eat so I don't

> depend on the fitbit or the MFP for that information.

how do you know that?

my intake changes in conjunction with my activity level. this

not only changes every day but throughout each day.

so having fitbit (or MFP+fitbit) constantly calculate my needs is

extremely helpful and i have lost weight using them. even

though i thought i was eating the proper amt, i realized quite

quickly that i was either over-eating or under-eating. calorie

counting and figuring out when to eat more, or to stop, to

maintain a deficit for weight loss is much much easier with the

software to help.

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

> According to my scale I have to eat 2,300 to maintain my weight.

> I try to keep my calories between 1,200 and 1,600 a day.

hi jen!

what kind of scale do you have? i suppose that you enter your

height, sex and age into it and, along with your weight, it

calculates your BMR, and based on that, it calculates your cal

intake.

so how do you know to eat 1200-1600 a day?

obviously you are trying to take your calorie burn into account

by reducing the intake that the scale recommends for a sedentary

person.

are you using the cal burn calculated by the fitbit to figure

this out?

personally i think that is a big range and that it seems kind of

arbitrary.

i dont mean to seem confrontational as i am trying to help.

i just feel that you should take advantage of the technology that

you have...wear your fitbit, use the food log at fitbit or MFP,

and follow their recommendations on how much to eat. their

recommendations will be much more accurate since they adjust

their calculations all day long based on reality. you dont have

to try to figure anything out or guess.

i detest the whole thing (writing down food, counting cals,

calculating deficits, estimating cal burn), but now that i have

these tools, it is a much more easy and pleasant task and im

finally succeeding.

i just want you nail this stuff down and to succeed too.

> I'm not losing now because I'm not getting enough sleep....I'm

> worrying about stuff instead. So going to bed earlier is my priority.

sleep is important of course, but basically it comes down to cal

burn vs cal intake.

are you saying then, that you eat more, or dont exercise, because

you are tired?

in that way sleep definitely plays a big part.

but even if you are tired and dont exercise, the websites would

adjust for that and tell how much to eat (or not eat), you just

do what it tells you to do.

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

It is kind of confrontational but I won't take it that way since I know you. I know how many calories I eat because I count them in MFP. 1,200 to 1,600 isn't an arbitrary amount. I read that you shouldn't eat lower than 1,200 calories. I read in WLC or one of Bob Greene's that you can eat 1,600 to lose weight. If I'm more hungry I eat more (up to 1,600) if I'm not hungry then I eat less. I don't think that the fitbit or the MFP is accurate for how many calories I can eat. For example, yesterday I didn't exercise at all

but it said that I can eat 2,042 calories...I just don't think that's right when I didn't exercise at all. I just think that I need to be more

consistent with exercising. When I get derailed like I did from my foot injury it's hard for me to get started again. The last two days I've been more tired than usual, I think from the record setting temps in the 80's. Tomorrow it will be cooler so it will be easier for me to start exercising again. I also felt that I did too much when it was hot, I went for a long walk AND played volleyball in a HOT gym which wasn't a good idea! I also need to be more consistent about recording my calories in MFP and eating something small before going to a job assignment (or at the place if possible) so that I won't be starving when I get home I think that staying up half of the night from worrying about stuff would impact my weight loss efforts. I've heard lately on the news how stress and loss of sleep affects weight loss. I have a Tanita

scale that measures weight and fat % and also shows how many calories to maintain your weight. I entered my age, gender and height into it....I think that's all. I will tell you what it says tomorrow. Ok I had better get off here now so I'm not up all night again.p.s. I'm losing 8 hours of work a week because the student I interpreted for in college dropped her classes...good news more time to exercise, bad news less money :(Carolyn, I know you are only trying to help me and I appreciate it. I know it's calories in vs. calories out but other things are also involved in weight loss. I get very FRUSTRATED and want to give up sometimes! Jen

> According to my scale I have to eat 2,300 to maintain my weight.

> I try to keep my calories between 1,200 and 1,600 a day.

hi jen!

what kind of scale do you have? i suppose that you enter your

height, sex and age into it and, along with your weight, it

calculates your BMR, and based on that, it calculates your cal

intake.

so how do you know to eat 1200-1600 a day?

obviously you are trying to take your calorie burn into account

by reducing the intake that the scale recommends for a sedentary

person.

are you using the cal burn calculated by the fitbit to figure

this out?

personally i think that is a big range and that it seems kind of

arbitrary.

i dont mean to seem confrontational as i am trying to help.

i just feel that you should take advantage of the technology that

you have...wear your fitbit, use the food log at fitbit or MFP,

and follow their recommendations on how much to eat. their

recommendations will be much more accurate since they adjust

their calculations all day long based on reality. you dont have

to try to figure anything out or guess.

i detest the whole thing (writing down food, counting cals,

calculating deficits, estimating cal burn), but now that i have

these tools, it is a much more easy and pleasant task and im

finally succeeding.

i just want you nail this stuff down and to succeed too.

> I'm not losing now because I'm not getting enough sleep....I'm

> worrying about stuff instead. So going to bed earlier is my priority.

sleep is important of course, but basically it comes down to cal

burn vs cal intake.

are you saying then, that you eat more, or dont exercise, because

you are tired?

in that way sleep definitely plays a big part.

but even if you are tired and dont exercise, the websites would

adjust for that and tell how much to eat (or not eat), you just

do what it tells you to do.

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

Just to add my 2 cents, I think there's nothing better than a personalized trial and error method. Although the website recommendations might work for a majority of people, obviously, they won't work for everyone.  Some people are outliers. I personally cannot go that low without getting sick.

The trial and error method could go like this:Log food and exercise consistently for a few weeks. Exercise at a sustainable level that keeps you injury free, and eat in a healthy way that gives you enough nutrients maintain a robust immune system

See how it goes. Do you feel good and are you injury free? Are you seeing a gradual weight loss? Use that information to adjust your goals. Once you've got your numbers, you can tweak the settings on MFP and Fitbit.

This has worked for me. Best wishes!

   It is kind of confrontational but I won't take it that way since I know you.  I know how many calories I eat because I count them in MFP.   1,200 to 1,600 isn't an arbitrary amount.  I read that you shouldn't eat lower than 1,200 calories.  I read in WLC or one of Bob Greene's that you can eat 1,600 to lose weight.  If I'm more hungry I eat more (up to 1,600) if I'm not hungry then I eat less.

   I don't think that the fitbit or the MFP is accurate for how many calories I can eat.  For example, yesterday I didn't exercise at all

but it said that I can eat 2,042 calories...I just don't think that's right when I didn't exercise at all.    I just think that I need to be more

consistent with exercising.  When I get derailed like I did from my foot injury it's hard for me to get started again.  The last two days I've been more tired than usual, I think from the record setting temps in the 80's.  Tomorrow it will be cooler so it will be easier for me to start exercising again.  I also felt that I did too much when it was hot, I went for a long walk AND played volleyball in a HOT gym which wasn't a good idea!

     I also need to be more consistent about recording my calories in MFP and eating something small before going to a job assignment (or at the place if possible) so that I won't be starving when I get home

     I think that staying up half of the night from worrying about stuff would impact my weight loss efforts.  I've heard lately on the news how stress and loss of sleep affects weight loss.     I have a Tanita

scale that measures weight and fat % and also shows how many calories to maintain your weight.  I entered my age, gender and height into it....I think that's all.  I will tell you what it says tomorrow.      Ok I had better get off here now so I'm not up all night again.

p.s. I'm losing 8 hours of work a week because the student I interpreted for in college dropped her classes...good news more time to exercise, bad news less money :(Carolyn, I know you are only trying to help me and I appreciate it.  I know it's calories in vs. calories out but other things are also involved in weight loss.   I get very FRUSTRATED and want to give up sometimes!

              Jen

> According to my scale I have to eat 2,300 to maintain my weight.

> I try to keep my calories between 1,200 and 1,600 a day.

hi jen!

what kind of scale do you have? i suppose that you enter your

height, sex and age into it and, along with your weight, it

calculates your BMR, and based on that, it calculates your cal

intake.

so how do you know to eat 1200-1600 a day?

obviously you are trying to take your calorie burn into account

by reducing the intake that the scale recommends for a sedentary

person.

are you using the cal burn calculated by the fitbit to figure

this out?

personally i think that is a big range and that it seems kind of

arbitrary.

i dont mean to seem confrontational as i am trying to help.

i just feel that you should take advantage of the technology that

you have...wear your fitbit, use the food log at fitbit or MFP,

and follow their recommendations on how much to eat. their

recommendations will be much more accurate since they adjust

their calculations all day long based on reality. you dont have

to try to figure anything out or guess.

i detest the whole thing (writing down food, counting cals,

calculating deficits, estimating cal burn), but now that i have

these tools, it is a much more easy and pleasant task and im

finally succeeding.

i just want you nail this stuff down and to succeed too.

> I'm not losing now because I'm not getting enough sleep....I'm

> worrying about stuff instead. So going to bed earlier is my priority.

sleep is important of course, but basically it comes down to cal

burn vs cal intake.

are you saying then, that you eat more, or dont exercise, because

you are tired?

in that way sleep definitely plays a big part.

but even if you are tired and dont exercise, the websites would

adjust for that and tell how much to eat (or not eat), you just

do what it tells you to do.

:*carolyn.