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  • Fitbit Tracker Integration

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    • What is Fitbit Integration?

    Fitbit is a small, personal activity monitor that records information about your physical activity as you move through your day. By integrating this data with your MyFitnessPal account, we can adjust your Net Calorie Goal dynamically over the course of a day to help you meet your weight management goals with even greater precision

    Where can I buy a Fitbit?

    Fitbit trackers are available in many retail stores as well as from online resellers. The easiest way to purchase a Fitbit tracker is to visit our Fitbit integration page at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and click "Learn More."

    How do I set up my Fitbit device?

    If you have just purchased a Fitbit, you will need to register it with the Fitbit website before linking it to your MyFitnessPal account.

    Visit www.fitbit.com/start and follow the instructions there for your device. You will also be prompted to create an account at fitbit.com if you do not already have one.

    How do I link my Fitbit account with my MyFitnessPal account?

    First, you will need to create an account at the Fitbit website at https://www.fitbit.com/signup

    Once you have created your Fitbit account, login to your MyFitnessPal account and visit this link http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/show/30 and click "Link Accounts"

    You will be taken to a page at fitbit.com where you can authorize the connection between your MyFitnessPal account and your Fitibt account. (If you are not already logged in at fitbit.com, you will need to log in before you can complete the authorization).

    Now that my accounts are linked, where should I log my food and exercise?

    Once your accounts are linked, it's important that you log your food and exercise ONLY with MyFitnessPal. We will sync your food and exercise diary information to the Fitbit site for you. Logging food or exercise yourself on the Fitbit website is unnecessary, and will lead to incorrect Net Calorie Goal adjustments. For the best experience with the integration, ALL manual entry of Food and Exercises should take place exclusively on the MyFitnessPal site.

    Please note that if you are wearing your Fitbit during the day, we recommend that you NOT log any exercise on your MyFitnessPal Exercise Diary that the Fitbit excels at tracking: this includes walking, jogging, running, climbing stairs or hills, or daily home or office activity.

    We do recommend that you log any exercise that your Fitbit's "step-based" system would have trouble detecting accurately, such as rowing or, cycling, and of course activities like swimming during which you cannot wear the device.

    What information is synced between my Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts?

    CALORIES BURNED

    Whenever you sync your Fitbit, we'll retrieve the actual calories burned that you've recorded up to that point in the day.

    For whatever portion of the day that you have remaining, we'll use an estimate for your calorie burn based on the activity level that you selected when you initially signed up with MyFitnessPal.

    If the total of your actual calories burned (from Fitbit) and your estimated calories burned for the remainder of the day are different than our original estimate for the entire day (plus the total of the exercise calories you've logged), we'll adjust your net calorie goal accordingly.

    The adjustment will be recorded as a cardiovascular exercise labeled "Fitbit Calorie Adjustment". This number will automatically adjust every time you sync your Fitbit so don't be surprised if it changes during the day.

    CALORIES EATEN


    Whenever you log food on MFP, it will automatically be posted to Fitbit, where it will appear as a meal summary (not individual foods). Your meal summaries will sync starting on the day you linked your two accounts. Historical meal data is not synced to fitbit.com

    CARDIO EXERCISE


    When you log your cardio exercise on MyFitnessPal, this information is synced to your Fitbit account. It's important to enter the start time of your cardio exercise, so that the data collected by Fitbit during your workout can be correctly reconciled with the exercise calories you are logging.

    WATER CONSUMPTION

    Water consumption logged at MyFitnessPal will sync to your Fitbit account. This sync only works in one direction, so log your water consumption at MyFitnessPal only.

    FITBIT STEPS AND FITBIT SLEEP MINUTES

    These items are synced to your MyFitnessPal account and can be viewed at http://www.myfitnesspal.com by clicking "My Home" then "Check-In" on the website, or by tapping the "Progress" area of the iPhone, iPad, or Android apps.

    WEIGHT

    Weight entries logged at fitbit.com or in your accounts at MyFitnessPal will sync to the other account. This is an important factor in keeping your calorie estimates accurate as your weight changes.

    What is the "Fitbit Calorie Adjustment" in my exercise diary?

    When the data reported by your Fitbit account shows that your daily calorie prediction from Fitbit and your estimated daily calories from your MyFitnessPal account are different, we'll adjust your net calorie goal accordingly. The "Fitbit Calorie Adjustment" represents the additional calories you have burned, above and beyond our original estimate. You may also see a negative adjustment if your activity level suggests you are less active than our MyFitnessPal estimate assumes. Details about the calculation of any adjustment can be viewed by clicking the small "i" next to the adjustment in your Exercise Diary (on the full website). Because the adjustment value is recalculated every time your Fitbit uploads new data, you should expect this value to change over the course of the day.

    By default, MyFitnessPal will show you only positive calorie adjustments. To permit negative adjustments, log in to the full MyFitnessPal site at http://www.myfitnesspal.com and click "My Home" then "Settings" then "Diary Settings." Check the box for "Enable Negative Adjustments" then click "Save Changes."

    If you are typically unable to sync your device until late in the day, you may wish to leave negative adjustments "off."

    Should I enable the "negative calorie adjustments" for my activity tracking device?

    Enabling a negative calorie adjustment from your integration with Fitbit, MIO, Striiv or BodyMedia will give you the most accurate information about your calorie expenditure for the day. A negative calorie adjustment indicates that you are using fewer calories on a given day than our original MyFitnessPal estimate.

    The option for allowing negative calorie adjustments can be found by logging in to your account at http://www.myfitnesspal.com, then clicking My Home > Settings > Diary settings. Check the box for "Enable Negative Adjustments" then click "Save Changes." Your settings will take effect the next time data syncs from your device.

    We recommend enabling negative adjustments if:
    - you expect to wear your tracking device consistently
    - you would like the most accurate calorie feedback MyFitnessPal can provide
    - your device is able to sync its data multiple times over the course of the day

    We recommend leaving negative adjustments off, if:
    - you do not expect to wear your device consistently
    - your device can only sync occasionally, or only late in the day
    - you wish to use the device only for the motivational experience of earning additional calories

    Why do my exercise diary entries ask for the start time of my cardio exercise?

    By entering the time you begin your cardio exercise, the calories burned, and the number of minutes you exercised, MyFitnessPal and fitbit.com can correctly reconcile your cardio exercise with the increased activity recorded by your Fitbit during that period of time. Without the start time and the minutes exercised, it is likely that your increased activity level would be accounted for twice: once when you log it on MyFitnessPal, and once when your Fitbit reports increased activity. Entering the start time ensures that your Net Calorie Goal is not adjusted twice for the same cardio workout. The exercise calories you log with MyFitnessPal will replace the calorie data estimated by your Fitbit for that period of time.

    Do I need to use my Fitbit device's stopwatch mode when I exercise or sleep?

    Using the stopwatch mode (available on some models) on your Fitbit device during exercise does not cause the device or the fitbit.com site to analyze your activity during that time period any differently. However, the period of time will be highlighted in the fitbit.com dashboard for easier visibility.

    The exception to this is that you should set the stopwatch mode when you are tracking your sleep minutes with the Ultra or the One (also place the device in its wrist cuff). The fitbit.com site will combine this stopwatch period with your sleep-based movements to provide analysis of your sleep patterns. Your "Fitbit Sleep Minutes" will also sync to your check-in page on the MFP site, and the Progress area of any mobile MFP app, as a result.

    How can I verify whether my Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts are syncing?

    There are four data points that you can compare between your Fitbit and MFP accounts to determine if your accounts are syncing properly.

    These four items are Fitbit Steps, Fitbit Sleep Minutes, Weight, and the Fitbit Adjustment (for calories burned).

    You can see your Weight, Fitbit Steps and Fitbit Sleep Minutes in two places:

    1. Under the "My Home" tab, click "Check-In". This will take you to a screen where you can enter in new progress measurements. This is where we record your Fitbit Steps and Fitbit Sleep Minutes. If you want to go directly to that screen you can go to this URL:

    www.myfitnesspal.com/measurements/check_in

    2. You can see a graph of your Steps and Sleep Minutes by going to the "Reports" tab and choosing to graph "Progress". When you see the option to "Choose a Report" you can choose Steps or Sleep Minutes. This will give you a little graph.

    (Note that if you do not attach your Fitbit to the wrist band and set it to stopwatch mode when you sleep, you should not expect to see any Fitbit Sleep Minutes data.)

    If you want to verify that the Fitbit calorie adjustment is working correctly, please see the FAQ titled "How exactly is my Fitbit Calorie Adjustment Calculated.

    Will my exercise calories be counted twice now that I'm using Fitbit and MyFitnessPal?

    By entering the time you begin your cardio exercise, the calories burned, and the number of minutes you exercised, MyFitnessPal and fitbit.com can correctly reconcile your cardio exercise with the increased activity recorded by your Fitbit during that period of time. Without the start time and the minutes exercised, it is likely that your increased activity level would be accounted for twice: once when you log it on MyFitnessPal, and once when your Fitbit reports increased activity. Entering the start time ensures that your Net Calorie Goal is not adjusted twice for the same cardio workout. The exercise calories you log with MyFitnessPal will replace the calorie data estimated by your Fitbit for that period of time.

    How can I confirm that my Fitbit is linked to my MyFitnessPal account?

    To confirm that your Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts are linked, log in to your account at http://www.myfitnesspal.com, then visit this link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/apps/list

    You will see each website or device you have linked with your MyFitnessPal account, along with the date the link was established.

    Why does my Fitbit Calorie Adjustment seem to roll over to the next day?

    If part of your Fitbit Calorie Adjustment seems to be rolling over to the next day unexpectedly, please check to see that your time zone settings are accurate in both our website, and at fitbit.com

    On the MyFitnessPal site you can log in at www.myfitnesspal.com

    and then go to www.myfitnesspal.com/account/timezone

    At the fitbit.com site you can go to www.fitbit.com/user/profile/edit

    How exactly is my Fitbit Calorie Adjustment calculated?

    To understand your Fitbit Calorie Adjustment for any completed day, take your "Calories burned from normal daily activity" on your goals page (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/my_goals)

    Add to it any exercise calories you've burned as shown in your exercise diary, but don't include your Fitbit Adjustment

    Compare that total to your calories burned on your Fitbit (only if it's an entire day's worth of calories)

    The difference between the two is your Fitbit adjustment

    The adjustment that you see during the course of an incomplete day is a projection made for the entire day, based on the amount of activity currently reported by Fitbit. Your adjustment will become more accurate of the course of the day, each time your Fitbit has a chance to update with your account on fitbit.com.

    If you are less active than our MyFitnessPal calculations have estimated, you may receive a "negative" adjustment to keep you closer to your intended Net Calorie goal. If you are more active than our estimates expect, you will receive additional calories in the form of a "positive" adjustment.

    Details about the calculation of any adjustment can be viewed by clicking the small "i" next to the adjustment in your Exercise Diary (on the full website).

    By default, MyFitnessPal will show you only positive calorie adjustments. To permit negative adjustments, log in to the full MyFitnessPal site at http://www.myfitnesspal.com and click "My Home" then "Settings" then "Diary Settings" then click "Enable Negative Adjustments" then "Save Changes."

    If you are typically unable to sync your device until late in the day, you may wish to leave negative adjustments "off."

    Here is a more detailed explanation of the way we calculate the projected adjustment before a day is over:

    If you only have a partial day's worth of calories on your Fitbit, we calculate how many minutes are left in the day, and we use that to create a projection for how many calories you'll burn today.

    The calculation is: Fitbit calories so far for the day + (minutes left in the day / total minutes in a day) * (calories burned from normal daily activity)

    So for example, if it's 12 noon, you've burned 1200 calories so far today according to Fitbit, and your calories burned from normal daily activity on MFP is 2000, the projection is:

    1200 + (720 / 1440) * 2000 =
    1200 + (1/2) * 2000 =
    1200 + 1000=
    2200
    so the adjustment becomes
    2200 - 2000 (mfp calories burned from normal daily activity)=
    200

    Where can I get support for my Fitbit tracker product?

    For any issues with your Fitbit product, your best resource for support is http://help.fitbit.com

    The support team at MyFitnessPal will be happy to help with any issues relating to the integration between Fitbit and MyFitnessPal, but issues with the device itself, or syncing of data between the device and the fitbit.com website are best handled by the support team at Fitbit.

    My activity tracker is already linked to another site. Should I link it to MyFitnessPal?

    In general it's fine to link your activity tracker to other services in addition to MyFitnessPal, UNLESS that other service is ALSO linked to your MyFitnessPal account.

    For example, if you link your tracker to a running website, and then link the running website to MyFitnessPal, you should not ALSO link the tracker to MyFitnessPal directly. We recommend directly linking your third party devices and apps directly to MyFitnessPal, if that device or app is listed in our App Gallery.