This article explains how MyFitnessPal's calorie adjustment feature works, using data from connected fitness trackers to compare your actual calories burned against your MyFitnessPal calorie goal throughout the day. It covers how to view the adjustment breakdown on mobile and web, why adjustments can be positive or negative, and addresses a few common issues.
How do I understand the calorie adjustment breakdown?
MyFitnessPal gets your calorie burn information straight from your connected app partners’ “total daily calorie” data. Partner devices track your activity minute by minute, while our program looks at your whole day. We estimate your total calories for the day based on what you’ve burned so far. When you check your adjustment, you’ll see a number under the partner for the instant sync (A), and another number to the right showing our projection for the day based on your current sync (B).
The adjustment value updates every time your device sends new data, so it will change throughout the day. Make sure your partner device and MyFitnessPal are set to the same time zone, which you can update in the main settings. At midnight, your projected sync and actual sync should match. If you haven’t synced recently, there might be a small difference from one day to the next as the values update.
On the calculation page, under the partner totals, you’ll see your MyFitnessPal total (C). This total includes your daily goals and the calories needed to reach your set goals, like losing 1 pound. We subtract these calories when setting your daily goals, but add them back in when comparing to your actual total burn from your partner device.
When you add exercises to the cardiovascular section, our program immediately adds those calories to your day. To prevent double-counting, we also include your cardiovascular totals in your MyFitnessPal total (D). This way, you’ll see the calories burned from each exercise added to your diary.
How to view your calorie adjustment breakdown
iOS and Android
- Open the app and tap the Today button on the bottom left of your screen.
- Scroll down to the Healthy Habits section, and tap Exercise
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If you’ve earned an adjustment, you’ll see it on this page. Tap on the Calorie Adjustment, and then tap where it says Extra Calories Earned to see the breakdown of your adjustment.
Web
- Log into your account on our website using the same email address and password that you use to log into the app.
- Click the Exercise tab near the top of the screen.
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Click the “i” next to your adjustment to see the breakdown.
How do I receive a positive calorie adjustment?
If your connected partner’s projected total is higher than your MyFitnessPal total, you’ll see a positive adjustment for the difference added to your account. If their projected total is lower, you’ll either see a zero or, if you’ve turned on Negative adjustments, a calorie deduction (see next section). The adjustment value updates whenever your device uploads new data, so it may change throughout the day.
Why are my calories deducted from goals?
If you have opted to turn on Negative adjustments, you will see a calorie deduction. If the adjustment is negative, this indicates the partner's reported calorie burn is lower than what MyFitnessPal has already provided for you. By default, MyFitnessPal will show you only positive calorie adjustments.
If you are typically unable to sync your device until late in the day, you may wish to leave negative adjustments off. For more information on how to turn on the Negative Adjustments setting, or whether you should leave it off, please click here.
Why is my "Based on" number so low?
If you're using Google Fit, Samsung Health, or iPhone/Apple Watch to track your steps, there is currently a bug causing the "Based on" calorie number to display incorrectly. The total projection will still be accurate.
What partner apps will work?
Total energy partners that are selected as your primary step source will produce a calorie adjustment. Click here to view a list of our current partners.