Does MyFitnessPal Adjust Calories for Steps? A Comprehensive Guide

November 16, 2025 •

4 min read

According to MyFitnessPal's own support, the app uses a calorie adjustment feature to account for step-based activity when integrated with a partner device. This adjustment compares the app's initial calorie estimate with data from your wearable, allowing it to fine-tune your daily calorie goal based on your actual activity level, including the steps you take throughout the day.

Quick Summary

MyFitnessPal adjusts your daily calorie goal for steps, but only via an integrated fitness tracker or a phone's motion sensor. It uses a calorie adjustment system, which compares a partner app's full-day calorie burn projection with MyFitnessPal's initial estimate. The adjustment reflects the difference, positively or negatively, to refine your overall caloric intake.

Key Points

Indirect Adjustment: MyFitnessPal adjusts calories for steps via a connected fitness tracker, not by its own internal step count.
Calorie Adjustment System: The app uses a 'Calorie Adjustment' that compares your partner device's total calorie burn projection to MyFitnessPal's baseline estimate.
Enabling Negative Adjustments: For the most accurate tracking, you must enable negative adjustments on the MyFitnessPal website to account for less active days.
Avoids Double-Counting: The calorie adjustment system prevents you from accidentally double-logging steps and exercise calories from different sources.
Sync is Required: Step-based calorie adjustments will not appear without syncing a compatible fitness tracker like Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch.

Understanding the MyFitnessPal Calorie Adjustment

Many users ask, "Does MyFitnessPal adjust calories for steps?" The short answer is yes, but not directly through a simple step-to-calorie conversion. Instead, the app uses a more sophisticated system called a "Calorie Adjustment," which is only possible when you connect MyFitnessPal to a compatible fitness tracker or your phone's built-in motion sensor. This feature prevents you from double-logging exercise and provides a more dynamic calorie budget.

How the Calorie Adjustment Works

The process hinges on a comparison between two projected daily calorie burns:

MyFitnessPal's Estimate: Based on the personal details you entered during setup (age, weight, height, gender) and your selected activity level (e.g., sedentary, lightly active), MyFitnessPal calculates a baseline daily calorie burn.
Partner Device's Estimate: Your connected device (like a Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch) tracks your total energy expenditure throughout the day, including your steps and other activities. It provides MyFitnessPal with a projection of your total calories burned by the end of the day.

MyFitnessPal then compares these two numbers. The difference between the partner device's projected burn and MyFitnessPal's own estimate is the calorie adjustment that appears in your food diary.

Example:

MyFitnessPal estimates your burn for the day at 2,000 calories.
Your Fitbit, based on your activity so far, projects a total burn of 2,250 calories.
You will see a positive calorie adjustment of +250 calories, allowing you to consume more food while staying on track with your goals.

If your activity is lower than MyFitnessPal's initial estimate, the adjustment could be negative, though this feature must be enabled in your settings.

Setting Up Step Tracking and Adjustments

For MyFitnessPal to adjust calories for steps, you must first connect an activity tracker. The process is straightforward:

Link Your Device: Go to Apps & Devices within the MyFitnessPal app or website. Find your partner device (e.g., Fitbit, Garmin, Google Fit, Apple Watch) and follow the prompts to connect the accounts.
Select a Step Source: After connecting, go to More > Settings > Steps in the app and choose your newly linked device as your primary step source.
Enable Negative Adjustments (Optional but Recommended): For the most accurate tracking, log into the MyFitnessPal website and enable Negative Adjustments in your Diary Settings. This ensures that your calorie goal is adjusted downwards on less active days, not just upwards on active days.

Comparison: MyFitnessPal vs. Partner Devices


Feature	MyFitnessPal (Internal Calculation)	Connected Partner Device (e.g., Fitbit, Garmin)
Calorie Basis	Static estimate based on profile data and selected activity level.	Dynamic, minute-by-minute tracking of total energy expenditure including BMR and steps.
Data Source	User-inputted stats (height, weight, age, gender) and activity level.	Motion sensors, heart rate data (if available), and GPS from the wearable device.
Flexibility	Less flexible. Assumes a consistent activity level each day.	Highly flexible. Adjusts calorie goals in real-time based on your actual, day-to-day activity levels.
Double-Logging	Avoids double-logging by adjusting your calorie goal based on the total activity reported by your device.	Manually logged exercises are also considered. MyFitnessPal reconciles this with the device data to avoid double-counting.
Accuracy	Baseline estimate that is less precise for individuals with varying daily activity.	More accurate for daily expenditure, especially for those with inconsistent activity patterns.

Potential Issues and Troubleshooting

Sometimes, the adjustment feature doesn't work as expected. Common issues and solutions include:

Delayed Sync: Data syncing can sometimes be delayed. Wait for up to 15 minutes for the information to transfer completely.
Discrepancies: Don't expect the calorie burn shown on your device to perfectly match the adjustment in MyFitnessPal. The adjustment is the difference between the two app's projections, not a direct calorie transfer.
Stuck at Zero: If you see a zero adjustment, it means your activity level hasn't yet exceeded the baseline MyFitnessPal estimate for the day. It doesn't mean your steps aren't being tracked.
Troubleshooting Sync: If data stops transferring, the most effective solution is often to unlink and then relink the accounts for both MyFitnessPal and your partner device.

Conclusion: Making the Most of Your Calorie Adjustment

In summary, MyFitnessPal does adjust calories for steps, but it requires a synced device to provide a more accurate, dynamic calorie budget. The feature uses a sophisticated comparison system rather than a simple step-to-calorie conversion. By understanding the calorie adjustment and ensuring your apps are properly linked, you can receive a more precise picture of your daily energy expenditure. This allows for a more flexible and accurate approach to your weight management goals, whether you are having an exceptionally active day or a more sedentary one.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For a deeper technical dive into how the calorie adjustment works, you can review the MyFitnessPal API documentation on Tracking Calorie Adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions

To get MyFitnessPal to track your steps, you must link it to a compatible device such as a Fitbit, Garmin, or your phone's built-in motion sensor through the 'Apps & Devices' section. After linking, select the device as your primary step source in your MyFitnessPal app's settings.

A zero adjustment means your total calories burned, as reported by your connected device, has not yet exceeded MyFitnessPal's initial daily estimate. As you become more active and your device logs a higher burn, the adjustment number will increase from zero.

You cannot manually enter steps for a calorie adjustment. However, you can log walking as a manual cardio exercise in your diary to add calories burned, or create a custom exercise for your pedometer if it provides a calorie burn number.

A negative calorie adjustment occurs when your connected device reports a lower daily calorie burn than MyFitnessPal's estimate. Enabling this feature provides a more accurate picture of your true calorie expenditure, but it must be turned on via the MyFitnessPal website.

MyFitnessPal's 'Calorie Adjustment' is the difference between your device's total daily projected burn and MyFitnessPal's baseline estimate. The number you see on your tracker is your total burn, while the number in MyFitnessPal is the delta or adjustment, which is why they will not match.

Syncing happens automatically and regularly, but you can also force a sync by opening the app or completing an entry in your diary. It is recommended to sync your device as often as possible throughout the day for the most accurate and up-to-date adjustments.

Yes, if you have an iPhone with a built-in motion sensor or use a compatible app like Google Fit on an Android device, you can select that as your step source in the settings to get a calorie adjustment based on your phone's motion data.