How to Turn Off Calorie Burn Bonus on Lose It?

According to Lose It! support, the ability to turn off the calorie bonus varies significantly depending on the device you have connected. This means the process to turn off calorie burn bonus on Lose It! is not universal and requires a device-specific approach for Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, or Google Fit.

Quick Summary

This guide details the process of disabling or managing bonus exercise calories on the Lose It! app, offering specific instructions for various fitness trackers including Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, and Google Fit integration strategies.

Key Points

• Device-Specific Settings: Disabling the bonus is handled differently depending on the connected tracker; it is not a universal app setting.

• Fitbit/Garmin Easy Toggle: For Fitbit and Garmin, you can simply toggle off the 'Calorie Bonus' option in the Lose It! app settings under automatic tracking.

• Apple Watch Requires Disconnection: If you use an Apple Watch, you must fully disconnect it from Lose It! to stop the calorie bonus from being applied.

• Google Fit Workaround: To stop the steps bonus from Google Fit, you need to change your settings to only sync 'Workouts Only' instead of steps.

• Alternative Manual Approach: For any bonus, you can manually delete individual exercise entries from your log or simply ignore the bonus and not 'eat back' the calories.

• Adjust Your Activity Level: Setting a higher initial Physical Activity Level in your Lose It! profile can reduce the likelihood of receiving an unsolicited calorie bonus.

The calorie burn bonus in Lose It! is a feature designed to adjust your daily calorie budget based on the activity tracked by a connected fitness device. While this can be motivating for some, it can also lead to frustration for users who prefer a fixed calorie target or find the bonus calculations inaccurate. For these individuals, understanding how to control or disable this feature is crucial for maintaining an accurate and consistent tracking process.

Why Turn Off the Calorie Bonus?

Many users prefer to track their calories without factoring in estimated exercise burns. This approach, often called 'not eating back your calories,' is popular for several reasons:

• Accuracy Concerns: Wearable fitness trackers can have a significant margin of error when estimating calories burned, potentially leading to overestimating your daily expenditure.
• Simplifying the Process: For many, a fixed daily budget is easier to manage than one that fluctuates with activity. It removes the guesswork and simplifies meal planning.
• Prioritizing Calorie Deficit: For those strictly focused on weight loss, a stable calorie deficit can be more effective than a variable one. Avoiding the calorie bonus ensures a consistent deficit is maintained.

Disabling the Bonus for Specific Devices

The method to turn off your calorie bonus is highly dependent on your connected device. Some trackers allow you to toggle the feature off, while others require a full disconnection.

For Fitbit Users

If you have a Fitbit device synced with your Lose It! account, you can disable the bonus directly within the app.

1. Open the Lose It! app.
2. Tap the Profile icon in the upper right corner.
3. Scroll down to the Automatic Tracking section and tap View All.
4. Find and tap Fitbit in your list of connected devices.
5. Scroll down to the 'Allow Fitbit to Write Data' section and toggle off the Calorie Bonus option.

For Garmin Users

Garmin users also have the option to toggle off the calorie bonus and other synced exercise data.

1. Open the Lose It! app.
2. Tap the Profile icon.
3. Scroll to Automatic Tracking.
4. Tap Garmin.
5. Toggle off the notch next to Calorie Bonus and, if desired, the one next to Exercise to stop all related credit from Garmin.

For Apple Watch and iPhone Steps

Lose It! currently does not offer the option to turn off the Calorie Bonus while remaining connected to an Apple Watch or syncing iPhone step data. To disable this feature, you must completely disconnect the device from Lose It!.

1. Open the Lose It! app and go to your Profile.
2. Under Automatic Tracking, tap Apple Watch or Steps from iPhone.
3. Tap the Disconnect option.
4. For historical data, you may need to manually delete past bonus entries.

For Google Fit

Similar to Apple Watch, you cannot turn off the calorie bonus for Google Fit and continue to sync steps. The workaround is to change your Google Fit settings to sync Workouts Only.

Alternative Strategies for Managing Calories

If disconnecting a device is not a viable option, there are other ways to manage the calorie bonus.

Ignoring the Bonus Calories

Some users simply choose to ignore the extra calories the app adds to their budget. This can be a conscious decision to maintain a tighter deficit while still tracking activity for personal motivation or data analysis.

Adjusting Your Activity Level

Lose It! allows you to set a baseline Physical Activity Level (PAL). The calorie bonus is only added when your tracked activity exceeds this initial level. If you find the bonus is added for routine, everyday steps, you can try raising your PAL in your profile settings. However, be conservative to avoid nullifying the benefit of tracking more strenuous activity.

Manually Deleting Entries

For individual entries, you can manually delete a logged exercise or bonus. On your daily log screen, find the exercise or bonus entry, swipe left (iOS) or tap and hold (Android), and choose to delete it. This is a manual process and not practical for daily bonus management.

Comparison of Calorie Bonus Management

Device / Sync Method	Toggle Option Available?	Requires Disconnection?	Best Strategy
Fitbit	Yes	No	Toggle off 'Calorie Bonus' in settings.
Garmin	Yes	No	Toggle off 'Calorie Bonus' in settings.
Apple Watch	No	Yes	Disconnect or manually delete entries.
iPhone Steps	No	Yes	Disconnect or manually delete entries.
Google Fit (Steps)	No	Yes (change to 'Workouts Only')	Adjust Google Fit settings or disconnect.
Manual Entries	N/A	No	Delete individual exercise logs.

Step-by-Step for Disconnecting a Tracker

For devices that require disconnection to eliminate the bonus, follow these general steps:

1. Launch the Lose It! app.
2. Tap your Profile icon (usually in the top-right corner).
3. Navigate to Automatic Tracking.
4. Select the device you wish to disconnect (e.g., Apple Watch, Steps from iPhone).
5. Tap the option to Disconnect or Unpair.

Conclusion

Disabling the calorie burn bonus on Lose It! is a straightforward process for some users but requires workarounds for others, depending on their connected fitness tracker. For Fitbit and Garmin, a simple toggle switch in the app's settings is all that's needed. For Apple Watch, iPhone Steps, and Google Fit, users must disconnect the device or adjust their sync preferences, as the bonus cannot be turned off independently. Regardless of the method, taking control of how exercise calories are calculated can provide a more consistent and predictable calorie budget, aligning the app with your personal weight loss strategy.

For further support and information, refer to the official Lose It! support articles on the calorie bonus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I turn off the calorie bonus for my Apple Watch on Lose It!?

Lose It! currently does not offer the functionality to disable the calorie bonus for Apple Watch while it is connected. The bonus is an integrated part of the Apple Health sync, and the only way to stop it is by completely disconnecting the Apple Watch from the Lose It! app.

How do I disconnect my fitness tracker to stop the calorie bonus?

To disconnect your tracker, go to your Profile in the Lose It! app, tap on 'Automatic Tracking,' select the device (e.g., Apple Watch, Steps from iPhone), and choose the 'Disconnect' option.

Is the calorie bonus accurate for everyone?

Not necessarily. Calorie burn estimates from fitness trackers and apps can vary significantly and may not be perfectly accurate for every individual. This is a primary reason why many users prefer to turn off the bonus or ignore the extra calories.

How can I remove a calorie bonus that has already been added to my log?

You can manually delete the bonus entry. On your daily log screen, find the exercise bonus entry, and depending on your device, swipe left or tap and hold to reveal the 'Delete' option.

What happens if I raise my activity level in Lose It! settings?

Raising your activity level increases your baseline calorie burn estimate. A calorie bonus is only added when your tracked activity surpasses this estimate. A higher activity level can therefore reduce the bonus you receive from daily steps.

Does disabling the calorie bonus affect other data from my fitness tracker?

For some devices like Fitbit and Garmin, disabling the bonus is an independent toggle. For Apple Watch, Google Fit steps, or iPhone steps, disconnecting stops all data from being synced, which means you'll lose automated workout tracking from that source as well.

How can I stop the calorie bonus from my Google Fit integration?

To stop the calorie bonus from Google Fit, you must change your Google Fit settings to only share 'Workouts Only' with Lose It! rather than syncing steps. Continuing to sync steps will result in a bonus.