Does Fitbit way overestimate calories burned?
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My Fitbit gives me a TDEE that is really close to the one I calculated from my actual numbers. It can be very accurate, but the more you wear it, the more accurate it will become because it will have much more data to work with.
When you first get it, it will calculate according to averages for your height, weight, and how fast you move. Over time it will also have actual calories eaten, weight lost, etc. to factor in, so it can more accurately figure the burn based on real life numbers. To start, maybe eat back about 50-75% of the calories it gives you and see how things work out. If you are losing faster than your plan, eat back more.
This, exactly. My Fitbit Charge HR is pretty accurate and I'm consistently losing weight.0 -
It absolutely makes sense to me if you have your MFP set up for sedentary that it pretty quickly gives you exercise calories. Sedentary is just barely above your BMR...which is the amount of calories you need just to be alive and breathing. It won't take much activity to bump you above that.
I have my MFP set up for moderately active. I have to get 5-6K steps in before my FitBit gives me an exercise allowance above that level of activity.
My natural inclination is to be sedentary. I have to consciously work at it to be active. For that reason alone, I think Sedentary is the right activity level for me. I also know myself well enough to know that if I were to have my activity level set too high, I would find the negative calorie adjustment extending late into the day to be very demotivating. I prefer to be rewarded for being active with extra calories, rather than be penalized for being lazy by having calories taken away. With my activity level set to Sedentary, I get out of negative territory fairly early in the morning. However, I also know that in order to be able to eat enough to not be hungry, I need at least a 500 calorie exercise adjustment.0 -
My FitBit says I've burned 1723 calories today. I've been up since midnight and have walked more than 20,000 steps. LOL. I WISH I were so active that I was questioning it!0
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Can anyone define sedentary vs lightly active, beyond the short description given on MFP?0
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Can anyone define sedentary vs lightly active, beyond the short description given on MFP?
Sedentary is basically a desk job and minimal physical activity. You drive everywhere and don't do regular yardwork, etc Fitbit figures it as approximately 3000 or fewer steps per day. Lightly active will include someone who walks around a bit more at their job or at home but is still not very active. Fitbit figures it as approximately 5000 steps per day.
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This is my experience too. I'd be lost without my Fitbit now.My Fitbit gives me a TDEE that is really close to the one I calculated from my actual numbers. It can be very accurate, but the more you wear it, the more accurate it will become because it will have much more data to work with.
When you first get it, it will calculate according to averages for your height, weight, and how fast you move. Over time it will also have actual calories eaten, weight lost, etc. to factor in, so it can more accurately figure the burn based on real life numbers. To start, maybe eat back about 50-75% of the calories it gives you and see how things work out. If you are losing faster than your plan, eat back more.
This, exactly. My Fitbit Charge HR is pretty accurate and I'm consistently losing weight.
(I have a One)0 -
I'm logging as accurately as I can. Fitbit CS just told me to play with a small piece of metal in the Zip to fix it. It still tells me I've got a 3000 TDEE, which would mean I'd be losing 1.5# a week and I'm not. I didn't bother asking about getting a replacement because I don't want a Zip after this experience. I'll be getting a One in October.editorgrrl wrote: »My Zip overestimates my TDEE by 1000. I think my Zip is just wonky (it also eats batteries like candy), but not all of them are. I do know I won't buy a Zip again based on this one.
Are you logging everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly?
If so, contact Fitbit customer service. They'll replace your tracker if it's defective.
There will always be a few defective ones in a product line. I would still recommend Fitbit over other activity trackers, though not the Zip.
ETA: Yes, I'm wearing my Zip in one of the approved areas (my waistband).0 -
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is check your setup data for typos. I was getting some really wierd suggestions and when I double checked I had entered a weight that was almost 300 pounds higher than my actual weight (something like 520 instead of 250).0
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Can anyone define sedentary vs lightly active, beyond the short description given on MFP?
If (and only if) you enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings, it's entirely a matter of personal preference which one you choose.
Either way, you're eating TDEE minus deficit. Sedentary just gives you fewer calories to start with, but larger adjustments.0 -
There is no such thing as starvation mode.
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
If a Zip is going through more than about 2 batteries a year, it is defective. This happened to me--I called FitBit and received a brand new Zip in less than a week.-1 -
It absolutely makes sense to me if you have your MFP set up for sedentary that it pretty quickly gives you exercise calories. Sedentary is just barely above your BMR...which is the amount of calories you need just to be alive and breathing. It won't take much activity to bump you above that.
I have my MFP set up for moderately active. I have to get 5-6K steps in before my FitBit gives me an exercise allowance above that level of activity.
My natural inclination is to be sedentary. I have to consciously work at it to be active. For that reason alone, I think Sedentary is the right activity level for me. I also know myself well enough to know that if I were to have my activity level set too high, I would find the negative calorie adjustment extending late into the day to be very demotivating. I prefer to be rewarded for being active with extra calories, rather than be penalized for being lazy by having calories taken away. With my activity level set to Sedentary, I get out of negative territory fairly early in the morning. However, I also know that in order to be able to eat enough to not be hungry, I need at least a 500 calorie exercise adjustment.
That's fine. Just explaining why you get an activity adjustment so quickly with the FitBit. It's because you selected sedentary. Just moving around like a normal person pulls you up from sedentary.
I'm well aware of that. My point was that setting your MFP activity level correctly is critical if you don't have an activity tracker, and purely a matter of preference with one.0 -
When I wear my Fitbit I find the days I work are very accurate. I work in retail & find I burn anywhere from 2100-2400 depending on how grueling my workday was & if I exercise too. On days I have off if I had negative calories enabled & I'm being lazy I get 1,200 (I usually eat more though cause I'd be pretty hangry).
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
Ha, not in my world.
For me right now a workout that burns 450 calories is *very* intense.
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
Ha, not in my world. For me right now a workout that burns 450 calories is *very* intense.
Keep adjusting your expectations upwards.
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azulvioleta6 wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
Ha, not in my world. For me right now a workout that burns 450 calories is *very* intense.
Keep adjusting your expectations upwards.
A lot depends on your weight, too.
A 120lb runner would have to run 5.5 miles in an hour to hit 500 calories.
A 200lb runner runs 3.3 miles in an hour to hit 500 calories.
A 300lb walker walks 1.6 miles in an hour and hits 500 calories.
I run into cardiovascular limitations before being able to run 5.5 miles in an hour (even though I could run 3.2 in less than half that...). While most people don't have my specific disability, most people do have a maximum speed that they can reach, quite apart from weight. So no, not everyone could be able to burn 500 calories in a workout. Very few people who aren't obese can do it regularly in times under an hour.0 -
Can anyone define sedentary vs lightly active, beyond the short description given on MFP?
Try this link for defining sedentary vs lightly active.
http://antranik.org/proper-activity-level-for-calorie-intake/0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »There is no such thing as starvation mode.
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
If a Zip is going through more than about 2 batteries a year, it is defective. This happened to me--I called FitBit and received a brand new Zip in less than a week.
You can't make blanket statements about other people and exercise, and you always, always do. It comes across as annoying and judgmental. Everyone on here is at a different part of their fitness journey. People are also differently abled, and differently sized.
Additionally, the amount of calories you burn depends on how much you weigh, how fit you are already, how long you exercise and a host of other factors.
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Can anyone define sedentary vs lightly active, beyond the short description given on MFP?
Try this link for defining sedentary vs lightly active.
http://antranik.org/proper-activity-level-for-calorie-intake/
According to that, I am active because of the amount of purposeful exercise I do. However, I spend most of my day, when I am not out walking or swimming, sitting so I have myself as lightly active. It works for me.
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PeachyCarol wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »There is no such thing as starvation mode.
Burning 500 calories is light years away from a strenuous workout.
If a Zip is going through more than about 2 batteries a year, it is defective. This happened to me--I called FitBit and received a brand new Zip in less than a week.
You can't make blanket statements about other people and exercise, and you always, always do. It comes across as annoying and judgmental. Everyone on here is at a different part of their fitness journey. People are also differently abled, and differently sized.
Additionally, the amount of calories you burn depends on how much you weigh, how fit you are already, how long you exercise and a host of other factors.
Cosigned. Also, for me, the actual activity determines how strenuous it feels (which is sometimes different than how strenuous it actually is). I can walk for an hour and burn just under 500 calories and be sweating like a pig and wiped out, or I can swim laps for an hour, burn almost 600 calories, and come out feeling fresh and ready to go.
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I freaking LOVE the Stairmaster for pure calories. A very moderate 1 hour and 15 minutes and I have my 500 cal in.0
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My Zip overestimates my TDEE by 1000. I think my Zip is just wonky (it also eats batteries like candy), but not all of them are. I do know I won't buy a Zip again based on this one.
I have the Zip, too, and it's pretty darned accurate. I have it strapped to me 24/7 and I've only replaced the battery once in four months. Definitely look into getting a replacement. Fitbit customer service is really decent, I've heard. 0 -
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is check your setup data for typos. I was getting some really wierd suggestions and when I double checked I had entered a weight that was almost 300 pounds higher than my actual weight (something like 520 instead of 250).
So you fixed it by strapping on a 300 lb weight vest?0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »My Zip overestimates my TDEE by 1000. I think my Zip is just wonky (it also eats batteries like candy), but not all of them are. I do know I won't buy a Zip again based on this one.
I have the Zip, too, and it's pretty darned accurate. I have it strapped to me 24/7 and I've only replaced the battery once in four months. Definitely look into getting a replacement. Fitbit customer service is really decent, I've heard.
It is, but they would only give me a replacement Zip and I don't want one because this bad one has burned me on that particular item. I keep comparing it to my old Ultra and not understanding how I had a 2300 TDEE with it but have 3000 TDEE with the Zip for similar activity (weight has gone down). How does someone weighing less burn more for the same exercise?0 -
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is check your setup data for typos. I was getting some really wierd suggestions and when I double checked I had entered a weight that was almost 300 pounds higher than my actual weight (something like 520 instead of 250).
LOL I learned that one. I accidentally entered my weight here on MFP as 105 lb. instead of 205. I caught it right away and changed it back. I checked Fitbit, and it was already corrected there too. What I didn't check was Map My Fitness. I couldn't figure out why a 5 mile hike only gave me 200 exercise calories. Turns out my weight never got corrected over there.
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I deliberately set my activity level to sedentary on MFP even though I now usually walk 8 to 10 miles per day.
I did this because I want my caloric allotment on MFP to give me the base calories I can eat each day without adding in any exercise. I then let my Fitbit calculate my additional calories earned from walking and give me that 'credit' on MFP. I can then easily decide how many calories to eat back in any given day. 0 -
I noticed that some activity trackers actually do overestimate steps. I've tried a few--while wearing them at the same time, some reported up to 10,000 steps per day more than others. I also used a footpod and gps to verify steps and distance.
Things like brushing your teeth, riding/driving a car, typing, etc., could increase steps recorded. Things like walking while pushing a cart or stroller can actually cheat you out of steps. Interestingly, the trackers that were best at estimating distances walked, were the worst at adding steps for tooth brushing and driving.
It may be worth a test to see if it's recording when you are brushing your teeth, driving your car, etc. Another check would be to walk a mile and check the number of steps and calories burned. If it records running, do a similar test for running.
And, don't forget, this is only half of the equation. We're all very different. What works for others, may not be accurate for you. Depending on age and lifestyle, BMR represents 45 to 70 percent of daily total energy expenditure, and it is determined mainly by the individual’s age, gender, body size and body composition [1]. There's a big difference between 45 and 70, and that's only part of the calculation for total energy requirements. That means that even if you calibrate the device for age, gender, weight, (most likely), and body composition (not as likely), there's still another 30 to 55 percent of energy requirements to estimate.
[1] FAO/WHO/UNU. 2004. Human energy requirements. Rome, 17-24 October 20010 -
ScreeField wrote: »I noticed that some activity trackers actually do overestimate steps. I've tried a few--while wearing them at the same time, some reported up to 10,000 steps per day more than others.
Things like brushing your teeth and riding/driving a car could increase steps recorded. Things like walking while pushing a cart or stroller can actually cheat you out of steps.
It may be worth a test to see if it's recording when you are brushing your teeth, driving your car, etc. Another check would be to walk a mile and check the number of steps and calories burned. If it records running, do a similar test for running.
I have done stuff like that. I walked and manually counted steps at the same time, I held my arm completely still while walking (holding my phone set to the Fitbit app), I have sat down in a chair and swung my arm like I do when walking, etc. The counts I got were dead on and I did not get any false steps when just swinging my arm. I am sure I get the occasional false step if I jerk my arm and there will be some steps that don't get counted, but they seem to cancel each other out to where the total for the day is pretty accurate.
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ScreeField wrote: »Things like brushing your teeth, riding/driving a car, typing, etc., could increase steps recorded. Things like walking while pushing a cart or stroller can actually cheat you out of steps.
Do not overthink your step count—it's only a metric. All that matters is the accuracy of your burn. Enable negative calorie adjustments, trust your Fitbit for several weeks, and reevaluate your progress.0
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