Crazy thing -- Burning Calories by Eating

rosebette

This is something I've noticed with my FitBit HR. I will sit down to a meal and look at the Fitbit afterwards and see that it's gone up by 100 calories (sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the size of the meal). I wonder if this is what folks talk about when they say eating fuels metabolism. Not that I would start to pig out just to "burn" those 100 calories because obviously, I eat more than than the 100 calories I use eating a meal. Just an observation... It does seem a bit crazy. Perhaps eating and digesting raises one's heart rate enough to burn some calories?

mwyvr

Eating and digesting do consume calories as do most of your body's functions. Who knows what Fitbit is doing. I'd call it an oddity and not focus on it.

Christine_72

Wouldn't that only be the case if your heart rate went up while you were eating? Activity devices cant tell if you're sitting down and eating a meal..

I agree with the above, an oddity or coincidence.

Alatariel75

Have you ever noted your steps before and after eating? the action of raising your arm to your mouth could be being counted as steps. Also, Fitbit does count the calories you burn just existing, that's why you still have a bunch of calories counted even if you just sit on the couch all day (and you have calories burnt overnight while sleeping)

editorgrrl

flyingtanuki wrote: »

Fitbit computes all calories the body burns, called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Included in this are the calories that the body consumes just to keep the heart beating, the body temperature above ambient, etc.

^This.

You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

rosebette

I'm using the FitBit HR, and it's not counting my arm movements as "steps"; it's counting calories based on heartrate. For instance, if I wear it to bed at night, I noticed I've burned around 300 calories while sleeping.

Ninkyou

Your heart rate rises when you eat faster.

True Story.



lol sorry, I know that's no help but I couldn't help myself.

I don't have a fitbit so I'm no help, but I do like the idea of putting it on your non dominant wrist. Otherwise I'd just chalk it up to calculating normal activity TDEE stuff.

zoeysasha37

You might be reading too far into this op. Its a fitbit , so like anything else , it isn't going to be 100% accurate all the time.