Calories burned disparity

sytsman
sytsman Posts: 5 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,

I'm a mailman so I do a lot of walking and stair climbing during the day. I also go at a fast pace to get my heart rate up.
The problem is that at the end of the day my Apple Watch says I burned almost 700 calories and mfp says I burned 275. What do I do?

Replies

  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,808 Member
    The calorie estimate is a problem with all the fitness watches. It has to make a bunch of assumptions about what you are doing based on the accelerometer data and your heart rate. That's not much to go on. For example, if you are carrying a satchel you are burning a lot more and how would it know?

    Since your work is on your feet, I'd suggest bumping the activity level up in the MFP settings. Then watch your weight and see how you do. I note that the "Active" setting specifically mentions "postal carrier," so there you are!

    If you are trying to lose weight, I recommend setting it to 1lb per week. Also, add in any other work outs you do.

    Best wishes for success!
  • sytsman
    sytsman Posts: 5 Member
    TeacupsAndToning wrote: »
    What exercise are you choosing when you enter it into mfp?
    I'm not entering any exercise. I have no idea what I should choose. I suppose hiking is the closest to what I do.
  • sytsman
    sytsman Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks Jthanmyfitnesspal. I guess I assumed the Watch would be more accurate because it was basing its calculation on heart rate, not just steps.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,808 Member
    The science on he is that it isn't much use for calorie estimates untill it's fairly elevated.

    The apple watch will tell you pretty good reletive info. Just take the cals with a grain of salt.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Entering your day at work as hiking will give you way too many calories. It's better to set your activity level to something other than sedentary or lightly active.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,094 Member
    edited May 2017
    Adjust your caloric intake according to your weight change assuming you average about the same exertion daily.

    Best to take average of 3-4 weeks and go from there.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,865 Member
    sytsman wrote: »
    Thanks Jthanmyfitnesspal. I guess I assumed the Watch would be more accurate because it was basing its calculation on heart rate, not just steps.

    Heart rate isn't a good indicator when you're walking, particularly as you're carrying a load as well.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    sytsman wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    I'm a mailman so I do a lot of walking and stair climbing during the day. I also go at a fast pace to get my heart rate up.
    The problem is that at the end of the day my Apple Watch says I burned almost 700 calories and mfp says I burned 275. What do I do?

    set your activity level to active, and then you don't need to account for the walking as exercise.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    The apple watch counts all the calories you burnt during the day. Not just exercise but also the calories you would have burnt during the day had you been sat on the couch.

    MFP just counts the extra.
  • sytsman
    sytsman Posts: 5 Member
    Cool. Thanks for all the help guys. My profile is set to active. I don't use a satchel anymore. We have vehicles so I stop more often and just carry what fits in a regular messenger bag.
  • sytsman
    sytsman Posts: 5 Member
    I average 17,000 steps a day and my route is measured for 2,000 stairs (up and down)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories