One overestimates/AltaHR reeeeeeeally overestimates

glassyo

Ok, so here's my problem.

My One suddenly decided to overestimate calories on a walking dvd I do in my apartment by about 50 calories each hour. I'm pretty sure it already overestimated anyway.

So I decided to dig out my AltaHR which I only used once because it reeeeeeally overestimated to see what it gave me for the dvd and it was more like overestimating by 300something.

I kept hearing about how the newer fitbits had to learn you so I decided to wear them at the same time. All things being equal stats wise and placement wise (both are in a clip I wear on my undies/hr monitor turned off on the AltaHR obviously), my One will give me a tdee of about 2600 and the AltaHR will give me around 3800.

I have a separate fitbit account for the AltaHR, let it do it's thing, and input my calories eaten from mfp. The only difference is I've been updating my weight every week for the AltaHR and continue to update my weight on the linked One account once a month. I'm also trying to maintain so I keep changing my weight on fitbit to keep that in line.

Is this enough for it to learn me and how long should I be doing this before I see the AltaHR go not so crazy? Should I be doing anything else or different?

heybales

Takes about 2 weeks for the HR-based ones to improve their accuracy.

They need to see resting HR and daily HR awake no/few steps.
That helps determine where the exercise level starts - where HR-based calorie burn would start.
Below that line step-based calorie burn is more accurate.

That depends on distance from steps being pretty accurate too though for daily life - the more steps the worse any inaccuracy is.

And steps without any actual distance, ie walking in place - always has potential for inaccuracy.

By pure coincidence the distance seen by the impact could equal the calorie burn for what you are actually doing.
Then again it could be very incorrect.
If you get moving hard enough the HR is high enough - then HR-based might be better estimate, but indeed likely inflated.

Ever compared the distance the 2 Fitbit's reported when you walked a known distance?
Doing that distance at average daily pace (about 2 mph) would be best, then you can correct the stride length setting.

glassyo

I've been logging the alta for 3 weeks. So it won't adjust anything if I'm not using the heart rate monitor?

LOL, yeah. I noticed that about walking in place. That's why I pace/jog the length of my apt to the beat of the dvd's music. And also why I can get 100,000 steps in. My steps are TINY during the jogging parts.

I just compared last night's walk and the alta gave me about a mile more than the One. Number of steps were pretty much spot on. I'm old, short, and weigh....not a lot. Okay, 104ish. I was trying to stay with the vague theme. Even if I haven't set my stride, would that extra mile account for that many extra calories??

heybales

Extra mile in same amount of shortish time means pace was higher.

Pace & weight is what gives good estimate of calorie burn they use.

So if distance is off by decent amount, and that sounds like it - calories can be off too.

walking calorie rough estimate is .3 cal/lb of weight per mile, so should have been around 32 cal more sounds like on that higher estimate.

So correct the Alta can't determine improvements to HR-based calorie burn if it's not on.

Now, some people have heart condition or meds that mean their HR is higher than it needs to be for actual activity level - many of them turn off HR except during workouts - which also doesn't give good calorie values - but it's to monitor the HR, not for calorie burn estimate.

But really for walking level workouts - step-based would be best if the distance is correct.
Actually, running too.

glassyo

Thanks

I never really wanted a wrist unit but now, out of curiosity, the band and hr monitor are back on, and I'm gonna see if it magically learns me. I'll give it a month. The walking formula actually tracks with what my One was giving me. I've been toying with the idea of ripping the sound from the dvd, listening to it on my mp3 player, and seeing if it truly is 5 miles.

And one day seriously measuring my stride.