Calories burned

fdlewenstein

What is the difference between active calories and total calories recorded after a workout? Also, I want to record my workouts, but I don't want to add the calories earned from a workout to my total calories. I assume its possible, but I don't know MFP well enough to do this.

naomi8888

Are you talking about workouts on your Apple Watch? The active calories refer to the calories actually burnt by doing the workout. Total calories also includes the calories your body would've used in that time if you were just sitting and doing nothing.

fdlewenstein

Yes, apple watch. I'm not sure I understanding. The total calories are always more than the active calories. For example, after 36 minutes on the elliptical recorded 241 active calories and 305 total calories.

naomi8888

Yep, so it's including what it estimates you would have burned doing nothing (resting calories + active calories = total calories).
I know the difference is quite high if you worked that out over a 24 hour period (approx. 120 calories an hour would be a high basal metabolic rate), but keep in mind that the calories burned are just an indication. Don't get too caught up in the numbers as HR isn't really an accurate way to calculate calories.

fdlewenstein

Got it. That makes sense.