What use is a Fitbit if is massive over exaggerates calories burned?

Fizbopper

Been using my Fitbit for over a year and now started counting calories. This morning I did a 30 minute dog walk and my Fitbit said I burned 260 calories. There is no way I burned this many. So as I have it synced to MFP it’s totally over exaggerated my calories to eat for the day. Thinking what is the point of having a Fitbit?

yirara

Every person is different, and how well a specific tracker works for this person is also individual. One way to possibly improve results is to set a custom maximum heartrate, should yours deviate a lot from 220-age. But you can only really do this if you know it, meaning if you're fit enough to do an all out running or cycling test. I have to say though that walking calories have been crazy for me with every device I ever owned, maxHR set correctly or not. I have no idea why as running calories are pretty much as expected with my Garmin, and cycling possibly a bit on the low side. To give you an idea for crazy: My garmin gives me the same net* calories for running and walking 5km. Most better calorie estimates for both suggest that walking calories are nearly half of running calories. Thus no idea.

If you feel like fiddling a bit with numbers then try this one here: https://exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs

Chose net calories, maybe use google maps to figure out how far you walked in this half hour, and then get the speed from that. Grade probably zero or one if there's no terrain or no strong wind. You could still keep the calories Fitbit gives you, but only eat a part of it, maybe what this calculator gives you. Results, as stated above might be better for other activities.

*net calories: You want to log net calories and not gross. Gross calories include the calories used for the exercise and the calories your body uses just for being alive. The being alive part is already accounted for in your MFP calorie allowance. Thus logging this a second time would be double dipping. It probably doesn't account for a lot for half an hour, depending on your weight, but it does add up for longer hikes.

One good thing about fitness trackers: they can keep you accountable, even if walking calories might be rubbish. Like you can look at the summary every evening and see you only walked 2 floors up all day, just 4000 steps, very low activity minutes. Maybe Fitbit also has challenges or badges you can work towards.

Rockmama1111

I’ve used a Fitbit for years and never paid attention to the calories burned; it only counted steps. But now that I have it synced to MFP, I do use those step calories as a cushion for when I need them. I’m losing weight at a comfortable rate with this method.

Keep in mind that if you have MFP set to “sedentary,” the step calorie addition will be greater than if you have selected a setting for more activity. (Where it gives you a higher daily calorie goal).

Lietchi

Even if your Fitbit overestimates, you can use the numbers as a baseline and based on your actual weight results and actual calorie intake, judge how much your Fitbit overestimates.

Fizbopper

Sorry not sure how to reply to the answers left but thank you. I will have a play around and see how I can make it work for me

yirara

Besides all the arguments mentioned here: it's a tech toy, and it's fascinating regardless of how good it does for walking Or is that only me?