fitbit calorie adjustments

Jaikagen
Jaikagen Posts: 32 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, today, after an 8 mile walk, fitbit [i have had a flex for a week] has added 930 calories to my tracker - does anyone know roughly how accurate this is? I have probably gone over thanks to having lunch out, but id like to know if its massively, thanks!

[sorry if this is in the wrong place!]

Replies

  • mayfrayy
    mayfrayy Posts: 198 Member
    sounds about right
  • cany177
    cany177 Posts: 3 Member
    Hi, I've been thinking of getting a fitbit, how accurate are they? I went to the gym last week and did 1.5 miles on the treadmill and the machine gave me a calories burned number that was no way close to the number MyFitnessPal said I burned in that 1.5 mile. How can I properly track this info?? Help!!
  • julbutcher
    julbutcher Posts: 19 Member
    I think that sounds right. :smile:
  • poohbah4
    poohbah4 Posts: 127
    Hi, I've been thinking of getting a fitbit, how accurate are they? I went to the gym last week and did 1.5 miles on the treadmill and the machine gave me a calories burned number that was no way close to the number MyFitnessPal said I burned in that 1.5 mile. How can I properly track this info?? Help!!

    They are all just guessing. Everyone is different and probably burns a different amount of calories for the same effort. I usually take the lowest estimate, just to be safe. And even then, I usually do not "eat back" all of my exercise calories.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
    Fitbits are an activity tracker rather than a calorie counter. For a more accurate calorie tracker, invest in a Heart Rate Monitor.
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  • iRun_Butterfly
    iRun_Butterfly Posts: 483 Member
    For 8 miles I'd say that sound pretty accurate. I generally figure about 90-100 calories burned per mile of brisk walking or jogging (for myself). You have to remember, fitbit makes adjustments to your entire day based on how active you are over all, so yes, you spent a good chuck of time walking and it will add in those 900 or so calories, but if you relax and take it easy or resume your normal activities throughout the day you may see a few of those disappear over the course of the day. Your calorie burn is based on an estimate up to the point in time it last synced with MPF. Hard to explain, but if you look at your exercise log and click on the little "i" next to your fitbit calorie adjustment it will give you a bit of explanation.
  • Collier78
    Collier78 Posts: 811 Member
    For 8 miles I'd say that sound pretty accurate. I generally figure about 90-100 calories burned per mile of brisk walking or jogging (for myself). You have to remember, fitbit makes adjustments to your entire day based on how active you are over all, so yes, you spent a good chuck of time walking and it will add in those 900 or so calories, but if you relax and take it easy or resume your normal activities throughout the day you may see a few of those disappear over the course of the day. Your calorie burn is based on an estimate up to the point in time it last synced with MPF. Hard to explain, but if you look at your exercise log and click on the little "i" next to your fitbit calorie adjustment it will give you a bit of explanation.

    This! If I do a morning run I will see an impact on my calories earned from exercise, but depending on how active my work day is some of them disappear. It tracks your activity and calculates what you burn based on the personal information you entered. It is still just an "average" for a person of your height, weight, and gender. So I never eat all that it allows and play on the conservative side. That being said, you likely didn't massively blow your intake for that day!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single


    You want to eat back the net calories burned (exercise only) ... not gross (includes BMR). For a 175 lb person, it's about 93 calories per mile grossed, 53 net. Most trackers and HRMs report gross, not net, calories expended.
  • Jaikagen
    Jaikagen Posts: 32 Member
    Thanks! in future ill stick to below what its giving me a bit, your replies are very helpful, thanks again :D
  • newmom_2012
    newmom_2012 Posts: 96 Member
    Sounds about right, the fitbit is taking into account calories your body would have been burning anyways plus the additional calories burned from exercise. I've heard a rough estimate is about 100 calories per mile, so add in what your body is burning anyways and that sounds pretty close to me.

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