My fitbit is overestimating the calories burned

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philreeduk
philreeduk Posts: 51 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

I have recently decided to make some drastic changes in my life (eat healthier, move more etc) and have been doing remarkably well (for a change!). I purchased a fitbit and it has been really fantastic. However, it overestimates how many calories I am burning (for instance, today it states I have burned 500 calories with 11,000 steps). I am trying to keep my calories low (around 1600 per day) to lose 2 pounds a week. However, I am worried with the walking I am doing I am not eating enough, I can't trust the total the fitbit gives me but probably need to change a couple of things with my diet!

Any tips for getting the fitbit to behave/report more accurately?

Replies

  • Zustak
    Zustak Posts: 1 Member
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    I have my Fitbit and MyFitnessPal linked and then set my activity level to sedentary and let the MyFitnessPal adjust the calorie expenditure as needed. I have the Fitbit HR (Heart Rate) so I am assuming that it takes both the steps and heart rate into account. If you are pretty sedentary (like at an office job) and getting most of your steps in one or more long walks, you can use the app Map My Walk to have it adjust the calories more accurately. (I have the Map My Walk app also linked to my account). With that app, you press start when you begin your walk, and it keeps track of your pace and route. Since the MyFitnessPal knows your weight, it can give a more accurate account of calories based on your pace and weight (it may even be tracking elevation.). I noticed when doing that the Map My Walk takes precedence over the Fitbit calorie expenditure. I hope this helps. The Map My Walk app is part of a family of apps and will also help track running and bike rides.

    I hope this helps. I lost over 160 lbs in the past but gained some back and just started getting back into using MyFitnessPal again in the last couple weeks to figure out where I was getting off track. I would be interested to hear more from other people who are using both.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    500 calories for 11,000 steps does not sound terribly unreasonable.
  • lifeisbueno
    lifeisbueno Posts: 16 Member
    edited April 2015
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    i don't link my fitbit and mfp (i also have the automatic guessing thing on the FitBit turned off if i don't wear it) and i try to eat about 250 calories under what the FitbBit tells me to eat before i go to bed. I have consistently lost weight (though i am just trying to get shredded... i don't have a lot of weight to lose)

    Id say it is pretty accurate, if anything set your weight 10 to 15 lbs below what you actually weigh and eat 500 calories under. I think people don't realize that all the errands, exercise, running after kids, and just basic things like walking to your car all add up at the end of the day.

    On a side note... as a 33 year old 140 lb woman... fitbit usually has me at 2200-2700 calories a day based on the usual 12500-15000 steps i get in a day, only about 5000 of those being from a run.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Unless you're out there on (eg) 4 hour daily hikes, it's difficult to under-eat walking exercise because it is low enough intensity to mostly avoid hitting your internal rechargeable batteries.

    If you find your ability to do the walking starts dropping, that would be an indication a closer look is warranted.

  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Depending on your weight 500 calories for walking 11,000 steps doesn't sound too far off. I did 12000 steps yesterday and at 130ish pounds I got an extra 276 calories transferred from Fitbit to MFP.

    Where are you seeing those 500 calories? Is the Fitbit transferring them to MFP for you or are you seeing them in the Fitbit app?

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