Stingy Fitbit

MelissaLimeKiwi
MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I just got a Fitbit last weekend and went for my first run today. It only gave me 135 calories for a 5k in 29 minutes. The app I used to use would have given me probably 300 calories. Why such little calorie credit? Anyone else experience this?

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Which fitbit do you have?
  • heatherheyns
    heatherheyns Posts: 144 Member
    I've had the opposite experience with mine. I feel it overestimates my walks. I will take a lesuirly 20 minute walk and get 170 calories for it.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    Is that what it says in your Fitbit Dashboard for that activity, or is that the adjustment from Fitbit to MFP?

    If it's your adjustment, I bet some of those calories are just lost in your activity level setting. If it's on your Dashboard, you might not have your Fitbit set up correctly.
  • MelissaLimeKiwi
    MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
    I have the zip. That's the adjustment from syncing into mfp. When I walk I get a better rate of return! Doesn't make sense. I've used it for walking every day this week and those burns seems more on target.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    I'm willing to bet that your runs are actually a better rate of return if you compare per mile on your Dashboard, instead of comparing a day that includes an adjustment due to running vs a day that includes an adjustment due to walking. (Also, if it's your first run, and it was this morning, you've still got plenty of day left to earn more adjustments.)
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited May 2016
    Fitbit adjustments are based on your Fitbit calorie burn for the day. They reflect more than just the exercise you did.

    Look at your Fitbit dashboard.
    On days were you didn't run, was your activity spread out across the day?
    Now look at a running day. Was there any extended periods without activity were on other days your still moving?
    If so, there's your difference. While walking doesn't have a high calorie burn rate if you keep it up constantly for most the day your burn will be higher than a day you ran but ended up being less active over all.
  • MelissaLimeKiwi
    MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
    Thank you all, I went further into my dashboard and see where they split up the calorie burns - they estimate me at 10 calories per minute burned while running, and 7 while walking. It did give me more calories for the run, but didn't show in my adjustment until about 9 hours later.
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