Accuracy of counting calories... Fitbit or cardio machine?

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yumi1
yumi1 Posts: 26 Member
edited May 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Today I was on the elliptical for 45 minutes and the machine read that I burned 500 calories, but my fitbit one read 400!

I just realized this difference today because I don't use my fitbit everyday. Problem is, I have always used the machine calorie count for my diary!

Any thoughts?

Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    These are different measurements.
    Fitbit measures all of the calories you expend TDEE : exercise plus BMR ( calories your burned by existing). Fitbit will be more accurate, the longer you used them.
    Any Machine measures some activity level based on sensors located in the machine. It only measure the exercise performed, not the BMR. Machines are notoriously inaccurate.
    I sync my Fitbit with MFP and I do not enter any exercise manually at MFP, regardless what the machine says.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    For me, the burn on the cardio machines, even when I input my gender, age and weight, are really high. 60 minutes on the pre-cor and the machine says I burned 725. My Garmin (HRM) says 450. I go with the burns from the HRM, not the machine. Burning 10/cal per minute for long periods of time is a really high intensity. Even when I'm doing HIIT (HR in the 170's) I burn substantially less than the treadmill says I did.

    I have a friend who's Ph.D. is in nutrition and exercise physiology. She's told me the base calibration of the machines is usually on very fit, very lean men which can throw off the overall reading, even when compensated by individual stats like gender, weight. etc. I've never asked her for any official data, but the woman knows her stuff.
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 667 Member
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    Fitbit.
  • yumi1
    yumi1 Posts: 26 Member
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    OK thanks! I'm having a hard time syncing my fitbit with my fitness pal
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p1
  • activeinmysixties
    activeinmysixties Posts: 25 Member
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    Well said @ socioseguro. All of these are using different algorhythms and therefore inacurrate - doesn't matter if it the treadmill - MFP - fitbit or whatever. My suggestion is - use one device and know it is only for guidance.
  • Zara11
    Zara11 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    I usually just plug in half of what the machine says.
  • melissafawnw
    melissafawnw Posts: 67 Member
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    I don't know how accurate a Fitbit one it either. I have one and never know how much to trust it. I'm sure it's less accurate than one with a HR monitor.
  • reyoflightphoto
    reyoflightphoto Posts: 76 Member
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    While the FitBit is more accurate than the machine, neither are accurate enough. What I have done, is consistently use the fitbit, but then after a month, I look at my average calorie deficit and check how it compares to what I am actually losing. If you are losing an average of .5 lbs a week you are burning 250 more daily calories than you consume. If you are are losing 1lb a week you are burning 500 more calories daily than you are consuming, etc. Based on this, adjust as needed. I found that Fitbit had me 150 over on daily calorie burn on average. So now I shoot for 150 calories less each day than what MFP suggests. With this my weight is steadily decreasing much better. FitBit helps but everybody is different and it's best to do a little thinking for your self. I just did that for a month and now I trust the consistency of the Fitbit plus my 150 calorie adjustment and it's working wonders. :-)

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