We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
my Garmin is saying I am burning way more calories than I am.
vmdave
Posts: 64 Member
It is off by like 3000 calories . I talked to support they replaced my device and the new one has the same problem so I am thinking it is something in the settings? other than this it is fatastic and I love my Vivosmart HR , I am thinking of disconnecting it from MFP at this point since it is soooo way off.
0
Replies
-
I've been having the same issue, I'm not sure if I have something set up wrong. I just go in and delete all the extra calories it gives me! I like having it synced though. I even upped my activity level to see if that helped....it didn't.
If you find an answer please post.1 -
Is your height and weight entered accurately in both Garmin Connect and MFP? Is your activity level accurately set in MFP?
Keep in mind these types of devices can only guesstimate your calories based on how far they think you walked based on steps. If your stride is longer or shorter than the watch thinks, it could be off as well. I believe there's a setting in Garmin Connect for stride length as well.
FWIW, I have a Vivomove that I wear during the day and a Forerunner 630 that I use when I run. I find that sometimes I get extra calories when I walk a lot. I believe it is fairly accurate for me at this point (I can maintain/lose/gain when I want to).1 -
IME, garmin's formulas and calculations have always been among the best I've used, and from what I've read, they are among the best in the industry.
Their wrist-based HR monitors... well, not so much. My vivosmart HR has been retired to occasional/novelty use.1 -
how do you know its incorrect? two devices both "incorrect" points to either a) user issue or b) being correct2
-
I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.0
-
have you run you stats through a TDEE calculator to see what it gives you and then compared it to your garmin?0
-
BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.1 -
BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
It will count steps (which is all you really need anyway - everything is kinda pointless).1 -
It does have a screen that provides the same information as a fitbit - steps, total mileage, and calories burned, as well as a separate screen showing all-day heart rate. I don't know why it would have that if it didn't intend to monitor all day, but either way I think the screen is wrong.0
-
IME, garmin's formulas and calculations have always been among the best I've used, and from what I've read, they are among the best in the industry.
Their wrist-based HR monitors... well, not so much. My vivosmart HR has been retired to occasional/novelty use.
This is my understanding, too. Garmin doesn't write their own calorie burn software, they license it from Firstbeat. Suunto and many other tech companies also license Firstbeat's software. It's considered the best available for energy expenditure from a HRV.
I have a Fenix 3 HR with Garmin's wrist heart rate sensor. It's entirely unreliable, the HR is usually wrong, and it gives me an unfathomable number of calories for walking, often hundreds per mile.1 -
Have you tried turning off the HR sensor and seeing if there is a difference? I have an old non-HR Vivoactive and it slightly underestimates. I hear a lot of anecdotes about wrist HR overestimating burns.0
-
I haven't tried turning off the HR sensor, but before I had a Fenix 3 HR I had a Fenix 3 without the wrist HRM, and it gave me drastically fewer calories per mile I'd walk.
I probably should turn the wHRM off. Can't really bring myself to because then I have this uncomfortable bump digging into my wrist for no reason. At least now it gives me random numbers.
Today I've earned 211 extra exercise calories. I've taken 707 steps.0 -
Interesting. I have a Fenix 3 HR and I find it to be pretty spot on for burn. I use a chest strap for most workouts but just wear the watch the rest of the day.
OP, did you recently get an update? In my experience sometimes updates can lead to issues that need later patches. Check the Garmin forums and see if others are having the same issue with the device. If so, you may just have to wait it out for a patch. Good luck!1 -
HR shouldn't even be in use for calorie counts for walking. HR is not a reliable indicator of exertion at low intensity exercises such as walking. Even at steady state, moderate intensity cardiovascular activities where the correlation is more reliable, the accuracy of those calorie counts is a bit overstated and there are some definite caveats.
I've heard of multiple issues with accuracy with the Garmin wrist based HRMs.
The Firstbeat algorithms only apply when used with a chest strap. The optical HRMs cannot measure HR variability, and a different algorithm based on HR only is used..2 -
Recently picked up a Garmin Forerunner 225 for the stand alone GPS function to map runs. It has an option to use as an all day activity tracker. I turned that off, as I have no interest in using it other than on runs.
Mainly I'm just commenting to say that some Forerunner products are advertising an activity tracking function.0 -
Are you turning on the activities? If so, either stop turning them on or replace it with a VivoActive HR. I had a Vivosmart HR and if you turned on the activity (say waking) it would count calories for the walk activity and count calories for the steps taken, so doubling up the calories. Seems to be a known problem with the VivoSmart series.
My VivoActive seems bang on for calorie burn when compared to a Polar chest strap on the treadmill and when taking my weight loss into account.0 -
StaciMarie1974 wrote: »Recently picked up a Garmin Forerunner 225 for the stand alone GPS function to map runs. It has an option to use as an all day activity tracker. I turned that off, as I have no interest in using it other than on runs.
Mainly I'm just commenting to say that some Forerunner products are advertising an activity tracking function.
Yep.
I use my Garmin Forerunner 225 Activity function to record/map runs.
The HRM is usually wildly off, sometimes way too high and sometimes way too low.
But I love the watch for the GPS, time, pace, distance, etc.
I also do a lot of walking that the 225 counts steps for (I'm averaging 19,440 steps a day even on non running days), but the calories I earn for those are way too few.
The calories I earn for my runs are very accurate. Similar to my former Fitbit Charge HR (which I stopped using due to lack of GPS).0 -
It is off by like 3000 calories . I talked to support they replaced my device and the new one has the same problem so I am thinking it is something in the settings? other than this it is fatastic and I love my Vivosmart HR , I am thinking of disconnecting it from MFP at this point since it is soooo way off.
Turn the HR off and see what it says.
Personally I'd like it if there was an option not to include HR in the all day calorie estimation as it's inevitable that will give an elevated estimate0 -
BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
I have a forerunner and the whole reason i bought it is because it counts steps all day long, tracks sleep, and also pairs with a HRM for accurate activity tracking. IMO it's a hybrid daily activity tracker and HRM. Then again, i got the 230 (just like the 235 except without optical heart rate) because i knew that any extra data i got was likely to be incorrect.0 -
BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Most of the current models have step tracking by default and several have the Elevate HR sensor as well.
The problem with always-on HR is that the data are meaninglessmost of the time. That skews all day calorie estimates as a result.0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Most of the current models have step tracking by default and several have the Elevate HR sensor as well.
The problem with always-on HR is that the data are meaninglessmost of the time. That skews all day calorie estimates as a result.
We keep saying this but no one believes us. Their overpriced gadget has a HRM so it must be used for something, right????
I picked up a Garmin Vivomove a few weeks ago when the price dropped below $100. First I was surprised that it dropped so much but then when I looked at the lack of activity in the Garmin Forums for this watch, I understood. No one is buying it. My guess is it doesn't have an HRM so people don't think it is any good.
Oh well... Thanks to the misinformation I have a very nice looking watch that tracks my steps.
0 -
MeanderingMammal wrote: »BrunetteRunner87 wrote: »I feel like I have the same problem. I have a Forerunner 235 (with wrist HRM) that I wear most of the time and the number of calories it shows I burn on a daily basis seems really high for someone at my activity level and stats.
I don't believe the forerunner series is meant to be used as an all-day activity monitor.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Most of the current models have step tracking by default and several have the Elevate HR sensor as well.
The problem with always-on HR is that the data are meaninglessmost of the time. That skews all day calorie estimates as a result.
We keep saying this but no one believes us. Their overpriced gadget has a HRM so it must be used for something, right????
I picked up a Garmin Vivomove a few weeks ago when the price dropped below $100. First I was surprised that it dropped so much but then when I looked at the lack of activity in the Garmin Forums for this watch, I understood. No one is buying it. My guess is it doesn't have an HRM so people don't think it is any good.
Oh well... Thanks to the misinformation I have a very nice looking watch that tracks my steps.
Shiny gadgets with a marketing pamphlet full of nonsense seem to win out every time.
I do use a VivoSmartHR, but the useful data is RHR trend. The rest of the time HR data really doesn't add anything.
For mid week short, easy paced, runs I do use the HR rebroadcasting paired with my Forerunner, which is perfectly reasonable data quality. For speedwork I use the chest strap.0 -
I guess I should add that I'm not anti-HRM. I use a chest strap all the time when I run. It is good data to analyze and I sometimes use it for feedback during a run. Plus, I use it for training (I know my VO2max and my Lactate Threshold).
Now I'm off to run through the wet and chilly streets of Harrisburg for the annual St Patrick's Day 10k (with my HRM on my chest ). 0 -
I find mine to be pretty accurate as well. I was playing around the settings at garminconnect.com and I found a lot more things you can personalize. There's something called activity class - maybe you have it set too high?
Mine is annoying accurate, because lately it's been subtracting exercise calories when it's over estimated cardio - and it's starting to drive me nuts! haha.
Also, double check your units of measurement are set to what you would like them to be. Do the stride length customization. Check your weight/height. Are you wearing it with something else on your wrist that could be messing with the HR monitor?0 -
I had a Forerunner 35 until last week and it wasn't just calorie burn calculations that were a bit off - those were over-generous the same as everyone has been saying here.
However, the Forerunner also can't count steps correctly when you walk a bit faster than normal pace.
Anything above an average walking speed of 3.5mph and the device starts missing steps, get above 4mph walking speed and it counts only 60-70% of the steps.
This is just walking, not some kind of hybrid jogging, so the only thing that changes is you put one foot in front of the other faster, yet as your pace increases the device gets worse and worse at counting the steps.
You can tell the results you get after a walk are a load of rubbish by comparing a walk done at around 3mph to one done at 4+mph. The graphs sync'd to Garmin Connect imply that you do more steps per 15 minute period when walking slower than when you walk faster, something that is humanly impossible.
Garmin initially thought my device must be faulty so they sent me a new one. It was exactly the same.
Then they wrote a software update (3.10 for this model) which was supposed to fix the problem but nothing changed.
So then I sent the Forerunner back for a refund and got a Vivoactive HR instead.
Guess what?
It has exactly the same problem counting steps at higher speed too...
On the plus side, it's much better at tracking my calorie burn, so I'm a little better off than before.
0 -
I find mine to be pretty accurate as well. I was playing around the settings at garminconnect.com and I found a lot more things you can personalize. There's something called activity class - maybe you have it set too high?
I believe the activity class setting is no longer used (it is not even mentioned in the newer watch manuals). I could be wrong, so it doesn't hurt to change it.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.5K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 444 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.3K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.8K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions