Are calorie numbers accurate.

131runner262
131runner262 Posts: 5 Member
edited December 2024 in Getting Started
Hey so I'm trying to figure out how to set up my account accurately. I am 300 lbs 6ft 2. I have to set to lose 2 lbs a week and am lightly active. On my feet all-day at work. Average 10,000 steps a day. I am using a Garmin vivioactive 3 to track daily activity. So this is where I am and where I'm confused.

MFP says for me lightly active 2 lbs per week
2400 calories.

Now confusing part for me is, is this taking into consideration the 10,000 steps I do because I selected lightly active. Because with linking accounts it says I can eat an extra 1800 active calories. This is without me doing any extra excersise.

Just seems to me because I selected my activity level this would include my daily walking 2400 cal.

Please correct me on anything. Any advice appreciated thanks.

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Do you have mfp and your activity tracker set to the same activity level? I'm not sure if it's the same with the Garmin, but I found what worked best for me was to set both mfp and Fitbit at sedentary and get the larger exercise calorie adjustment, as opposed to putting myself as lightly active and trying to figure out if anything was being duplicated or not.

    Welcome and good luck!
  • 131runner262
    131runner262 Posts: 5 Member
    Yes I have them both set the same. I understand what your doing with setting them to sedentary. That's what I was thinking of doing next. I might just have to set it one way and use it for 2 or 3 weeks and see how it goes and adjust accordingly
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    One thing to note is that 10,000 steps a day is closer to Active than lightly active on MFP.

    Also look into your Garmin Settings. There is a setting to estimate your VO2 max and it's based on the amount of exercise/sports you do. If you are doing nothing you likely want it set to 0.

    Then another thing is your HR playing a factor. I don't know if the Garmin device you are talking about has the built in HRM, but you might be seeing inflated calorie burns if your HR is elevated enough.


    That said, my SO who is also about 6' was losing weight eating about 3000 calories a day (if not a little more). This was a couple years ago so I don't remember how fast it was for him, but I remember he was averaging 10,000 steps a day. His starting weight was 240lbs.

    131runner262 wrote: »
    Yes I have them both set the same. I understand what your doing with setting them to sedentary. That's what I was thinking of doing next. I might just have to set it one way and use it for 2 or 3 weeks and see how it goes and adjust accordingly

    Definitely do this. It's the best way to see where you need to be at calorie wise.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,705 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    One thing to note is that 10,000 steps a day is closer to Active than lightly active on MFP.

    Also look into your Garmin Settings. There is a setting to estimate your VO2 max and it's based on the amount of exercise/sports you do. If you are doing nothing you likely want it set to 0.

    Then another thing is your HR playing a factor. I don't know if the Garmin device you are talking about has the built in HRM, but you might be seeing inflated calorie burns if your HR is elevated enough.


    That said, my SO who is also about 6' was losing weight eating about 3000 calories a day (if not a little more). This was a couple years ago so I don't remember how fast it was for him, but I remember he was averaging 10,000 steps a day. His starting weight was 240lbs.

    131runner262 wrote: »
    Yes I have them both set the same. I understand what your doing with setting them to sedentary. That's what I was thinking of doing next. I might just have to set it one way and use it for 2 or 3 weeks and see how it goes and adjust accordingly

    Definitely do this. It's the best way to see where you need to be at calorie wise.

    FWIW: The Garmin Vivoactive 3 has a V02max self-test. You have to walk or do certain other outdoor exercise with GPS enabled for a time period (20 minutes if I recall) in order for it to do an estimate. Read the support info about it if you're interested. That will help the device get a better idea of your fitness level, and might improve its estimates.

    It does have a builtin wrist-based HRM. I don't have an opinion about whether HR distorts its calorie estimates (I have a VA3 and use it routinely). For defined exercises (as opposed to daily activity) it doesn't seem to give crazy estimates, but in daily activity it doesn't really know what you're doing (doesn't have a context for evaluating heart rate).

    OP, your best bet really is to pick a setting, eat that number of calories for a few weeks (4 or more is good, as the first couple of weeks of a new eating routine can have some crazy scale fluctuations from changes in water weight and average digestive system contents). Then you'll have enough data to evaluate and adjust your intake if necessary. If you don't seem to be losing fast enough during the trial period, stay the course. If you start feeling weak or fatigued during the trial period, eat a bit more until your energy level stabilizes . . . especially if you picked an intial calorie goal based on a lower activity estimate.

    My Vivoactive 3 estimates my calorie needs quite inaccurately, as do most other things (MFP, TDEE calculators, etc.). Most people don't have that problem, though. ;)
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