Fitbit question about calories burned.

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Harper0618
Harper0618 Posts: 41 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently started using a fitbit. So far I love it! Motivates and pushes me to get in more steps every day.

I just have a question about the calories burned during exercise using the stopwatch mode. Do you think its accurate?

I go to Zumba and the first 2 times I used it for my class it said I burned around 913 calories. The last 2 weeks when I use it for Zumba it is telling me around 348 calories. I dont understand. The MFP and Zumba Calculator both say around 996 calories burned for my weight and intensity. I work my butt off and dont think 348 calories is right. I can walk for an hour and a half outside and burn 800 calories and not move nearly as much as when I am in Zumba.

Im just not sure what the correct number is to use.

Thanks for your help!

Replies

  • grnice
    grnice Posts: 96
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    I have found MFP to be waaay off in calories burned. The Fitbit is much closer but still not as accurate as my HRM.
  • jenhenning219
    jenhenning219 Posts: 385 Member
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    you need to wear a heart rate monitor for a true read of calories burned, i do zumba for the wii and it comes with a belt and holds the wii remote, i burn 792 calories in an hr
  • Harper0618
    Harper0618 Posts: 41 Member
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    Hmmmm MFP and the Zumba Calculator are really close in the calories it says I burned. My friend who is about 60 pounds lighter then me uses a HRM watch and burns about 575 calories at the same Zumba class. Its all so confusing!!
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
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    I would imagine (though I'm a brand new fitbit user) that the steps would be off for Zumba. It is based on stride and when we are moving in Zumba, we move all kinds of directions but not necessarily the same as our normal stride length type movement. A HRM would be a better fit during this time.

    My HRM last week said 533 calories for the hour. (Polar ft40). My BMI is right at the border of normal and over.
  • MarincicS
    MarincicS Posts: 265 Member
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    MFP estimates are really broad estimates and i never pay attention to them.

    I recently started wearing a HRM for my workouts and found the following:

    Crosstrainer estimate: 450 calories
    FitBit estimate: 350 calories
    HRM estimate: 250 calories

    I go with the HRM.

    The others are useful as estimates to compare activity levels from one day to another, but i no longer trust them for calculating calories to eat back. Very dangerous.

    And remember the HRM is measuring your actual heartbeat directly - not estimating your stride (FitBit) nor estimating a general calorie burn for an activity (MFP).
  • MarincicS
    MarincicS Posts: 265 Member
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    I should also point out that i LOVE my FitBit and it motivates me every day - but that is not the same as using it to count calories.
  • Harper0618
    Harper0618 Posts: 41 Member
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    I love my fitbit too. My steps during Zumba are about 5200 so I think they are pretty accurate. I can walk 5200 steps and burn about 600 calories. I just dont understand it. No wonder I havent been losing weight before the fitbit because I was logging around 996 calories for Zumba when it should have only been around 340. On Zumba websites it says you burn between 500-1000 calories in 60 minutes.

    Thank you for all the comments!

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