Having a really high calorie burn.

[HappySlappy]

I bought this fitbit to help me keep track of my weight loss and to help me know what im doing right and wrong. But it seems the calorie tracker is eother way off or ive severely underestimated how active my job is. Can any one offer some input on how accurate fitbit is? It wants me to eat over 4000 calories to lose weight wich seems extremely unreasonable. I dont see the sense in paying $200 for something that isn't even close to being correct. I've only had fitbit for a week and im seriously debating on returning it for something else. Some advice from a veteran would be greatly appreciated. 

[wmchapman]

what do you have for a weight goal? The screen you posted is about right for the burn (calories out) with 182 active minutes if you are a little heavy.

Here's mine for about the same number of active minutes (I'm male, 60 and 6ft):

you see how many calories "in" by logging food on the calorie tile trying to stay under budget.  I've been at this over 3 years now so my trackers expectation is much lower than yours; but I burn about 35% less than you, so my intake would also be expected to be 35% less, an expected intake of 2328 to keep up (and not keel over) with a 3687 cal burn would be equivalent to a 3150 intake to compensate for a 5000 calorie exertion, so the request looks about right. Make sense? 

If you make your goal a little more aggressive your expected intake will drop.

My guess is your goal is set for a 10 lb weight drop (1619 calorie deficit a day over 21 days, with the assumption 3400 calories = one pound), you are doing great - get aggressive, shoot for 15 with that kind of proven activity.

[HappySlappy]

Im 223 lbs. My goal is set for 10lb loss. I lifted weights for about 20 mins before going to work. Fitbit logged the rest of the active minutes from my job. Even on the days i did not exercise i logged over 100 active mins and burned 4700+ cals. Im eating 2500-2800 cals. Fitbits always says im almost 2000 cals short on my daily intake even with a 500 cal deficit as my goal.

[wmchapman]

Figured. Been there, done that.

At 223 shoot for at least 23 pounds on that first goal, you'll find the intake will be more "reasonable" and the burn a bit higher; but still "obtainable", it is ok to slow down a little bit - you don't have to get it all done in a month, better to lower the actual intake than try to burn all at once - your heart is the most important muscle and you only get one 😉

Not advice, just a suggestion from a former 200+ pounder, stay as close to 2000 calories max in per day (yes you really have to log those beers and slices of bread that first month so you see their real world impact - bread will blow you away when you figure how many "steps" that second piece is).  Great work!