Charge 5 Way Way Over Calculates Calories!

[HisLittleOne]

I am very disappointed in the inaccuracy of the device with calculating the calories burned. I am only 97 lbs and don’t do cardiac exercise, I just do fat burning light exercise but the Charge 5 is reporting 2000 calories!! That is insane…that is more than I eat in a day!! I am certain that I have the correct parameters in my health information. This device is wayyyy off in the calorie count so I totally disregard it…unfortunately 😒

[ManuFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi @HisLittleOne. Thanks for getting back!

Thank you for the question.

Have you taken this in consideration regarding to the calories burned?

Fitbit devices combine your basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the rate at which you burn calories at rest to maintain vital body functions (including breathing, blood circulation, and heartbeat)—and your activity data to estimate your calories burned. If your device tracks heart rate, your heart-rate data is also included, especially to estimate calories burned during exercise. The number you see on your Fitbit device is your total calories burned for the day.

Your BMR is based on the physical data you entered in to your Fitbit account (height, weight, sex, and age) and accounts for at least half the calories you burn in a day. Because your body burns calories even if you’re asleep or not moving, you see calories burned on your device when you wake up and will notice this number increase throughout the day.

This may explain why you see high numbers after your exercise.