How are calories burnt and number of steps calculated by the fitbit flex?

[Ruguru]

Helloo,

how are calories burnt calculated? 

I dont know if its just me but am burning more calories wwhen i use the fitbit flex.

My buddy who uses the polar watch burns 500 calories when my flex says ive burnt almost 3000.

Help on this will be appreciated. 

regards,

PK 

[SteveH · Accepted solution]

I wonder if this is down to your BMR calories. These are you calories you burn just keeping your body alive (even when asleep). Fitbit calculates them and adds them to the additional calories you burn through exercise. I'm not sure the polar watch does.

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-does-Fitbit-know-how-many-calories-I-ve-burne...

[Ruguru · Accepted solution]

Thanks. I wasnt aware of this. Ive copy pasted it here for future reference. And also to help other guys with the same query.

good day @SteveH 

''Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which you burn calories at rest just to maintain vital body functions like breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity. Your BMR usually accounts for at least half of the calories you burn in a day and is estimated based on the physical data you entered when you set up your account: gender, age, height, and weight.

The calorie burn estimate that Fitbit provides takes into account your BMR, the activity recorded by your tracker, and any activities you log manually.

Your tracker's calorie count will reset each night at midnight and begin counting immediately thereafter. BMR is the reason your tracker starts the day with calories already burned—you've still burned calories even if you haven't gotten out of bed yet.''

[snowie]

My Charge HR is over-generous with calories burned...checked against phone app, online calulators etc. I have adjusted and checked all the settings for weight height and stride length. Calories burned according to the fitbit are 40% higher than elsewhere. I don't attempt to eat my exercise calories but it's frustrating nonetheless.