Less steps but more calories burned?

[pkgnz]

Hi, I have no idea what Im doing wrong but somehow I burn more calories on a day with less steps than a day with more. For instance yesterday I managed to burn 2137 calories and walked 14353 steps. I didnt go for a walk as such that was just what I did during my day  to day activities. I had 49 active minutes and walked 9.19km. Today I have only burned 1722 calories, walked 15137 steps, had 87 active minutes and walked 10.12km. I went and exercised and clocked up 8km over 1hr 18min. How on earth did I burn more yesterday when I didnt really do anything? Is my flex not working properly because thats all I could think of. Its a wee bit disheartening considering the effort I put in today.

[A_Lurker]

How you move around overall during the day affects your calorie burn.  I can see easily a 20% difference on the same amount of steps.  More detailed information here:  http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/its-not-your-metabolism-its-your-neat-thats-stopping-your-...

[USAF-Larry]

Look at your heart rate during those times, @pkgnz, to see if you had higher heart rates during some of the activity times that burned more calories. The calculation of calories burned includes the heart rate, and the higher the heart rate the higher the calorie burn.

[A_Lurker]

I don't think the Flex has HR, however, there's still likely a function that uses how fast you do your steps and how long you are stationary to determine calories burned.  Same concepts though.  If you do all your steps in almost one shot and are sedentary the rest of the day I'd be willing to say that you've burned fewer calories than if you did them spread over the day.

I say that because with my Charge HR I see that pattern.  A busier day and I can hit 3500 calories burned before 10,000 steps.  A slower day when I try and make up my calories at the end of the day and I have to go well over 1000 steps to get the to same calories burned.

[SunsetRunner]

I think it's based on movements. I noticed I burn more calories walking my dogs then I do jogging by myself for a longer distance.

[Dominique]

The algorithm that estimates calories burned is quite complex: it doesn’t simply take your step count and apply a multiplier to it. And bear in mind it’s still an estimate (this is not exact science).

[Mukluk4]

For the non-HR models in simplest terms:

It takes speed (steps/time) into consideration to determine if you are running or walking (to determine distance for steps).  And then takes the distance (number of steps x stride) divided by time combined with height/weight to determine effort (calories burned).

Note:  This is solely based on my independent testing and you can validate my results by using the exercise tracker to provide time and calories burned for an activity, use the same path/track, and then simply modify your stride lengths (or height weight) online and you will see a different in calories burned. 

Relating to the OP, if you are driving on a gravel road, active with your hands while talking, etc.  At the right speed, the fitbit may assume that you are running and then calculate your calories burned based on the above.

[shipo]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I think it's based on movements. I noticed I burn more calories walking my dogs then I do jogging by myself for a longer distance.

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When you say "burning more calories", does that mean more calories per step or per minute?  If "per minute" then something is definitely off with your tracker or with the formula.

[dragonpupps]

It all depends on how fast you are moving, and how far you are moving with each step. For example, earlier this week I had two days in a row with similar steps, but the second day I had more miles and more calories burned before I got to the same steps as the first day. I realized that on the second day, I went for a run and that speed and longer strides gave me less steps, but more calories burned as well as more miles.

[Rocky2468]

Hi.  I think it's like the gas in your car.  Starting and stopping numerous times during the day takes more gas than driving the same distance without stopping.  I have noticed the same thing.  On a day where I'm busy cleaning, getting groceries, etc., I get more calories than when I take an hour long walk.  I agree it's disappointing and disheartening.