huge increase in steps does not equate to huge increase in calories burned at the end of the day

[louiseev]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone else had this experience. I have noticed this consistently for at least 6 months, that if I walk say 8k steps in a day I burn around 1645 calories, however if I walk 14k steps in a day I will burn 1959. Yesterday I walked only 2,811 steps and yet I burned 1.435 calories yet on days where I walk 10k steps I often only burn around 1700 to 1800! I do not understand how I can more then double my step count or at least increase it by 40% yet I only get maybe an extra 200 calories. This is a consistent pattern and I do not understand. 10k is always my goal but it essentially does not seem to matter if I go well above it, even one day I did 18k steps and only then did I hit 2000 calories burned for the day.

I am no scientist but from a logical perspective I do not get it. I also can't lost weight regardless of how many steps and I do do other forms of exercise in the day aswell, some days.

I am wondering if I need to recalibrate my fitbit as i have had it for 3 years and I have put on  a bit of weight 😞 so maybe it is not measuring the calories burned properly, like maybe it has an old weight entered when I bought it, it was so long ago I can't remember if I had to enter my weight to help it determine my calorie burn or if the device does this 'naturally'. I have a  Fitbit charge 3 . Also I dont wear it asleep as I dont like electronic devices near me.

Is there any scientific theory that explains why basically increase in steps does not seem to lead to an equally proportionate calories burn. Or in other words it is disproportionate.

And does the calorie burn work as a sensor or should I re-enter my metrics

I am so confused by all this. 

thanks 

[SteveH]

Fitbit tracks 2 types of calorie burn: those burned through being active, and those burned just keeping our body alive. The second type are known as your BMR calories and burn at a set rate day and night (even when you are asleep) based on your profile settings for age, weight etc. Typically the BMR calories make up the majority of our total calorie burn.

So, when you double your steps you will be doubling the calories associated with that activity but you won't double your total calorie burn because the extra steps have no impact on your BMR calories.

[MarciM]

Thanks @SteveH for the great explanation. Also worthy of noting is that women burn considerable less calories then man particularly as we age. My husband and I compare our stats after a challenging hike and my calorie burn for the exact same activity, similar RHR, similar zone minutes and still I have WAY less calories burned. 

[louiseev]

ok thank you that makes sense, I did not realise that. It sort of is discouraging on the surface level of just seeing huge increase in steps not make a major difference in calorie burn but when you explain it like that makes sense.

[louiseev]

Yes Marci totally, yes I see people post their runs and the distance is the same as mine yet they burn so many more calories. But yes so many variable age, height, weight, gender. Also I think metabolism hormones and even medication has a big impact too. I am on medication and it has affected my weight and ability to lose weight and even puffiness.