Trying to lose weight by calorie counting

[Anna0406]

Hi, 

So i am trying to lose weight by calorie counting. I am tracking all of my food intake on the fit bit app and happy with the calories logged but i just don't seem to be burning that many calories. I very rarely get more than 1600 calories a day burnt and even when i do a decent walk they don't go up by that much. Friends are burning waaaay more than I am and doing less most days. Is there a setting that i need to change on the fit bit at all? 

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[wtksk8r]

Go to your profile page (https://www.fitbit.com/settings/profile) and check to make sure you have the correct birthdate (age), gender, height and weight. That is what is used to estimate your calorie expenditure.

[Heybales]

As mentioned physical stats matter for some very base but big part of your daily burn.

Don't even attempt to compare calorie burns to others unless you know all physical stats match exactly.

Frankly wouldn't do it even if they did.

Compare to yourself over time - are you making progress?

Or are your workouts that could improve your body merely for the sake of burning more calories?

Also - they could have greatly exaggerated calorie burns - if weight loss is the goal and eating less than they burn daily - that will bite them sooner and later.

Just FYI on food logging - tracking and accurate logging will have a bearing on weight loss - sometimes meaningful.

Logging what you eat by weight is accurate, confirm the label in hand matches the database entry is required.

Walking depending on pace can burn anywhere from usually 1 x to 2.5 x your base metabolism calorie burn. So if you are short and light - not a lot to add on to your day.

Also - is the distance seen accurate? Was the time given to the workout accurate? Was the HR that was likely used for calculating calorie burn accurate?

Either for you or them?

Yep, about impossible to compare or know why the difference.