Calories Burned with Charge HR

[rthomas268]

I want to understand. Watch automatically records calories burned all day even when exercising based on HR. Logging an exercise is adding additional calories to the total burned. Is that right?  Seems like that would be an inaccurate measurement. Calories Burned based on HR I would think would be more accurate and then you wouldn't want to add false info by logging exercise. Please advise.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity. 

[wtksk8r]

@rthomas268 I doubt that logging an activity as an exercise changes the calorie expenditure estimate. The algorithm still uses steps and HR to estimate the calories. Try this experiment for say 3 or 4 days. Manually log a walk as a walk the first day, then a run the second day, then an elliptical the third day. I have tried this and all three exercises will come to very similar calorie expenditure estimates. The logging is primarily for your own use for tracking.

[LZeeW]

@rthomas268   I want to make sure you and I are writing about the same thing.  The way I read it, you are saying you are wearing your Fitbit, but then are logging an exercise by tapping on the + on the exercise tile, then using the Log option.  Doing this doesn’t add calories, but overwrites the heart rate based calories with an average based on the MET value of that exercise.

[rthomas268]

OK, so it applies a MET value. Doesn't it seem like the actual HR during exercise would be better?

Also, I m wondering about whether the personal stats (height, weight, age) should be updated as it changes, calculations would change but probably not significantly unless you lost an extreme amount of weight, what do you think?

[LZeeW]

@rthomas268   I believe the recorded HR is better.  This is why I tell users that they should log something manually only if they forget to wear their Fitbit.  Fitbit updates your age because it is part of your profile.  You don't need to weigh yourself daily, just periodically.  Even a moderate weight change can affect calorie burn.