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Charge 2 calorie counter accuracy

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‎02-13-2017 15:28 - last edited on ‎09-09-2020 10:13 by Fitbit Moderator

‎02-13-2017 15:28 - last edited on ‎09-09-2020 10:13 by Fitbit Moderator

Hey guys,

I'm new to exercising regularly. I'm trying to lose weight (5'1" 185 lbs) to become healthier and feel better. I've been working out and watching my diet for about 4 weeks and my boyfriend got me a fitbit charge 2 this weekend to encourage me to keep going. Well, my question is the accuracy of the calories burned on my Fitbit. I had been using a treadmill to track my progress, but today I noticed that my Fitbit had recorded my calories burned as 195 more calories than what the gym treadmill was reading! Can someone please tell me if this is accurate or if I'm doing something wrong?

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62 REPLIES 62

‎07-22-2017 10:45

In response to SunsetRunner

‎07-22-2017 10:45

So how does the fitbit calculate my RMR and where can I find this number? Most online calculators give me a base metabolic rate (that's the same as RMR?) of about 1360, and a TDEE of about 1630. I know it's closer to 1750, but anyway.

 

The calorie burn with the fitbit is so much off for me that I would gain weight very quickly if I followed these numbers. Just earlier this week I got 2800kcal/day on a day where I slowly walked 18km. Knowing my numbers I should not have been given more than 2200. This is not 10-15% more, this is massive! Not amused by it to be honest.

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‎07-22-2017 11:00

In response to Liliacea

‎07-22-2017 11:00

Hi there.

There are going to be issues with both RMR and caloric expenditure.

Although not perfect, I find decreasing bodyweight to be the most accurate. This isn't a perfect solution but results are inline with what I'd expect (and I've been following intake/output for over 15-years.

Again not perfect, but better than the charge 2 saying you burn way more than expected. Also, it tends to be conservative. Better to have lower burn than higher.

Hope that helps.
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‎07-25-2017 19:28

In response to SunsetRunner

‎07-25-2017 19:28

Thank you for the information. I thought I might change the input of info to see if it would calculate differently
This helps.

Linda
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‎07-25-2017 19:29

In response to SunsetRunner

‎07-25-2017 19:29

Thanks for the input.  I will play around with my personal information to get it to read right then.

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‎08-16-2017 07:50

In response to Frog55

‎08-16-2017 07:50

That's ridiculous! My 15 min walks usually show up as 70 - 80 calories. I always thought that seemed fairly accurate without really having anything else to base it off.

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‎09-21-2017 17:00

In response to GershonSurge

‎09-21-2017 17:00

I have noticed throughout the day that my Charge2 is not reading my BP. Its become a consistent problem. I no longer trust the calories burned. How can i get an accurate value if BP is not tracked consistently? I have tried rebooting, cleaning, making sure my charge is at least two finger widths from wrist bone and have tried 3 finger widths. I have tightened the band and loosened the band. Then today i was thrown out of the phone app, logged back on and went about my day. checked my charge and it shows 4500 steps. My phone app was in sync earlier today but now it only reads 1489 steps.I logged on to fitbit via my computer and it shows what my charge shows. ??? I am relying on FITBIT too much to have this inconsistent behavior. Beyond frustrated at this point.  Note: the inconsistent monitoring has been going for about a month now, if not longer.I looked at today's readings and it is not accurate and 3 different times it would not pick up a reading. I manually sync to save battery power for both my phone and my Charge 2. Charge is set to use the FIT BIT zones, not custom. As i am writing this, i was thrown out of my phone app again. 

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‎09-22-2017 16:44

In response to Frog55

‎09-22-2017 16:44

Most of your calories burn in a typical day come from RMR. 

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‎10-07-2017 04:46

In response to Frog55

‎10-07-2017 04:46

This is very simple to explain. The device also calculates your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is the amount of calories that your body burns while resting (e.g. activitiy that is needed to build muscle tissue, or to keep the homeostasis at a steady level).

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‎10-07-2017 09:46

In response to perfeccionista4

‎10-07-2017 09:46

Hi perfectionists4a.

Thanks for reply, but it's not that simple.

Caloric expenditure = BMR + Activity + TEF + NEAT. NEAT can be extremely variable between people. Through on top of that thyroid, leptin, other hormones and individual variance and that's true caloric output.

I've measured food intake and used Fitbit's calories at current weight. It implies large weight loss with real life being maintained body weight.

The tracker has grossly overstated calories burned. Tried to offset the mis-specification by lowering weight.

That is all.
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‎10-09-2017 10:26

In response to SunsetRunner

‎10-09-2017 10:26

Thank you Foci. I am on medication for hypothyroidism. The condition runs in my family and i anticipate difficulties losing weight, which is why i purchased the Charge 2...more knowledge leads to better decisions. I am not familiar with the terms TEF and NEAT. I am researching. I may need a different tool for tracking calories burned.

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‎10-09-2017 12:21

In response to Cindymarie61

‎10-09-2017 12:21

TEF = Thermic Effect Food
NEAT = Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

Neat can vary by as much as 2000 calories across the population. It's huge component of weight mgt not readily known about. Check it out.

Sorry on the thyroid. I'm guessing that would regulate NEAT downward.

Look for info on NEAT & Intermittent fasting on the web. Great potential areas of health benefits and fitness Mgt.
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‎12-25-2017 22:53

In response to DeafFred

‎12-25-2017 22:53

Hi, I have just gotten my Fitbit today and was googling about the calorie burner as I think I’m having the same problem. I understand that you burn calories 24/7 but since I turned mine on (no more than an hour) it says I’ve burned over 1,400 cals but that seems like way too many especially since I’ve taken 49 steps, does that seem off? 

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‎12-26-2017 02:20

In response to Phayer

‎12-26-2017 02:20

Depends what time you turned it on. If later in the day it would include your estimated BMR (amount of calories burned at rest up to that time), based on age, weight,etc.

 

Be wary moving forward, that although a great tool, it can only provide estimates, not actual calories burned. That’s, at best, an educated guess day-to-day.

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‎01-06-2018 06:30 - edited ‎01-06-2018 06:34

In response to Frog55

‎01-06-2018 06:30 - edited ‎01-06-2018 06:34

The charge 2 is probably calculating your BMR throughout the day, the number of calories our body burns in a sedentary state. Our body uses energy to carry out basic functions. That is probably what those phantom calories burned are.

 

Totally new to this forum, didn't realize other had responded already and idk how to delete this comment😅

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‎01-18-2018 13:20

‎01-18-2018 13:20

I haven't delved too deep into this thread but my Fitbit charge two reckons I've burned 4000+ calories having walked 12700 steps today. My partners walked 17000+ steps today and only burned 1500 calories. I don't get it 😐 (her 'fitbit' isn't a proper one. It's one of these £20 ones from Amazon, works for her fine like)

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‎01-30-2018 08:59

In response to MSow

‎01-30-2018 08:59

Yeah, I'm having a similar problem with my wife's Charge 2.  I have a Flex myself for comparison.  She's 210, I'm 250 and roughly the same age.  I am much more active than she is throughout the day and yesterday in particular her Charge 2 gave some very weird results.

She got in 6,440 steps (2.59 miles) was active for 108 minutes and didn't do any additional exercises.  The day is a typical school day for her and she burned 3294 calories.

I got in 20,628 steps (9.04), was active for 89 minutes, did treadmill for an hour, and did two separate walks for a total of 30 minutes and I burned 3457 calories.

 

She shouldn't be anywhere close to me as far as calories burned.

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‎01-30-2018 09:38

In response to Orakkus

‎01-30-2018 09:38

I've been doing a bit of digging and found a bit out about the BMR that the charge 2 uses as a reference for calorie burning .

 

It made a bit of sense in that it takes your age, height and weight etc... into account and generates resting calorie burning as well. 

 

I worked out my BMR and it said that just my body keeping me alive burns like 2000+ calories a day. Whether or not that's true it made the calories my physical activity had burnt seem more reasonable... 

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‎01-30-2018 09:54

In response to MSow

‎01-30-2018 09:54

One thing that was brought to my attention is that stress may be screwing up the results.  Since my wife works at a school, it can be stressful at times..and what might be happening is that the Charge 2 is misinterpeting the elevated HR from stress as exercise.  As a result, the app is indicating that she had 15 hours of fat burning exercise, rather than just having a stressful day.

 

Is there any way to adjust that calculation because she probably will have a heart rate of around 140 when exercising.

 

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‎01-30-2018 09:56

In response to Orakkus

‎01-30-2018 09:56

wrote:

 

Is there any way to adjust that calculation because she probably will have a heart rate of around 140 when exercising.

 

Not that I know of... However I am new to the world of Fitbit so there could be

 

 

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‎01-30-2018 10:30

In response to MSow

‎01-30-2018 10:30

Heart rate variability has some impact on calories burned, but it’s at best approximation.  People more efficient:fit at a given exercise will burn more calories.  Ultimately, calories are a function of work done.

 

For example, a 150 Lb person will burn approximately 100 calories running/walking a mile.  Say 2 people run it both at 10 minutes, but one has a HR of 110 & the other 150.  HR monitors will, generally, indicate the person with the higher HR burned a lot more calories.  That, However, is incorrect.

 

they each burn ~ 100.  These tools are best used by gauging activity via steps. Caloric burn estimates (they are only estimates) can be way off.

 

Trial & error.  Track your intake, weight & steps and gauge from there.  That’ll help you better approximate burn with real world changes in weight.

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