Does the calories count include the basal metabolic rate?

[thatguy87]

At the end of a tracked exercise session I get a calorie count. Does the count include the basal metabolic rate or not?

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[AlejandraFitbit]

It's great to see you around @thatguy87.

Regarding your inquiry, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the rate at which you burn calories at rest just to maintain vital body functions like breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity. Your BMR usually accounts for at least half of the calories you burn in a day and is estimated based on the physical data you entered when you set up your account: sex, age, height, and weight.

The calorie burn estimate that Fitbit provides takes into account your BMR, the activity recorded by your tracker, and any activities you log manually.

Your tracker's calorie count will reset each night at midnight and begin counting immediately thereafter. BMR is the reason your tracker starts the day with calories already burned, you've still burned calories even if you haven't gotten out of bed yet.

Let me know if you need anything else. 

[ThorRune]

You just copied the faq answer. It don't seem to answer the question, because it seems to talk about the overall calories count. Is this the case for the calorie count for each activity too? And why? 

[LZeeW]

Hello @ThorRune and a warm welcome.  As your Fitbit tracks your calories throughout the day, it is always a running total, the sum of the BMR calories and the calories you burn with every type of activity. The difference between using the Exercise App and not using it is that the Exercise App records heart rate (and calculate calorie burn) every minute.  When you don't use the Exercise App, it records every five minutes.  You get more detailed information.

[mejwan]

I too have this question.   I do one hour of weight training for one hour with 26min in cardio zone, 43min in fat burn, and it logs 418 calories. I am out of breath and covered with sweat.  I go for a one hour walk with my wife, who doesn’t walk fast, and I am never out of breath or break a sweat, I get 71 minutes of fat burn and it logs 518 calories.   Is it possible that the walking display includes BMR and the gym-type activities are showing calorie burn do not include the BMR?