Calorie adjustment doesn’t seem consistent/accurate

[Buerlaur]

I am using both Fitbit Versa and MyFitnessPal and they seem to be synced correctly.  Since most days I am sedentary, but some days I am slightly active, I have MyFitnessPal set at sedentary and get an additional calorie adjustment most days.  The issue is my calorie adjustment doesn’t seem consistent or accurate.  For example, one day I had 3,656 steps and was given an additional 53 calorie adjustment.  Another day I had 3,318 steps and was given an additional 312 calorie adjustment.  So I am wondering if there are other factors at play besides just steps or if my adjustment is not working correctly?

[WavyDavey · Accepted solution]

Hi @Buerlaur ,

Your suspicion is correct. Steps actually don't factor in at all to calories--they're more just a measurement of general activity moving and walking.

What will contribute much more is your heart rate exertion during that day. You can pull up the heart rate charts in the app, and note how much time you are in fat burn or cardio zones. It should be that the day with the most time in those zones, that will have the most calories to consume.

As an example, I can wash dishes, do laundry, etc. and get very few steps. But I'll pick up some active minutes, which are again going to be more important to calories than steps. I can also pace while I'm talking on the phone and not burn many calories, just mostly steps.

So look at heart rate, and look at active minutes for those days, and you can see the pattern.