Does fitbit show accurate data about calories burned through exercise specifically?

[Fab187]

Hi, 

I've recently found out that the data provided about calories burned is a total calories burned in that period and not necessarily just what was burned by doing a particular exercise. 

Can someone let me know whether RMR, TEF and TEA are taken into account?

Also what exactly does the impact on your day mean?

Thank you in advance.

Cheers 

Farhana 

[LZeeW]

@Fab187   With respect to your accuracy question, let me start by saying the calories burns are estimates, based on known formulas and Fitbit's algorithms.

• RMR - resting metabolic rate.  Fitbit uses the Mifflin St. Jeor equation to estimate RMR.  While it is felt that this equation offers a better estimate than other equations for average populations, it isn't very accurate for someone who is at the extremes.
• TEF - thermic effect of feeding.  VERY sure this is not included.  Food logging is an option for users.
• TEA - thermic effect of activity.  Your activity calories are estimated from Fitbit's algorithms.

Yes, you are correct about the calories in a specific exercise.  The calorie burn will be the total of your RMR and TEA calories.  Once upon a time, there was a Premium feature that gave you just your activity calories.  That was the web version of Premium and was discontinued.  You can find a Mifflin St. Jeor calculator online.  Once you get your estimate, just calculate your RMR per hour.  Keep that in the back of your mind when you exercise.  You will only need to recheck that if you have a noticeable weight loss or gain.  

The impact on your day is a snapshot of that activity.  If you look at those details right after a workout, those numbers will your steps/calories/zone minutes right up to that point in time.  If you look at that exercise the following day, you will see how those steps/calories/zone minutes fit in to your whole day.

[Fab187]

Hi Laurie, thank you for the information. It's good to know all of this and makes you realize how hard it is to actually burn calories. You might think you've done 500 but not really!