Fitbit over estimating calories

[Skivere]

My Fitbit is saying I’m burning 900 calories from lifting weights and burning 3500 calories in all in a day. If this is true does that mean I have to eat 3500 calories to maintain my weight?

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Skivere,

Some more details would be helpful, like your current weight. Hope long are the weights workouts? And how would you rate their intensity on a scale of 1 to 10. These details might help us answer the question.

[Skivere]

my current weight is 146 and the workouts are 2 hours long. I would rate the intensity a 7/10. 

[Skivere]

I’m also burning 450 calories from walking 10k steps and swimming for 30 min is burnjng 65 calories

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Skivere,

This is kind of a tough call. At your weight, 900 calories would seem to be a bit much at that intensity compared to what I'd normally get at a higher bodyweight. 3500 calories burned a day seems like too much also. But it could be right there are a lot of variables that aren't easy to account for, like your metabolism.

The only way we can know for sure is to do an experiment. Track the calories of everything you eat (in case you're not doing it already). Weigh yourself. Then eat the same amount of calories per day (whatever you're currently eating). At the end of a week, weigh yourself and compare if you've lost or gained weight.  Add or remove calories from your meals until your weight stays the same from week-to-week. That number of calories will be what you're actually burning to maintain weight. Then you'll have the answer. If you eat 3500 calories a day and maintain weight, then yes, it's reporting calories burned correctly. I would just go by what it says the daily calories are and not worry too much about calories burned for each exercise. Hope this helps.