Another TDEE post - looking for feedback

[WilsonFilson]

I am 5'10". Currently weigh about 178-180. Body fat anywhere from 11-14% (depends on who's telling me - the inbody machine at the gym or my withings scale).

Here's my question: I have been using a surge for the past 7 months. TDEE seems high, and I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable than me can confirm.

My average calorie burn over the last 28 days, per fitbit, is 3,620. My highest is 4,393. I workout every morning. 3 days a week I lift heavy for an hour (basic lifts - bench, deadlifts, squats, pullups), and 4 days a week I do a 1 hour HIIT group class (spin, tabata, insanity, etc.). During the week I'm at a desk job. On weekends, I am pretty active just doing normal life stuff (errands, doing stuff with my kids, and just going-going all day), again, with a morning workout as well. The really high burn days (over 4K cals) are always on a weekend day where I worked out in the morning and then ran errands or did stuff on my feet all day.

Do those numbers seem reasonable to you, or does it look like they are too high?

[HelenaFitbit]

Welcome to the forums @WilsonFilson! In this case I recommend to calculate your TDEE on the IIFYM website. If this number is not close to your Fitbit caloric goal, please follow the steps on this guide to create a new caloric budget; bear in mind that the Fitbit environment has calculations for weight loss, mantaining and gaining are not available at this time. 

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions

[Julia_G]

Hi, @HelenaFitbit and @WilsonFilson , actually weight gain and maintain goals are now available, as well as weight loss.  Lots of information here

[WilsonFilson]

@Julia_G and @HelenaFitbit thanks for your responses, but note that my question is not regarding deficit calculations for meal planning, etc., rather its regarding fitbit's TDEE calculation based on my activity level, which seems high.  Wondering if anyone has an explanation that might explain what's going on there.

[bbarrera]

@WilsonFilson hard to say whats going on. In my world, Fitbit often underestimates calorie estimates, but then on really active days it overestimates (e.g. 4500 cals when Garmin and Apple Watch give 3800-4100). Part of that is due to how I usually track (iPhone 5s), as I found Surge too bulky and inaccurate HR while cycling/spinning/rowing/weight lifting.

Fitbit started as step tracker and only recently branched into broader exercise tracking. In my experience the calorie estimates are better when I'm only walking (I don't run). Weight lifting is anerobic, and given Fitbit's target market is primarily walkers and runners (aerobic), I suggest you closely examine calorie estimates during weight lifting and probably try comparing to MET. In my experience Surge does a really poor job at HR tracking while weight lifting and HIIT, and just so-so at spinning and cycling. Again while lifting weights you are doing anaerobic exercise, something I don't believe Fitbit has optimized the Surge at tracking (ignoring that wrist bending results in ridiculous 50-70bpm HR when instead mine is at 130-160).

Using my iPhone 5s as step tracker, I actually get reasonable calorie burn estimates while spinning as its in my pocket. Fitbit estimates of spin sessions must use 'walking/running algorithms' as I don't track as anything, so it assume As odd as it may sound, Fitbit calorie estimates while spinning are much better (but still >10% off) what I get from Apple Watch (optical HR), Wahoo Fitness app (HR and cadence), and Garmin (HR, HR variability, cadence, and sometimes power meter).

My only other thought is that you might have elevated HR after lifting/HIIT/etc (EPOC), which may artificially inflate your Surge's calorie estimates.Thats a wild guess, I haven't looked at that.

[bbarrera]

Oh, and if you haven't done so, restart your Surge:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-restart-my-tracker/

[WilsonFilson]

Thanks @bbarrera.  The funny thing is, when weight lifting and HIIT, it often seems that the heart rate reading is low.  Which makes no sense when the TDEE at the end of the day seems too high.

[bbarrera]

cross reference your Fitbit estimated calories with this MET based calculator:

http://www.acaloriecalculator.com/calories-burned-calculator/

[Julia_G]

@WilsonFilson , I am aware of that!  I just wanted to make sure anyone following this post knows the important information that the Fitbit apps etc support a range of weight management/ calorie goals: loss, gain, maintain.

[bbarrera · Accepted solution]

---

@HelenaFitbit wrote:

In this case I recommend to calculate your TDEE on the IIFYM website. 

---

FWIW, in my case, Fitbit was 15-40% higher every week for the last 4 weeks versus the IIFYM website and TrainingPeaks and Garmin. I've said it in other threads, Fitbit calorie estimates were fine when I was walking to become fit. Once fit, and I started doing 5-8 hours/week of vigorous cardio (cycling), and since then Fitbit calorie estimates aren't accurate.

[WilsonFilson]

@bbarrera That just plain sucks.  How many people are feeling like they are hitting a plateau because they are setting their eating deficit based on totally inaccurate data.  #raiseshand

[bbarrera]

Thats reason #2 why I still wear a chest strap for aerobic exercise (the primary reason is that I train around threshold and need accuracy to stay in tight zones just above and below lactate threshold).

[WilsonFilson]

Right.  And the thing is I would be more than happy to wear a chest strap to get accurate readings during HIIT and weightlifting (my primary activities), but the d&*% thing doesn't pair with a chest strap.  Argh.