Fenix 5 overestimating calories burned

The F5 does seem to overestimate calories burned, but I'm not sure your scaling factor is the correct solution to the problem.

As far as I can see, the F5 does produce a reasonable estimate of calories burned through exercise. It also does a good job of estimating calories from your underlying metabolism.

The problem comes from the fact that there is a widespread convention that a sedentary lifestyle (eg. desk worker) burns about 20% in addition to their underlying metabolism through daily non-exercise activities, and Garmin adds this factor in coming up with inactive calories. However, as the F5 credits you with the calories from steps throughout the day, the calories burned from daily non-exercise activities end up being double-counted.

If you want to strip out this double count, divide your INactive calories by a factor of 1.2, rather than multiplying your total calories by 0.85. In practice, these methods will probably produce a result that is close, but if your daily exercise levels fluctuate considerably (eg. a long run on weekends, followed by a light recovery day on Mondays), the 20% of inactive calories method will be more accurate.

Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions on how to automate such a scaling factor into GC.

The F5 does seem to overestimate calories burned, but I'm not sure your scaling factor is the correct solution to the problem.

As far as I can see, the F5 does produce a reasonable estimate of calories burned through exercise. It also does a good job of estimating calories from your underlying metabolism.

The problem comes from the fact that there is a widespread convention that a sedentary lifestyle (eg. desk worker) burns about 20% in addition to their underlying metabolism through daily non-exercise activities, and Garmin adds this factor in coming up with inactive calories. However, as the F5 credits you with the calories from steps throughout the day, the calories burned from daily non-exercise activities end up being double-counted.

If you want to strip out this double count, divide your INactive calories by a factor of 1.2, rather than multiplying your total calories by 0.85. In practice, these methods will probably produce a result that is close, but if your daily exercise levels fluctuate considerably (eg. a long run on weekends, followed by a light recovery day on Mondays), the 20% of inactive calories method will be more accurate.

Unfortunately, I don't have any suggestions on how to automate such a scaling factor into GC.

Perfect, that makes a lot of sense! Thank you :D

Hello,

I believe that the rest rate indicated by Garmin is free of any surplus.
Why else would Garmin call him BMR?
And why would he accompany it in the help section by the exact definition of the basic metabolic rate...

Another point that leads me to think so, as far as I am concerned, is that I clearly have to revise this rate upwards.
The watch gives me an average basic metabolic rate of 2850 kcal while it has just been measured in a sports clinic at 3125 kcal and I eat on average 4200 kcal to maintain my fitness weight (no increase or decrease).
As far as Active Calories are concerned, the watch seems reliable at around 15%, according to my sports doctor.

Did anyone else get less active calories in Jan 2018 vs Nov and Dec 2018? I only got my Fenix 5 on 01 Nov 2018 so I don't know what it was prior.

I did start wearing the watch on a tighter bracelet setting, maybe that can explain it?

Anyway, I think the Total Calories now is correct without adjustment.ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1332662.png