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Calories Burnt Too Low?

3704102
over 5 years ago

I am new to Garmin and its calorie algorithm. Just purchased a Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire. I have done quite a bit of reading, but I just cannot seem to find a solution to this problem. My stats are:

  • Male
  • 5'10"
  • 180 lbs
  • 6% body fat
  • HIIT/MTB at least 7 times per week

I am very active and muscular and eat at least 3500 calories a day to maintain weight. However, Garmin is putting my resting calories at 2,056 per day, and with my exercises that might only tick up to ~3,000 calories per day. I have checked my profile, but this number just seems way too low for my activity level and body type. 

I should also mention the wrist HRM is usually way off and low while I am training (HIIT or MTB). 

Does anyone else think only ~3,000 calories a day seem low? Am I missing something here? Anyone know what the algorithm is that Garmin uses for calories burned? TIA!

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    Same here - I use MyFitnessPal for calorie tracking, and the calorie count is significantly different for Garmin compared to Fitbit. In addition, the remaining calories for the day are also widely different in MFP compared to the Garmin app

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago

    honestly I have seen the same issue comparing to my Fenix 5x and now I bought the Fenix 6 sapphire >>> my old watch I would easily burn 3,000 calories plus... based on my intense  activities but on my Fenix 6 sapphire I will do the same activities and its hard even to hit 3,000 calories I am really frustrated about this issue and different reading that I am getting on my new watch !!!!

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Same here - also wrote Garmin - nothing happened :-( 

    When a calculate burned kcal based on Stryd data, I always get 100-250 pr. hours less with F6...! There's no doubt Stryd is much more accurate. In addition, comparing Stryd run data with bike data (based on a powermeter), I get the same kcal. 

    But not on F6s. It's always too low... 

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Teriemer

    I believe Garmin Team should release ASAP a new software update fixing all the issues and bugs beside the accuracy problem of calories that its showing less ......... 

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago

    Yes. Exactly the same, even when wrist HR is working. Wetting your wrist before you start may help accuracy. They are usually more accurate for HR after you get sweaty. But calories are another story. If I burned as few as it says I do I would be extremely obese as I consume MUCH more than it says I burn. 

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Former Member

    Which won't help much as the charts they use for base values are way off to begin with. I mainly wear mine now only because I like the interval timer that vibrates and give the time for the completed interval. I pay no attention to the calories or heart rate. I am sure a much less expensive watch would adequately perform the functions for which I now use it... basically as an interval timer, stopwatch, and GPS distance keeper.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago

    Same issue with my new one.. what’s going on? 

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I just bought a fenix 6s myself, and my calorie count has incredibly bad accuracy. It’s coming in at 1/2 or 1/3 of my other apps that I used to track.  I honestly paid a fortune for this watch in SA to do 3 things- distance, time, and calories - on very long hikes. What can I do or use or download for this watch to work better for calorie count.  I entered all my standard info, height weight etc. 

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to 6131853

    Very strange. I got a Fenix 6 Pro today (because my 5 Plus is permanently bugging with the hear rates) and I burn a lot more calories with the 6 Pro (compared to the 5 Plus and the 3HR with Chest Strap) even if the hear rates are all nearly identically. After 1 hour of walking around in the forest, I already had a calorie difference of 120 (the 6 Pro had 120 kcal more than the 3HR and the 5 Plus).

    The more I test/try around with these devices, the more I hate it because I start to believe, that this is just some random number generator ***....