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Calories! why do I burn less than sedentary, and other times burn plenty?

So I know this question has been asked a billion times before and will continue to be asked over and over.

My query is based on Garmin now using firstbeat analytics for calories thus giving the most accurate view of your daily expenditure.

My issue is that while weight, height and age are taken into account, muscle mass isn't. I am no He-man but I am more muscular than average Joe or a running specialist. This doesn't seem to be taken into account for calories.

Yesterday I was active but didn't exercise and Garmin gave be a calorie expenditure of 2257. So I am 41, 5 10 and 180 pounds at approx 15% body fat. Generally in good shape. I did 8700 steps which means nothing other than I was about twice as active as the average person. If the average person needs 2500 then why on earth are my calories at 2257?

Fast forward to today and with a 40 minute weight session and 5k run Inc 9500 steps I earned 903 active minutes. I am now north of 3000 calories for the day.

While I always take calorie expenditure with a grain of salt I was hoping it would offer more insight that it appears to. Of course it could be correct.

HermanB may be able to offer some pearls of wisdom. Am I expecting that I earn more calories than I do?

Sorry to everyone I advance of yet another calorie question.
??????

0 bigdwazda over 5 years ago

Guess there are no calorie experts here.

Looking at the calories closer they maybe correct (ISH), it's just that there is a massive gulf between a training day and rest day. I still think it's lower than it should be.

For a sedentary person calorie expenditure for the day based on my details is 2157. So it stands to reason that on a non active day I should be closer to this. The issue then is that I would class 8700 steps as a pretty active day. If I had done 3-4000 I would expect to see sedentary figures.

I guess I should average it out over a week and it gets closer to 2700 on average. This puts me close to moderate exercise 3-5 days a week.

So I have answered my own question, I do however think that unless you record an activity it will short change you on calories. A walk recorded with GPS gives me 230 calories, without gives me next to nothing.

0 Cvillechopper over 5 years ago

I just got my 645M yesterday and hit the gym. Pretty quickly I noticed that the reported HR was much lower than it should have been so I checked using one of the cardio machines grips and sure enough, the watch was about 20% low. Also took my pulse the old fashioned way and got the same result. When I got home I realized that my watch was a bit tight (wrist swell slightly when working out). Once I adjusted the strap my HR is matching my TomTom Spark3 and manual calc very closely. Actually better than the TT. I mention this because my reported calorie burn for a 40 min HI full body routine is usually around 300 and the 645 was under 150. HR makes all the difference. Check that the band isn't restricting blood flow and giving you a lower reading. Just an idea.

0 bigdwazda over 5 years ago

Thanks for the responses, I was under the impression the full calorie calculations were done by firstbeat. Appreciated it's only the exercise ones.

It appears my main issue is therefore Garmin's calorie burn through the the day. This may be compounded by My fitness Pal negative calorie adjustments.

As an example Garmin gives me 2091 calories a day, I do a walk that gives me 209 calories. I am now at 2300, and Garmin gives me a further 60 calories for the day despite being active for a good chunk of it. I know steps aren't everything but excluding the walk I have done around 5500.

Now from reading the article and Garmin's explanation I think this is likely accurate as it's already accounted for sedentary steps.

Whether the start point of 2091 is accurate debatable but I am happy it's in the ballpark.

I do have an issue with the weightlifting HR so will try and loosen and see what happens. I tend to tighten if it doesn't work well.

0 bigdwazda over 5 years ago

Tried loosening the straps but no better. For my wrists the 645 is awful with weights. It stays around 60-70 BPM. The only way I can get accuracy is with a chest strap. Even then who knows of the calorie count is correct. After all raised heart rate in weights is more pressure than elevated HR.

Today's calories are abysmal with only 338 active calories, 11000 steps including a 2 mile fast walk and 45 minutes intense gyming. I upped this from. 80 Cal's to 170.

To be honest it's not a massive issue, I generally eat 2500 Cal's a day regardless. It would just be nice if the calories calculation made sense.

0 bigdwazda over 5 years ago

I know I'm flogging a dead horse with this post but today's scores on the board are odd.

Today I earned 266 active calories, of which 198 was a 2 mile walk. The following 8000 steps netted me 68 calories, included was a 10 minute move iq walk.

Something bizarre has happens to Garmin's calorie calculation. I'm getting negative figures on my fitness Pal larger than my exercise values.

I'm ignoring for the moment but what on earth is going on?