Calling all Fitbit users... can I really be burning this many calories?

[FitBitHelp]

I just got my first Fitbit today but I'm really shocked by the tally it's giving me for calories burned??

Can this be right? Surely not?

I've been way more lazy than normal and it's saying I've burned 2,243 kcals. I only started wearing it at 10am and have only walked 6,616 steps? Just want to make sure it's working correctly.

Thank you :)

Have you imputed your info ie weight and height correctly?

Yes, weight & height are correct.

I agree - sounds unlikely. Mine currently says 11431 steps and 1964 cals burned. Agree with pp maybe your stats are incorrect.

Oh sorry, just seen.

I’ve done 16,688 steps today and it’s saying I’ve burned 2,800 calories.
Yours seems high.

It’s been a while since i used one, but i think that callories count includes your standard number for each day just to stay neutral (based on the info you’ve inputted about weight, height, sex) + any calories burned.

So, for instance, if your resting number of calories burned with no exorcise was 14,000 and then you burned 7,000 walking, it would show 21,000 for the day.

However, i always thought it was wildly overoptimistic

Did you walk or run?

Unless you are incredibly tall (heavy) I would think it unlikely.
Walking/running burns approximately 70-100calories a mile (depending on weight). 6000 steps is 3 miles.
I Reckon on burning about 1200 to 1300 calories a day plus exercise calories.
My garmin always over estimates calories I knock about 500 off what it says else I'd be putting on weight.

I'd be wondering why my Fitbit thinks I'd spent 5 and a half hours in the fat-burning zone. Do you normally have a high heart rate when not exerting yourself? Are you feeling anxious? Could there be another reason why your Fitbit is recording like this?

In the nicest possible way, is your weight quite high?

21000 cals a day? 😂😂😂

Height & weight stats.

If you're fairly heavy, that is most likely correct. I'm 10st 12 and middle aged, so have a lower calorie requirement than a younger woman and this is mine for a day with a similar step count.

I used to suffer from anxiety but have been feeling much better for the last year. I have wondered if my heart rate is high but I am running around after a 2 year old so thought that would be the reason.

And just seen your update. Definitely is odd.

You can see my HR had dropped significantly since putting my two DD's to bed

Sorry - i was making up numbers as i can’t actually remember how many calories you are supposed to have - it’s not something i’ve ever paid any attention to
I just remember thinking that the fitbit i tried was pretty generous in the figures it attributed to things.

Those are similar stats to mine. I am 5' 10" and weigh 14 stone - currently dieting. Yesterday I walked 6,139 steps and used 2,348 calories according to Fitbit.

If you enter your height/weight etc on this site tdeecalculator.net it will tell you your total daily energy expenditure which will give you an indication if the Fitbit is right or not!

I'm thinking it must be to do with me spending so much time in the fat burning zone?

I think your second picture is key to figuring it out. If you spent five and a half hours with a raised heart rate (in the fat-burning zone), then that ties in with the calorie burn. What makes less sense is how you managed to raise your heart rate for that duration while only moving 6000 steps.

I think the calories being reported are accurate, but I'd be keeping an eye on the heart rate monitoring and making sure it's coming down to a resting level when you're not moving.

I think I've worked it out. You have no sleeping heart rate data. so it's calculating your calorie burn on the high side.

It's actually making me worry about my heart and if it's working okay... my heart rate does seem more elevated than it should. Although, I'm lying in bed typing and it's saying 68 which seems accurate. When I'm busy doing bits & bobs around the house or walking (even casually) it's over 100bpm.

Ooh, yes, Pick could be onto something. You may need a full 24-hour day to get an accurate picture.

PickAChew that's a great shout!

That doesn't look right. The Fitbit adds your TDEE, your baseline calorie expenditure as the day progresses and then adds activity calories on top. For the level of activity you have been doing I can't believe the calorie count is correct. You are a little taller than me but slightly lighter, my TDEE is 1400, there is no way I'd burn off 800 calories from 6000 steps. I'd have to do around 15000 steps to burn that.