Can I trust Apple Watch estimation of calories burnt?

[Bluesprinkles12]

Basically how accurate is Apple Watch in estimating total calories burnt? According to my Apple Watch I burnt over 3.7k calories today but surely that can’t be right?

I don’t entirely trust it so I never eat the calories back. I just make sure I do the exercise ring!

apparently I did read it’s fairly accurate in some respects

3.7k? That can’t be right surely? Did you run to Australia and back or something?

Well it depends what you have been doing I guess. I tend to burn about 500 a day. Today I've burnt 642 but went for a walk and have been quite active. Some tends u struggle to close my ring but it seems consistent so I do trust it

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/how-to-burn-3000-calories-a-day/

That doesn't sound right.

I suppose I’ve had a bit more exercise than usual but nothing too crazy I don’t think. I have done over 18,000 steps. have been eating around 2k and losing weight quite quickly, this week I lost over 2kg so just wondering if that’s accurate maybe I’ve cut too much?

it goes by heart rate + some measurements that you put in, like age, sex, weight, height.

having said that, unless you have run a marathon the estimate seems widely out of range.

The list I posted OP would suggest you havent burned anywhere near that if you havent engaged in those activities today, at length

Did you have it on tight to your wrist? It does seem a lot, even a heavy day for me I would only do 800

I did have it quite tight yes. I’ve done around 18000 steps today today and within that I have done weight lifting session, incline walking and step master. My heart rate did go quite high as my fitness isn’t the best atm. I’m tall and quite heavy atm but a bit suspicious of the total burnt

Calorie burn based on HR is typically not a good approximation (if you are fit it underestimated, if you are unfit it overestimates). You can look up how many calories you burn per km walked based on your current weight, that might help give you an idea.

@Londonscallingme used this walk as an example to test your suggestion out according to this Apple Watch seems pretty accurate for me

The 1649 is active calories, so through daily moving and your exercise. The total of 3722 included passive calories that your body burns at rest (Basal Metabolic Rate) in this case 2073. This will be based on your height, weight and age. You can do an online bmr calculation to see if that number looks right for you.

I dont think mine is. I have a heart thing that means my heart goes mental a lot so I don't take much notice of it.

The photo attached shows you burned 640 calories through exercise.
Then based on your basal metabolic rate the two numbers are added together.
I only pay attention to calories burned through exercise. I aim for 600 burned via exercise when I am trying to loose wt.
500 to maintain fitness.

I came to say this ^^

No they're always wrong and don't pay any attention to anything they say. Do the rings if you like, do your exercise but ignore what the watch or machines tell you.

The 640 on the photo is simply the daily move target the user has set on their watch (mine says 650 in the same position), and the 1649 is the actual active calories, which is then being added on to your BMR for the total. Given that you've logged over two and a half hours of activity of at least a brisk walk pace (lower intensity than that doesn't log as exercise minutes) and you say you're both tall and heavy, that doesn't sound unrealistic to me. If you're losing weight quickly on about 2k a day, that indicates a significant consistent deficit.

Your activity burned 1,649 calories and your overall burn is based on the calories your body uses all day keeping you alive, digesting food etc.