Q: Apple Watch Calorie Tracking Change After Update
Over the weekend I updated my watch to v2.2.2 of watchOS and my phone to v9.3.3 of iOS.
Previous to this update I would typically work out every day for around 2.5 hours (treadmill walking). My watch used to be in lockstep with the Nordictrack treadmill I use. Both would register nearly identical values for miles walked (within tenths of a mile) and calories (typically within 50).
Since the update my active calorie count for the same workouts has declined by about 25-30% on the watch. I have followed the instructions to recalibrate the watch, but nothing has changed.
For example, today I walked for an hour in the morning at the typical incline and speed. The treadmill showed that I burned 862 calories. The watch showed that I burned 669 TOTAL calories (active calories were about 100 less). The miles are still nearly identical as what's shown on the treadmill.
My calorie count used to be pretty close to 100 burned per 1000 steps. Today I'm currently at 27,412 steps, 14.8 miles, and 1883 active calories (at 4:30pm). My last full day of activity recorded before the update was 24,445 steps, 13.47 miles, and 2,488 calories. I have gone from 9.82 steps/calorie to 14.55 steps/calorie. I have hundreds of workouts from before the update that clearly illustrate this difference. I don't understand how this is possible without a bug or calculation change.
Has anyone else run into this issue, and have you found a solution?
Apple Watch 42mm, watchOS 2.2.1, Actual watchOS is v2.2.2, not shown
Posted on Aug 10, 2016 4:38 PM
Hi
The following steps may help:
- Estimations of active calories depend, in part, on your personal information. To check that this is accurate - and to update it over time:
- On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch tab > Health > Edit - tap and adjust items, then tap on Done.
- For the best results from the heart rate sensor (data from which is also used when estimating calories), check that you are wearing your watch snugly on the top of your wrist and that the back of your watch is clean. Apple suggests that you consider tightening your band before workouts and loosening it again afterwards:
- When recalibrating your watch, be sure to exercise outdoors for at least 20 minutes at each of the speeds at which you typically walk or run (detailed instructions are provided in the article below). If you did not do so previously, you may wish to reset your calibration data and start the process afresh:
Posted on Aug 10, 2016 5:12 PM