HT204516: Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy

Learn about Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy
Ddcasi

Q: Calorie count on Apple Watch seems off

Does anyone else seem to have a very low calorie count with their Apple Watch? I am using a fitbit along side my Watch and there is a huge disparity between the two. For instance, yesterday I walked between 14,000 and 16,000 steps (depending on the wearable). My calorie count for the fitbit says I burned 4,245. The Apple Watch says I only burned 589.

 

I understand that these numbers are estimations, but this is a huge difference.

 

I also understand that the Watch has to calibrate in order to be more accurate, but I have owned it over 2 weeks now.

 

Anyone else experiencing this? What solutions can you recommend?

 

Thanks for your time.

Apple Watch, iOS 8.4

Posted on Aug 30, 2015 1:02 PM

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Q: Calorie count on Apple Watch seems off

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 30, 2015 5:01 PM in response to Ddcasi
    Level 8 (48,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 30, 2015 5:01 PM in response to Ddcasi

    Here is a typical walk I recorded this afternoon (I usually ride a bike though):

     

    IMG_1138.jpg

     

    Calories burned on a walk can vary greatly depending on your physical condition (age, height, weight), the degree of exertion expended and many other factors, but for a very approximate estimate use 100 calories per mile walked. That would be for a 170 lb person over level terrain. If you're lighter than that, it's less.

     

    Your stride can vary a great deal also, but one mile is about 2000 steps. Shorter people would need to take more steps to walk one mile than taller people.

     

    Given the above estimates you walked about 7.5 miles. That's about 750 calories.

     

    If you walk really fast (more than about 5 mph) you might burn another 30% more calories. That would be a total of 975 calories.

     

    (References http://walking.about.com/library/weekly/aa033097.htm)

     

    I understand that these numbers are estimations, but this is a huge difference. ...

     

    Yes there is. There is no conceivable way you or any able-bodied person could possibly burn 4,245 calories walking only a few miles over approximately level terrain.

     

    What solutions can you recommend?

     

    Get rid of your FitBit. It has been giving you horribly inaccurate results.

  • by Ddcasi,

    Ddcasi Ddcasi Sep 6, 2015 2:37 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2015 2:37 PM in response to John Galt

    Hi John,

    Thanks for the constructive feedback.

     

    Through further investigation and just playing around with my Apple Watch and apps on the phone, I realized that the watch is actually counting burned calories fairly similarly to the fitbit I've been using. Although probably more accurate (I would have no clue) the Apple Watch shows that only a couple to a few hundred calories difference from the fitbit.

     

    This makes me feel a little better because for a second there, I thought I was seriously in danger of being completely low on the activity scale for a normal human.

     

    Here's what I found looking at the Activity App for the watch on my iPhone. Notice I was setting my Move goal way to high based off of what I was used to seeing on fitbit. However, the Move bar does not count "resting calories". I didn't do much "resting" on this day, but you can see with "resting calories" I did burn over 3000 calories for the day.

     

    image1.PNG

    Thanks again

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 7, 2015 12:13 PM in response to Ddcasi
    Level 8 (48,525 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2015 12:13 PM in response to Ddcasi

    Thanks for the update. Your results are more or less consistent with my observations. "Resting calories" are a fairly significant part of the total daily burn.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Sep 7, 2015 5:31 PM in response to Ddcasi
    Level 8 (37,837 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2015 5:31 PM in response to Ddcasi

    Something else to keep in mind; the Fitbit calculates exertion based on steps, speed and weight. The Apple Watch uses heart rate relative to your resting heart rate to measure level of exertion. This is an overall more accurate measurement method.

  • by spraydust,

    spraydust spraydust Nov 10, 2015 7:07 PM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 10, 2015 7:07 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

    HI lawrence.

    I Have a polar strap and a brand new proform 4600 treadmill. Everything I have used so far, including my schoche wristband give me a calorie reading of 50% more than my Apple Watch.

    also since OS 2 I burn much less calories  per day.

    Most of my workouts are inside. I know I burn 700 calories spinning. My Apple Watch will report 150 cals. Very disappointing.