Calorie Tracker is Wrong

My tracker has stopped working correctly since the last iPhone update last week. Now I exercise all day and it says 65 calories, when it used to say 350. I have checked all my settings. I have it calibrated. This is my second watch so I have been using them right from the first one. I’m not a newbie.

Has any else had , and solved this problem?

I have the same problem. First generation watch and iPhone x. In one week it has reduced my daily workout with my same weight ,height and average heart rate about 100 calories. I want to stomp on it and send it back to apple.

I suggest following the same steps in my previous reply.

If the issue persists, then I suggest that you contact Apple Support (remote diagnostics and/or mail-in service may be available, if required), make a Genius Bar reservation or visit an Apple Authorised Service Provider for assistance:

• US: Apple Watch Service Answer Center - Apple Support
• Elsewhere: Apple - Support

My wife has a similar problem. It is almost impossible for her to meet her calorie goal which is only 460 active calories per day. Today she was credited with only 391 active calories in spite of the fact that she got 73 minutes of exercise credit, climbed 26 flights of stairs, and walked 12,820 steps for a total of 9.8 kilometers.

This on a series 3 Apple Watch.

• The software on her watch and iPhone is up to date.
• Her personal information (height and weight) are correct.
• The heart rate data seems to be consistent and correct.
• Location Services settings are correct as her activity is accurately tracked.

In other words, the Watch and iPhone seem to set up correctly and record her activity correctly, but the calorie credit she gets for her activities seems to be way off. The point here is that this is not a tracking problem. Her activity is accurately tracked. The problem is a calculation problem.

Today, I got credit for 629 active calories with only 51 exercise minutes. Granted, I weight about 50% more than she does, but she only got about 5 calories per minute of exercise while I got 12 calories per minute. Her exercise was almost entirely walking around downtown Bangkok. Mine was 30 minutes of cycling, ten minutes of strength training and 11 minutes of schlepping around the house.

This seems horribly wrong.

Hi

It may help if your fiancée follows these steps:

When recording specific fitness activities, be sure to use the Workout app and to choose the activity type that most closely matches your workout:

• This includes choosing HIIT for relevant workouts.
  • HIIT
• This enables your watch to use the most appropriate sensors and data sources when tracking results.
• Work out with your Apple Watch - Apple Support

When comparing calorie data recorded by different devices and their apps, keep in mind that Apple Watch reports active energy / calories, whereas many other fitness devices and apps report total energy (resting + active calories).

If you have not yet done so, update your iPhone and Apple Watch to the latest software, starting with your iPhone:

• Update the iOS on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
• Update your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Check your personal information:

• Calorie estimations 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.

Check that you are wearing your Apple Watch correctly:

• For the best performance from the heart rate sensor - which is used continually during workouts, with readings used when estimating active calories burned - be sure to wear your Apple Watch snugly (but not too tightly) on the top of your wrist.
• Apple suggests tightening your Apple Watch band before workouts and loosening it again afterwards:
  • Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support
• For workouts that involve flexing your wrists, it may help to move your watch a little higher up your arm, away from the flexing joint.

• It may also help to check that the back of your Apple Watch is clean (along with your wrist, which I'm sure is the case):

• Cleaning your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you experience issues with recording your heart rate during workouts, then, for more consistent readings, you may wish to consider pairing an external heart rate monitor / Bluetooth chest strap to your Apple Watch:

• Use Bluetooth accessories with your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Prior to calibrating your Apple Watch (see the next step), check your Location Services settings:

• On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Privacy > Location Services:
  • Check that Location Services (the main setting at the top) is turned on.
  • In the list of apps beneath, check that Apple Watch Workout is set to While Using.
  • Also enable options under System Services including Motion Calibration & Distance, Wi-Fi Networking and Mobile Network Search.

Calibrate your Apple Watch, resetting any existing calibration data and starting afresh:

• Follow the instructions here (this process can be equally beneficial for Series 3 models):
• Calibrating your Apple Watch for improved Workout and Activity accuracy - Apple Support

Be sure to allow the arm on which you are wearing your Apple Watch to swing naturally during relevant workout activities and also during calibration.