Calories burned is bogus

[gadgetrants]

Ok, that makes sense, although I'm surprised it calculates calories burned even when not wearing the band.

No magic involved, I think -- presumably it's trying to give you an end-of-day estimate that reflects your typical activity pattern. I've left it off by accident for a few hours here and there, and was glad to see if "filled in" the blanks. I kind of wonder how long that fill-in process will work...hours, a day, more?

-Matt

 

[poit57]

No magic involved, I think -- presumably it's trying to give you an end-of-day estimate that reflects your typical activity pattern. I've left it off by accident for a few hours here and there, and was glad to see if "filled in" the blanks. I kind of wonder how long that fill-in process will work...hours, a day, more?

I also have the setting turned on to use my phone's step counter to fill in the gaps when I'm not wearing the Band. I've noticed that rather than just using a baseline based on the user's information, it adjusts the estimated calorie burn based on the steps counted from the phone.

 

[gadgetrants]

I also have the setting turned on to use my phone's step counter to fill in the gaps when I'm not wearing the Band. I've noticed that rather than just using a baseline based on the user's information, it adjusts the estimated calorie burn based on the steps counted from the phone.

Would you be willing to post a screenshot of the setting? I'm truly puzzled that I can't find it!

-Matt

 

[dbregman]

Ok, that makes sense, although I'm surprised it calculates calories burned even when not wearing the band.

I have posted on this topic before. I think that the band underestimates for general living/activities and over estimates for exercise. One data point that gave me pause (tied to the quote above) - I was on vacation for a week and didn't take the band. I wore it again when I got back. I played doubles tennis for over an hour that day with the band on, but not in exercise mode. The band had more calories calculated for the days I didn't wear it at all then the day I wore it and played tennis.
With the sensors and all the science available this should be something that can be corrected with a firmware update. As an owner from day one I am disappointed in the slowness of updates.

For now I have switched back to my BodyBugg for tracking. There are many studies that show this is (so far) the best way to track overall calorie expenditure outside of a lab enviroment. It is not perfect but better (for now). If anyone is interested I can post some comparisons.

 

[gadgetrants]

If anyone is interested I can post some comparisons.

Would love to see that -- TIA! I don't know what a BodyBugg is...is it similar to a BabelFish? :amaze:

-Matt

 

[poit57]

Would you be willing to post a screenshot of the setting? I'm truly puzzled that I can't find it!

-Matt

This is from a WP 8.1. I'm not sure if the Microsoft Health app is any different on Android or iOS. Tap the menu in the upper right corner of the screen, then select My Phone to access the setting.

 

[Don Geronimo]

I feel surprised by the comments of bogus estimated Calorie burn of the Band because it's, naturally, an estimate based on what the Band can sense.

As somebody said, it could be a case of too many watches syndrome; of it could be improper fit, or too much movement, or many things going on.

On my part, so long as I'm wearing my Band properly, my counts have been consistent relative to days that are the "same" in activity that my Band tracks. It's better to have any tracking than no tracking at all.

What I'm trying to say is I'm not sure if my Caloric burn is completely accurate to my body, but my Band's readings have been consistent enough for me to know when I haven't been as active as I should, and allows me to adjust my activity as needed to be more active.

 

[gadgetrants]

This is from a WP 8.1. I'm not sure if the Microsoft Health app is any different on Android or iOS. Tap the menu in the upper right corner of the screen, then select My Phone to access the setting.

Thanks, that was super helpful and solves part of the mystery for me. The quandary is I have a Band, wife doesn't. We both have Android phones with the Health app. What intrigues me is SHE has the "My Phone" options like yours, while mine doesn't. I'd assumed it would only show up when you DON'T have a Band, meaning the phone becomes your step counter. So at least for now I don't have the issue (some do) where I get conflicting step counts between the Band and phone.

What puzzles me though is another WP owner on our forum doesn't have the option, though you do. *scratches head* Weird. Perhaps it depends on platform plus phone hardware/model.

-Matt

 

[poit57]

What puzzles me though is another WP owner on our forum doesn't have the option, though you do. *scratches head* Weird. Perhaps it depends on platform plus phone hardware/model.

That would be my guess. I have a Lumia 830 with SensorCore that does the motion tracking. This is the only phone I've used since this feature was added to Microsoft Health. I'm not sure if the option would show up in a phone that doesn't have the hardware required to utilize the feature.

 

[defante]

Just confirming that the setting doesn't show up for me on my Lumia 925. It doesn't have SensorCore so I don't expect it to show up.

 

[jmerrey]

Well, unfortunately I've decided to disconnect the MS Health app from MyFitnessPal after a very leisurely ride with my two young boys registered over 800 calories burned. I'm leaning towards one of the Garmin devices for my rides, combined with a Fitbit for steps. I'd love to see MS pull out all the stops and put out a no-compromises wearable device, but right now the Band isn't even close.

 

[ponyboy63]

I realized last night that my band battery was just about out, so I plugged it in overnight. When I got up this morning, I put it on, made coffee and had breakfast. The calorie counter was already at 640 calories, even though I had only worn it for about 15 minutes with very little exercise. I then played about 2 hours of high energy tennis singles, and after playing, the calorie count was at about 1,050. Definitely not accurately computing the calories burned. Throughout the rest of the day, it's bumped up to 2370, with just normal activities, nothing strenuous.

It seems that the Band calculates your resting metabolic rate (RMR) from the standard formula given age, gender, weight, etc. This will be around 1400-1700 calories a day just being alive. Any activity at all moves it up from there. Let's say your RMR is 1600. The 640 you saw was the band accounting for the approximately 67 calories per hour RMR since midnight. If you ended with 2370 then it measured 770 calories above and beyond RMR for the activities you did for the day. With two hours of tennis, this seems reasonable or a bit low.

Which leads me to a question for anybody. I wonder if the band includes this RMR hourly rate in the values that are reported for an activity. So if the band reports 360 calories for an hour walk, is that really 300 + 60 RMR.. or 360 above and beyond the RMR (so really 420 burned for the hour). It's not clear when you see calorie burn rates for various devices whether they include the RMR or not. Some probably do and other don't which would lead to a difference when comparing them side by side.

 

[NBrookus]

Which leads me to a question for anybody. I wonder if the band includes this RMR hourly rate in the values that are reported for an activity. So if the band reports 360 calories for an hour walk, is that really 300 + 60 RMR.. or 360 above and beyond the RMR (so really 420 burned for the hour).

Based on my experience, calories calculated for activities include your BMR. They aren't just extra calories.

 

[jmerrey]

This thing is complete comedy. I went on one of the slowest bike rides of all time with my boys today. 800+ calories burned lol

 

[gadgetrants]

Maybe you're looking at this the wrong way -- I'd start eating bacon-wrapped donuts and every time your wife complains, just show her the Health app! Seems to me this is a gift horse you don't want to look in the mouth. :winktongue: At the very least you have a magical bike in your possession.

-Matt

 

[Beast of Haeven]

I was able to pick up a brand new band for dirt cheap. We'll see what it says after I return to the gym. So far the steps seem accurate.

 

[poit57]

This post deals with some discussion a few months ago on idea that the Band's algorithm for calories during "exercise" may be different than what is tracked during mundane, everyday activity.

I recently tracked some recreational athletic activities using the Exercise tile.

First, I went to a trampoline park last week where some of my friends got together to celebrate a 30th birthday. I tracked an hour session playing on the trampolines. According to my Band, I burned 874 calories with an average HR 155, peak 185, low 92. This seemed about on par with jogging for an hour using the Run tile.

Next, I tracked two softball games last night. The first game was 45 minutes. I burned 600 calories with average HR 147, peak 178, low 94. The second game lasted 56 minutes, burned 665 calories, avg HR 136, peak 167, low 75 (I sat the bench the first inning).

I was concerned that maybe the calorie burn using the exercise tile might be inflated with the constant HR monitoring. I decided to track sitting at my desk at work for an hour using the exercise tile. In 1:02:16, I burned 86 calories with an avg HR 65, peak 85, low 51. That is on par with an average hour wearing my Band throughout the day. It appears to me that the algorithms in the exercise tile aren't inflating stats just because of the constant tracking. I think the biggest margin of error in the estimated calorie burn is going to come from accuracy of the monitors and not the algorithms used in Microsoft's number crunching.

 

[David Goldwasser]

I have a downhill bike ride going to work and uphill coming home. Generally the ride home is around double the calories of the ride to work. About 15-20 minute ride. On certain days if it is really cold, or if some cars cut me off and almost kill me, I have an elevated heart rate and I see higher calorie count. In a perfect world it would like at respiration vs. heart rate? At any rate, on longer ride this doesn't happen because my heart rate doesn't stay elevated the entire time.