Initial observations on: calorie burn, exercise mode, 2-day test results, companion apps

[Squidstir]

First post to this forum...howdy all!

Just picked up the MS band last Friday. I set it up that night and have been wearing it since (except to charge it once). I'm using the iPhone 6 Plus.

Some initial observations follow with some questions of those that have the band.

Calorie burn rate.

I used the band to record an exercise session on Saturday morning. This was following by a day (4 hours) of walking around an outside mall. Total steps recorded was over 10,400 with a calorie burn of around 2500.

Sunday I didn't workout, or even leave the house. I did some basic household chores (sweeping, laundry) and ended the day with about 7,000 steps and a calorie burn of 3,200.

How can my calorie burn be higher with much less overall effort?

This brings me to my second area of concern, the exercise mode.

Does the band record effort when not in this mode of operation?

For example, this morning I exercised using exercise mode, after which I went out and shoveled snow from the driveway and sidewalks. I got calorie burn credit for the workout, but what about the effort expended shoveling? When I look at the calorie burn on the app, it shows the same basic level of effort I was at before and after the workout. My level of effort during the snow activity was definitely higher than just walking around the house.

I believe that in order for the band to record accurately it must be in exercise mode. Can anyone confirm this?

Lastly I have connected MS Health with myFitnessPal. I like being able to record my caloric intake with calories burned to determine my calorie deficit. I've noticed that myFitnessPal only pulls over activity recorded using exercise mode. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The band records your total caloric burn, why not send all of that over to get a more accurate gauge for my weight loss goals?

Long post, with lots of questions. Thanks in advance to those that have some answers.

 

[realwarder]

Calorie burn rate.

I used the band to record an exercise session on Saturday morning. This was following by a day (4 hours) of walking around an outside mall. Total steps recorded was over 10,400 with a calorie burn of around 2500.

Sunday I didn't workout, or even leave the house. I did some basic household chores (sweeping, laundry) and ended the day with about 7,000 steps and a calorie burn of 3,200.

How can my calorie burn be higher with much less overall effort?

Calories is based on heart rate - sounds odd, but perhaps you get more of a work out do physical chores than you realize! Heart rate is monitored frequently and is part of the calorie calculation.

 

[realwarder]

Does the band record effort when not in this mode of operation?

For example, this morning I exercised using exercise mode, after which I went out and shoveled snow from the driveway and sidewalks. I got calorie burn credit for the workout, but what about the effort expended shoveling? When I look at the calorie burn on the app, it shows the same basic level of effort I was at before and after the workout. My level of effort during the snow activity was definitely higher than just walking around the house.

I believe that in order for the band to record accurately it must be in exercise mode. Can anyone confirm this?

It will be more accurate in exercise mode as the heart rate is being constantly monitored. When out of exercise mode it is only sampled every so often (15 minutes I think) and so brief exercise will not be seen. A longer period of exercise should elevate your heart rate long enough to then factor into your calorie count in a more accurate way. Step count is likely a factor too.

All these trackers are not a 'pure' science since data is not infinitely detailed and precise, but rather a guide which should in average report so that if you compare several days you'll determine if you're doing better or worse. In exercise modes they have more detailed data and so should be more accurate for those periods.

 

[mkg3]

............Lastly I have connected MS Health with myFitnessPal. I like being able to record my caloric intake with calories burned to determine my calorie deficit. I've noticed that myFitnessPal only pulls over activity recorded using exercise mode. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The band records your total caloric burn, why not send all of that over to get a more accurate gauge for my weight loss goals?

Long post, with lots of questions. Thanks in advance to those that have some answers.

As for MFP, check to see if you have step counter enabled in the setup. Once you've added Band to MFP, it should show up as one of the options.

As for using all the calories, I believe it does account for it. Its not at all intuitive. You have to goto the MFP website and look under exercise. There is a projected versus actual reconciliation. If you have your profile setup with height, weight and age, it determines what your projected daily calories burned based on your activity level. If Band calories excess that, then it uses the excess onto the program. If less, you can set up to subtract from the projection (which in turn reduces calories goal for the day, or simply ignore the deficit).

 

[Squidstir]

It will be more accurate in exercise mode as the heart rate is being constantly monitored. When out of exercise mode it is only sampled every so often (15 minutes I think) and so brief exercise will not be seen. A longer period of exercise should elevate your heart rate long enough to then factor into your calorie count in a more accurate way. Step count is likely a factor too.

All these trackers are not a 'pure' science since data is not infinitely detailed and precise, but rather a guide which should in average report so that if you compare several days you'll determine if you're doing better or worse. In exercise modes they have more detailed data and so should be more accurate for those periods.

Sounds like I need to put it into exercise mode anytime I'm doing something out of my normal routine. I guess I'm just discouraged that an active day versus sedentary day would record calories almost opposite of what I expected.

 

[Squidstir]

As for MFP, check to see if you have step counter enabled in the setup. Once you've added Band to MFP, it should show up as one of the options.

As for using all the calories, I believe it does account for it. Its not at all intuitive. You have to goto the MFP website and look under exercise. There is a projected versus actual reconciliation. If you have your profile setup with height, weight and age, it determines what your projected daily calories burned based on your activity level. If Band calories excess that, then it uses the excess onto the program. If less, you can set up to subtract from the projection (which in turn reduces calories goal for the day, or simply ignore the deficit).

When you say "step counter enabled" do you mean under MFP options/steps? I have Microsoft selected there. I tried to do the same under options/apps & devices/Microsoft Health. That just takes me to the Windows phone app.

 

[DroidUser42]

When out of exercise mode it is only sampled every so often (15 minutes I think) and so brief exercise will not be seen.

One minute out of every 10. But your point is valid. It's not likely to register that mad dash for the bus.

I'd also make sure the HR sensor is turned on.

 

[mkg3]

When you say "step counter enabled" do you mean under MFP options/steps? I have Microsoft selected there. I tried to do the same under options/apps & devices/Microsoft Health. That just takes me to the Windows phone app.

Yes but I just learned in another thread that WP version of MFP does not track steps. My sense is that WP version is at least a rev behind but I'm guessing that they'll (MFP) update it soon. Sorry about that....