Are Activity Fitness Trackers Accurate For Calories Burned?

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Activity Tracker Comparison: Watch Vs. Band Vs. Ring

On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m sharing my thoughts on activity fitness trackers, in particular, how accurate are they in calculating calories burned in a day.

In addition to this, I’ll also be comparing different types and brands of activity fitness trackers, including watches, wristbands, and rings.

To be respectful of your time, I’ve included “Jump To” links to each question and answer in the table of contents below.

Table Of Contents: Jump To

What Is The Difference Between A Watch And An Activity Tracker?

The main difference between a standard watch and a smartwatch activity tracker is that a regular watch only tells time, while activity trackers and smartwatches are two types of wearable technology devices designed to be worn on the body to track various physical activities and health metrics like:

• Steps
• Heart Rate
• Calories Burned

Activity trackers come in various forms, including wristbands with or without screens and even rings for those who prefer a non-watch option.

These devices provide insights into fitness and daily activity, making them a versatile tool for health monitoring beyond just keeping time.

How Do Activity Fitness Trackers Calculate Calories Burned?

Activity fitness trackers calculate calories burned through sensors and algorithms.

They use accelerometers to track movement, heart rate monitors to measure exertion, and often GPS for distance.

The tracker estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), meaning the calories burned at rest, based on personal data like:

• Age
• Weight
• Height
• Gender

By analyzing movement data, it distinguishes between activities such as walking and running.

Combining your BMR with calories burned during activities gives an estimate of total calorie burn.

However, studies show that many fitness trackers can have a margin of error of 30% or more for daily calorie burn calculations.

How Accurate Are Activity Fitness Trackers For Calories?

Activity fitness trackers give a rough estimate of calories burned, but accuracy varies by brand and usage.

While newer models use advanced algorithms, research shows they can still have a 30% error margin in calorie calculations.

The Apple Watch is among the more accurate in calculating calories burned, often within 10-30% of actual values for many users.

Many activity trackers do tend to overestimate calorie burn, especially when not properly calibrated during certain activities.

Therefore it’s important to input accurate personal data, such as age and weight to help improve calorie burning accuracy.

For better accuracy during workouts, pairing a watch with a chest strap is recommended, as chest straps offer more reliable heart rate readings, especially during intense exercise, compared to wrist-based sensors.

I use this Polar H10 chest strap.

Ultimately, while these devices offer valuable insights, they should be used as a guide rather than an absolute measurement of calories burned.

Activity Tracker Comparison: Watch Vs. Band Vs. Ring: Which Is Most Accurate For Calories Burned?

Which activity fitness tracker is most accurate for calories burned: the Apple Watch vs Whoop Band vs vs Oura Ring?

The Apple Watch is often the most accurate for calories burned due to its large sensors, GPS, and advanced heart rate monitoring, tracking a wide variety of workouts.

The Whoop Band focuses more on long-term performance and recovery tracking but may overestimate calories burned during high-intensity activities when compared to the Apple Watch.

The Oura Ring focuses more on sleep and recovery.

While it does track calories burned, its smaller form factor and lack of detailed workout tracking make it less accurate for calories burned during intense physical activities.

For overall accuracy, watches generally lead, especially when paired with a chest strap, but even the best trackers can have a margin of error of 30% or more.

Activity Tracker Watch Comparison: Apple Watch Vs. Samsung Galaxy Fit 3

Let’s compare the following popular activity tracker watches:

1. Apple Watch
2. Samsung Galaxy Fit 3

I’ve been using the Apple Watch as an activity fitness tracker since 2017.

Apple Watch is the most feature-rich offering:

• Heart Rate Monitoring
• ECG
• Sleep
• Blood Oxygen Tracking
• Built-in GPS

It is the most accurate for tracking calorie burning and integrates with Apple Health and other fitness apps, making it a top choice for iPhone users.

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is a more affordable option and provides good features including heart rate and sleep tracking, but may not be as accurate as the Apple Watch for calorie burn.

Overall, the Apple Watch is the most feature-rich and accurate, thus making it the best activity tracker for iPhone users.

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 offers decent tracking for a budget-conscious choice.

Here is a link to each these activity fitness trackers so you can check them out for yourself:

• Apple Watch
• Samsung Galaxy Fit 3

How To Make Your Apple Watch More Accurate In Calculating Calories Burned

Here’s how to get the most accurate calories burned calculation from your Apple Watch.

Overall, the Apple Watch is the most trusted activity fitness tracker accurately tracking calories burned in a day.

It’s most reliable in calculating calorie burn estimates for steady activities like walking or running, but may be less accurate during high-intensity workouts with rapid heart rate changes.

To maximize accuracy in calculating calories burned in a day:

1. Ensure your personal info including height, weight, and age is up-to-date in the Health app.
2. Select the correct workout mode, and calibrate the watch with GPS during outdoor walks or runs.
3. Wear it snugly around your wrist, enable wrist detection and motion calibration, and keep your watchOS updated.
4. Pair your Apple Watch with a chest strap for workouts can also enhance accuracy.

Following these steps will help improve the accuracy of your Apple Watch in calculating calories burned.

Remember, even though the Apple Watch is recognized for its accuracy in estimating calories burned, it may still under or overestimate calorie burn by 10-30%.

What App Do I Use For My Activity Fitness Tracker?

Since I use the Apple Watch as my activity fitness tracker paired with the Polar H10 chest strap, I use the Apple Health app and the Fitness app to monitor my stats.

If you’re using a different brand of activity tracker, the app you’ll use will depend on the brand of the device you own.

For example, if you use a:

• Fitbit: you’ll use the Fitbit app
• Garmin: you’ll use the Garmin Connect app
• Polar: you’ll use the Polar Flow app
• Oura Ring: you’ll use the Oura Ring app
• Whoop: you’ll use the Whoop app

Most brands have user-friendly apps available on both iOS and Android, thus allowing you to easily track your progress, set goals, and connect with other users for added motivation.

What Is The Best Activity Tracker That Is Not A Watch With No Screen?

The Whoop Strap is a top activity tracker that is not a watch, with no screen.

While it lacks a traditional display, it syncs with a mobile app that offers comprehensive data analysis and personalized recommendations.

Its design prioritizes comfort for 24/7 wear and focuses on long-term health trends like heart rate variability, sleep, and recovery metrics, rather than daily steps or calories.

It’s ideal for performance and recovery tracking.

Another great option is the Oura Ring, which tracks sleep, activity, and readiness in a sleek, ring design.

Both devices are highly rated for their accuracy, making them excellent non-watch alternatives for those seeking advanced health insights.

Question Of The Day

Let me know in the comments:

• Do you use an activity fitness tracker?
• Which brand of activity fitness tracker do you use?

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Now I want you to check out this video on How Many Calories Are You Burning With Your Cardio?

Thanks for watching and keep Living Lean.