General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs? Rss Feed  
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2016-08-14 1:33 PM

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Subject: Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs?
I have been using a Vivoactive for 8 months. While I trust most of the stats I have never been comfortable with the calories calculations. Case in point:

Today: 44.22 miles, 2:16:38 moving time, 19.4 mph = 999 calories

Yesterday: 50.67 miles, 2:42:31 moving time, 18.7 mph = 3573 calories

At least one of those is wildly inaccurate, if not both. I have never worried too much about this but I would like to drop about seven pounds before my first IM in Dec so I have started paying attention to calories in and out.

Anyone know of an activity calorie counter that seems reasonably accurate?

Thanks,


2016-08-14 4:28 PM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs?

You don't have a powermeter do you ?

You can get pretty accurate calorie counts from that
2016-08-14 4:34 PM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs?
Yeah, if it's not tied to a PM the stock calcs are pretty useless for accuracy. HRM is marginally better but still take with a grain of salt. I use about 500 -700 cal per hour on the bike, depending on effort,likely low for harder efforts but underestimating is better (IMO) than over. For running I use about 130 per mile (6'2" 190#). With a HRM I usually get something pretty close to that
2016-08-14 4:56 PM
in reply to: ChrisM

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Subject: RE: Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs?
Originally posted by ChrisM

Yeah, if it's not tied to a PM the stock calcs are pretty useless for accuracy. HRM is marginally better but still take with a grain of salt. I use about 500 -700 cal per hour on the bike, depending on effort,likely low for harder efforts but underestimating is better (IMO) than over. For running I use about 130 per mile (6'2" 190#). With a HRM I usually get something pretty close to that

The bikes I ride at the gym are equipped with power meters and my numbers are similar to yours. I run in the 600-700 calories/hour range with their top instructor, a former pro cyclist. BTW, I am about he same weight 187# but only 5'11". Hence the desire to get down to 180 for my IM.

Thanks for the feedback.
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Any credibility to Garmin calorie calcs? Rss Feed  
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