I hope I can explain this in a way that makes sense, because I know I am confused. So...I wear my fitbit to track my daily calories burned. Certain days (like today) when I do no exercise, only just my normal daily routine, the fitbit reads that I have burned 2202 Calories. I assume this is the BMR. First off, is this the BMR? So today I ate 1376 calories and according to fitbit burned 2207. Does this mean I have a calorie deficit of 831? Or since I technically did not exercise, is there no calorie deficit? Should I only count those calories burned by actual exercise? I really just want to be sure that I am burning more calories than I am eating on days when I could not fit exercise into my routine. And I do realize that I should be getting some sort of exercise most day. Thanks!!!

BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. Essentially this is the amount of calories your body burns just keeping you alive and functioning.

If it says you burned 2207 calories and you ate 1376, then yes, you burned more calories than you consumed.

Exercise doesn't have to be formal exercise, like at a gym or running. Exercise is simply moving. For me, my exercise is walking. You're obviously getting some exercise just in your daily routine.

Sounds like you're doing well

Thank you Missy. This is all so new to me and just when I thought I had things figured out, then I end up confused again. Do you think the calories that I burned according to my fitbit include the BMR? I know it includes the steps I took. I didn't do any formal exercise, but I am up and moving...chasing my kid around, etc. Thanks for your explanation!

Thank you Missy. This is all so new to me and just when I thought I had things figured out, then I end up confused again. Do you think the calories that I burned according to my fitbit include the BMR? I know it includes the steps I took. I didn't do any formal exercise, but I am up and moving...chasing my kid around, etc. Thanks for your explanation!

I'm not familiar with the Fitbit so I'm not sure if it includes your BMR for sure but I'd assume it does.

I do know that if you have a calorie deficit of approximately 800 calories a day, you'd burn 5600 calories a week. 3500 calories make a pound, so you'd be burning off more than a pound a week, which is great!

From the Fitbit site:

The first thing you need to know when trying to understand the calories burned figure is some definitions:

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Calories burned while at rest to sustain regular body functions, such as breathing. This number is independent of exercise done throughout the day, and is dependent on age, height, weight, gender, and other factors.
  
• Estimated Energy Requirements (EER): Calories you are estimated to burn based on your BMR plus calories from a typical non-exercise day, such as getting ready for work, working at a desk job for 8 hours, stopping by the store on the way home but not exercising. EER is based on a formula published by the FDA and used by other government agencies to estimate the calories required by an individual based on their age, height, weight, and gender. Your EER is greater than your BMR since your BMR only takes into account the calories burned by your body just for it to exist and does not take into account even minimal motion or activity.
  
• Calorie Estimation: A setting in your profile that determines whether BMR or EER is used for days that you forget to wear your Tracker, you haven't synced yet, or you do not have a Tracker linked to your account.
  If you have a Tracker and have synced recently, the calories will match the Tracker's number. This includes your BMR, activity calories, and calories from manually logged activities. Manually logged activities replace the Tracker's calorie estimate for that time frame, so there's no need to worry about double counting the calories.
  If you do not have a Tracker, the calorie calculation is the same as if you have not synced.
  If you have NOT synced recently, you could see two different values depending on whether or not you've enabled calorie estimation.
  
• Calorie estimation enabled:
  
  • EER is displayed if you do not have any manually logged activities or not enough logged activities to overcome the EER estimate.
    
  • If BMR + calories from manually logged activities is greater than 80% of your EER, that calculated number is displayed.
    
  • If EER is used, an asterisk (*) will be displayed next to your calorie burn number. Putting your mouse over the * will display a definition of calorie estimation.
    

  [*]Calorie estimation disabled:

  • BMR is displayed + calories from manually logged activities.
    

Hi Jenny,

Love your question and your focus : ) Calorie "burn" that you are really interested in us your "calorie deficit" As you know every 3500 calorie deficit is approx 1 lb lost (conversely each 3500 cal above is 1 lb gained)

Determine the calories you need to maintain current weight use this calculator (enter low exerciser to be safe)

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy_living_tools_content.aspx?id=4#sthash.QdQlu8d8.dpbs

This is your base number - lets say its 2400 cal for sake of example - at the end of day your calorie "burn" from FITBIT HR monitor etc... Is 2900 calories and you ate the full 2400 cal then your "Cal DEFICIT" for the day is 500 cal. So do this 7 days in a row and that's 500x7=3500 cal deficit or 1lb lost.

This is a GENERAL formula and model and is effected by things like metabolic rate - body seeking homeostasis - quality of the calories (Protein /produce /simple carbs etc..)

I have a Fitbit and BodyMedia as well as HR monitors - the Fitbit is very solid especially for the price - HR monitor is always most accurate.

I could go on And on AND ON about all this but will spare you LOL You can ping me if you want more info.

Lee

279 lbs Lost - All Diseases reversed

Anytime you eat less calories than you burn, YOU will lose weight over time. Keep up this good work. You will succeed!

Best wishes

Speaking for myself...the best thing I ever did was get rid of things lie fitbit, and quit counting calories altogether....I could not see the Forrest because of the trees and was getting confused and complicated....

My approach is I eat healthy foods, and a lot less tanks to the band....and I exercise and stay as active as possible.....

Not something I need to be scientific about...just a "New Normal" lifestyle.....

I have plenty of thin, fit, healthy friends and I NEVER see them counting calories....they just live a certain way....and that is how I want to live the rest of my life....free my diets, calories and all that stuff......Life with the band....that's all....

what i do it is, eat less calories then i burn off ....and when i do eat, i make it worth it (excellent quality filling foods and stop when full..my band/plication says when and i listen happily)