Massive Calorie burn difference - why?
DLR2017
Registered Users Posts: 4 
Apprentice Traveler
Apprentice Traveler
I have a Tom Tom Multisport and have noticed that on the same run when I always wear my garmin vivomove hr, the calories burned difference is massive and I don’t know why? I have been through all of my personal setting to make sure that they’re identical and they are yet this morning my 8km run tracked at burning 497 calories on my Garmin and my Multisport at 1049 calories burned. Does anyone know why this happens and if I can do anything to resolve it. Thanks in anticipation!!
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Best Answer
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RR is a measure of the spacing between heart rates. Look up R-R value. GHR should have been HR. In a nutshell they are all a guess as there is no direct correlation between HR and calories burned. And if you have an original MultiSport without a built-in HR strap it is not even using your HR, it is using a METs table, which is a table of defined values by sport which do not even take your performance into consideration. Since every device brand has their own proprietary algorithms for counting calories, some using METs, some HR, some R-R variance, they will all come up with different numbers. Ultimately, any devices calorie number is just a guess, regardless of method, so it is more important to make sure you are consistently keeping your HR to the right level to get the workout you want.10
Answers
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Because they are using completely different methodologies. Garmin uses FirstBeat technologies which looks at RR values and other data (which is always low in my opinion) while TT is making a straight calculation based on calorie burn tables, taking into account age, weight etc. If you go to an online calculator and put is your stats and GHR you will find it matches TT.0
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Thanks tfarabaugh for your response.
Please excuse my lack of knowledge but please could you explain what your abbreviations mean - the RR and GHR ones.
Also what calculator could i look at please?
Many thanks0 -
RR is a measure of the spacing between heart rates. Look up R-R value. GHR should have been HR. In a nutshell they are all a guess as there is no direct correlation between HR and calories burned. And if you have an original MultiSport without a built-in HR strap it is not even using your HR, it is using a METs table, which is a table of defined values by sport which do not even take your performance into consideration. Since every device brand has their own proprietary algorithms for counting calories, some using METs, some HR, some R-R variance, they will all come up with different numbers. Ultimately, any devices calorie number is just a guess, regardless of method, so it is more important to make sure you are consistently keeping your HR to the right level to get the workout you want.10
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Thank you for your very detailed response once again, much appreciated.
I didn’t realise there were so many different methods employed in monitoring the exercise that we do!
Thanks again0
