Many Apple Watch users bought this device to track their physical activity and follow their calorie burn. The smartwatch is an excellent device that will track your heart rate, count your steps, and sum your total calorie burn throughout the day.
It is important to enter your measures precisely to get the closest result. The Apple Watch manufacturers did their best to place the measuring sensors in the right place to measure the pulse and notice when the user is practicing a physical activity like exercise.
Not everyone has the same metabolism and goal, which is okay for everyone to have a different result. Let us see how accurate is Apple Watch calories app based on a real story by a man who tracked his weight loss journey with the Apple Watch.
How Accurate Is Apple Watch Calories App
A 12-week study has shown that calorie-tracking devices might not be as accurate as it seems. Conversely, a man who used Apple Watch during his weight loss journey has said the opposite. He shared his real results and compared them to the Apple Watch calorie app predictions, and they were so close. However, you can not expect 100% accuracy from an AI device.
The Apple Watch initially measures your pulse. Our pulse increases as we perform physical activities, whether everyday activities or workouts. Every physical activity that increases the heart rate can be cardio.
Cardio activity is when our body burns calories, which is how Apple Watch measures calories with its pulse-measuring sensors. The Apple Watch can’t know exactly what kind of physical activity you perform, so it just measures the pulse and calculates how many calories you might have burned.
Your metabolic rate is the most important factor that determines whether you are going to reach your goals or not. The calorie-burning app might help you with the calculations, but it can never be 100% accurate.
If you want to know how accurate the Apple Watch calories app is, you should experiment on your own and compare the results.
A real story
A 49-year-old man whose name is unknown has experimented on his own. He wanted to lose some weight and see if the Apple Watch calorie app would give a close result to the one he would reach.
He began his weight loss journey in 2019 with a total body weight of 218.6 lbs. He measured his weight every day for 84 days, writing down the calories he ate in a day and the calories he spent in a day (via the Apple Watch calories app).
He mentioned that he was wearing the watch for up to 22 hours a day. The other two hours were the time he charged the Apple Watch. He tried to enter 99% accurate and precise measures of the meals he ate in a day, including the portion size.
His results were pretty satisfactory, and he decided to share them publicly so that everyone could check them and see the app’s predictions and weight loss.
The man mentioned that it is important to enter accurate measures and calories consumed in a day. He agreed that the app could not give 100% accurate results, but the one he got was very good and close. Also, he mentioned that the metabolic rate is the factor that determines the app’s accuracy in most cases.
Related: How Accurate Is Apple Watch Heart Rate
Tips to Get Accurate Results
If you open Apple’s official website, you will find a guide on how to get the most accurate measurements of the Apple Watch’s calories. The app’s measures are based on the personal information you enter and the goal you want to reach.
Update your measures
Follow your weight and update the measurements in the Apple Watch app. The app will give more accurate results if you enter your current measures (height, weight, age, gender).
To update the measures, open the app on the iPhone, tap on the “My Watch” option, choose “Health”, and then “Health details”. Tap on the option you want to change and save the changes in the end.
Check the wrist detection
If this setting is turned off, the Apple Watch can not track your heart rate and progress. To check if this setting is enabled or disabled, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap on the “My Watch” tab, and choose the “Passcode” option. The Wrist Detection setting is often last on the list.
Manage the fit for accurate heart rate measurement
The Apple Watch band should be neither too tight nor loose on your wrist. Between your wrist and Apple Watch should be room for the skin to breathe and keep you comfortable.
Ensure your Apple Watch is placed correctly so that the sensors can measure your pulse properly without the band being too tight on your hand. You can adjust the band during exercising and loosen it after finishing the workout.
Choose the best activity
The Apple Watch health app allows you to choose what physical activity you perform. Every activity increases the heart rate differently, so if you are running, choose the “Run” option, regardless if it is an indoor or outdoor activity.
Among the activities, you can choose walking, running, cycling, elliptical, stair stepper, HIIT, hiking, yoga, dancing, Pilates, etc.
Calibrate the Apple Watch
The last tip is to set or calibrate your Apple Watch for the most accurate tracking. This allows the app to track the proper distance, pace, and calorie burn. Also, with the calibration process, the watch “learns” more about your fitness level and habits.
Also Read: How to Change Weight on Apple Watch
Conclusion
Stay active and care for your health. Eat the good calories and let the Apple Watch calculate how much you spend approximately in a day. But how accurate is Apple Watch calories app? Well, do not expect 100% accurate calculations because everyone’s body is unique and works differently.