The calorie counters on fitness trackers are notoriously wrongand harmful.
So why do digital devices still rely on them?
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In most cases, its probably an estimate of the calories youve burned.
In fact, on most devices, you cant turn off the calorie count even if you want to.
Rena Eleazar, DPT, is a physical therapist, sports performance coach, and competitive weightlifter.
Jessi Haggerty, RDN, is a dietician, certified intuitive eating counselor, and personal trainer.
The least accurate was a whopping 93 percent off.
None of the devices provided estimates of energy expenditure within an acceptable error range, concluded the researchers.
This wont come as a surprise to anyone who knows the truth about calorie counts.
The food labels that tell you how many calories are in packaged foods?
So if these numbers are essentially meaningless, how did we come to accept them as a standard?
And why do they have such staying power over seemingly every new piece of fit tech launched?
However, calorie counting for weight loss didnt become popular until a couple decades later.
Needless to say, our understanding of the human body has advanced a lot since 1918.
And the many health benefits of exercise are not reflected in just one number.
Jessi Haggerty, RDN, is a dietician, certified intuitive eating counselor, and personal trainer.
Different bodies absorb and burn calories differently (and, obviously, need more than just calories).
The more we buy into these numbers, the more were going to stop listening to our own bodies.
Calorie counters are built on algorithms, and your body is not an algorithm.
Kerry OGrady
For her, its personal.
I lived this, she says.
I almost died from anorexia in my early 20s.
I cant use a tracker because its very triggering for me.
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Even those without such a history might find that trackers make healthy habits less fulfilling.
Quantifying everything takes away a lot of the joy around movement and food, says personal trainerLauren Pak.
It makes exercising and eating feel clinical, like a job.
And that idea you have of how many calories you need in a day?
And some of the data that trackers collect can be helpful.
But the ubiquity of calorie counts on fitness trackers makediet culturehard to escape.
What is and isnt helpful is very person-dependent, Pak says.
You should be able to choose what you want to track.
It shouldnt be assumed that people have a weight loss goal attached to a fitness endeavor.
Even so, there are ways of doing that that dont require tracking, she says.
So why do digital devices still include calories?
Theyre ubiquitous because people want them, says OGrady.
If the market did not demand them, they wouldnt be there.
Even though so many people know those numbers are inaccurate, theyd be upset if they were removed.
Thats what these tech companies are banking on.
They want you to have a relationship with that number.
So, does that mean you oughta break up with your fitness tracker?
Trust that sense of your own body over any tracker.
And even if youre set on tracking your workouts, dont underestimate the benefits of going analog.
I think that just writing down the details of your workout is great, says Pak.
Then you’ve got the option to track the progress you made from week to week.
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