How accurate is the garmin gadgets calories counter?

SteveR_100Milers

You can get the edge 205 for a lot less than £130, more like £80. The calorie counter is pretty useless (though you don't have to leave that disaply field on you can replace/delete it). Calculated I expended 4600 Kcals in 4hr 15 mins yesterday in an audax...no chance!

Jeff Jones

I think I'm going to apply a conversion factor of 2/3rds to Garmin calories in order to get a rough idea of food calories burned.

On second thoughts, there's not much point in doing that. I may as well use 800 cal/hr for most training rides, around 600/hr for recovery and 1200/hr for racing. YMMV, of course.

Mike Willcox

Let's say the device says you've burned 1500 calories and you make an adjustment to 1000 calories. Taking aside the accuracy of the device (doesn't the temperature make a difference?), you have established a figure.

Are you telling me that you know how many calories you consume when you get home? And if you do know, are you going to eat more than you really crave to make up the difference or eat less and go hungry in order to lose weight?

Why? Why not just eat when you are hungry and stop when you feel full?

Makes more sense than all this garmin nonsense.

Jeff Jones

Exactly, it's all a bit pointless since I don't count food calories (I'm sure others do). I maintain weight by riding lots and eating lots. I put on a bit in winter and lose it in summer. Easy!

I'm interested in knowing roughly how many calories I burn simply for the hell of it. Strange but true.

daniel_b

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

You can get the edge 205 for a lot less than £130, more like £80. The calorie counter is pretty useless (though you don't have to leave that disaply field on you can replace/delete it). Calculated I expended 4600 Kcals in 4hr 15 mins yesterday in an audax...no chance!

£89 here: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_369413_langId_-1_categoryId_31456