Here's Why Your Fitness Tracker Is (Probably) Lying to You

By Adrian| June 18th, 2023

How Many Calories Are You Actually Burning?

Fitness watches have become a huge phenomenon nowadays.


They can track your daily steps; estimate the number of calories you have burned each day and even analyse your sleep.


Having these watches can be great – especially if it encourages people to move more.


However, how accurate are they for estimating the number of calories you have burned during a session?


And more importantly, should the number of calories you have burned dictate the quality of your session?


More Calories Burned = More Effective Training, Right?

We’ve all done it before – we complete a workout, press the stop button on the fitness tracker and the first thing we check is how many calories we burned.


Is it more or less than last time? To our delight we’ve burned over 500 calories in just 45 minutes and this makes us feel proud and accomplished.


Why wouldn’t it? The higher the calorie burn, the more effective the session and the more gains that were made right?


On top of this, because I’ve burned 500 calories alone in a strength session, it means I better eat back some extra calories to make up for the energy deficit from the session.


Have you ever felt this way too?


I was Wrong in the Past

When I first invested in a fitness watch years ago, I attached a lot of meaning to the calorie burn during each session.

I roped myself into the danger of believing that I needed to burn more calories to make more progress.


It got to a point where I’d almost feel disappointed or that I didn’t work hard enough if I hadn’t burned at least 700 calories per session. This sometimes would mean me having to spend longer than necessary in the gym until I’d burned 700 calories! How ridiculous!


Thankfully, just like my training has evolved over the years, so too has my knowledge and mindset – particularly around the long-term benefits of strength training and the fact that most fitness trackers drastically over estimate the number of calories burned during a session.


Benefits of Strength Training

When it comes to strength training, most of the benefits occur after you leave the weight room.

During a weight’s session, you break down and damage your muscle fibres. The reason we do this is because when we return & recover, we’ll (hopefully) come back stronger and be able to progress and do a bit more than last time.


Traditional strength training protocols requires you to lift weights for a given number of reps, rest between sets and repeat until finished. If you’re pursuing strength, rest particularly becomes important so you’re able to repeat your best efforts during each set.


However, as we rest and recover between sets, your heart rate decreases. And just like your heart rate decreases when you rest, so too does the number of calories you burn during that period of time.


Dangers of Judging Your Sessions by Calories Burned

And therein lies the danger of judging your weights session by the number of calories you’ve burned. As a result of this, it might be tempting for you to turn your strength training into a cardio workout.


What do I mean by this? During your rest period, you might be tempted to do different exercises to keep your heart rate elevated. But, this will likely takeaway from your performance of the exercise you’re resting from if you do not give yourself adequate rest.

Don’t sacrifice seeking an immediate feeling over your long-term results.


If someone told you to do 10 Burpees, 20 Jumping Jacks and 30 Mountain Climbers for an hour, you’d certainly burn a lot of calories. But did the session actually benefit you? Were you working out or were you training?


If you do want to get a burn, light a match!


Shift your focus towards your performance instead.


Short & Long-Term Calorie Burn of Strength Training

Compare doing the above workout with doing a typical weights session where you lift, rest and recover. Though it might not have the same calorie burn during the workout, your metabolism can be boosted for up to 38 hours post-workout.

This means that your body may even continue to burn more calories as you chill out on the couch for the evening after strength training.


How cool is that? After you pay your dues in the gym and sit down and relax for the evening, your body will continue to burn more calories as you rest.


I like to use the analogy of driving from Galway to Dublin. Once the journey is complete, it takes the engine time to get back to its normal, restful state. It doesn’t just cool down immediately.

And the length of time it takes to get back that baseline state will be the period of time in which you will continue burn calories post-workout.


Not only does strength training burn more calories in the short-term window post-workout, but it also has more of a long-term calorie burning effect as well.


Why is this? Muscles are more metabolically active than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even while you rest.

That is why strength training is not only a good short-term strategy for fat-loss, but long-term too. The more lean muscle mass you have on your body, the more calories you burn around the clock.


How Should I Measure Progress?

My advice would be to keep the goal the goal.


- Have you lost weight?

- Have you dropped some body fat and gotten leaner?

- Have you increased your strength?

- Are your clothes fitting better?

- Are your measurements improving?


These metrics aren’t displayed on a fitness watch yet are much better and more accurate metrics of progress.


Conclusion

Use your fitness watch as a tool to monitor your training.


However, I don’t advise you to use the number of calories you have burned as the only metric to assessing your progress.


Identify your goals at the start and make the goal the goal. Not the number of calories you have burned.


Free 3-Day Total Body Training Program:

Depending on your goal, I have some free resources which might be of benefit to you.

If you’d like a copy of my free, 3-day Total Body Transformation Program click HERE! (Enjoy the core finisher!).

If you’d like a copy of my Free Living Lean Cookbook to prove to you that it’s possible to eat foods you enjoy and get results, click HERE.

(Try out some EPIC protein pancakes!).

And if you’d like access to my Free 7 Day Fat Loss Accelerator (which has helped some members drop up to 7lbs inside 7 days),
click HERE and it will be sent straight to your email.

I hope these free resources help you!

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

4). Not Falling for the Test of Success

While the above three relate specifically to training and nutrition, this final topic related to mindset. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to the test of success. What’s the test of success?


You know that feeling of accomplishment you get when you put a few “good days” back to back? For instance, Monday - Friday you’ve been eating really healthily and so you feel like rewarding yourself at the weekend? Or that sense of achievement you feel when you weigh yourself and see the scale move down and you now look forward to treating yourself.


I love those feelings too - everyone loves to win. But a mistake I made in the past was to let these wins give me a false sense of security. I justified these wins to allow myself to go binge-eating at the weekend and reverting back to my old habits. I would eat portions of food way bigger than normal. This all came off the back of getting a false sense of security from encountering a small win.


I let the test of success get to me - that temptation to “take the foot off the gas” when you experience a win instead of striving for better. It’s a fine line. So, while I’m not saying you shouldn’t take time to celebrate the wins, I am saying it’s important not to let complacency kick in when you do win. Not to allow yourself to lose your momentum and revert back to old habits.


I have lost weight before and rebounded so I know what it feels like. However, this year, I managed to lose weight and keep it off forever by focusing on the fundamentals and handling the test of success. So when you experience a win, when you start making progress, are you going to become comfortable and coast? Or are you going to continue to do the fundamentals that led to your success in the first place? This has been one of the biggest changes I’ve made this year – in my mindset.


Remember, losing weight is one skill to master, but creating a lifestyle change where you can learn how to sustain it and keep it is another skill entirely in itself. Being aware of the test of success and following the fundamentals is the final (and perhaps most important) way to stay lean year round.

The Takeaway

  1. Strength train consistently – pick a number of days you are 90% confident of adhering to.
  2. Focus on performing better and in turn you will start to look better.
  3. Walk more!
  4. The best “diet” needs to include foods you enjoy and be sustainable.
  5. Don’t fall for the test of success when you do encounter a win.


Thank you for reading – I hope you learned something new and got some value from this.


If you did get value from it, please pay the fee. What's the fee?


If you find this content valuable (maybe you learned something new or are going to implement a new practice) then please share my blog post with a friend or on your social stories and tag me on Instagram (@McLifestyleFitness).


For such a small act that doesn't cost anything, it really helps me reach more people and spread the word on how to optimise your health and fitness.


I don’t run ads towards my blog posts, everything I’ve done to date has been done organically from people like you reading spreading the good word. I’d appreciate your continued support.

1:1 Online Coaching Application

If you’d like a coach to help get you out of a routine that isn’t currently working for you and into one that will , then book your
free consultation call today to see if you’d be a good fit for my Online Coaching.

This is where having the structure and accountability of a coach comes in. I’ll help you get the results you’ve always desired and
make your journey much easier and quicker than doing it on your own.

You’re just one click away of becoming a success story.

About Adrian McDonnell & McLifestyle Fitness:

Adrian McDonnell is a highly specialised Personal Trainer & Online Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway, Ireland.

Previously a primary school teacher for almost 5 years, Adrian followed his passion and pursued a career in fitness after seeing first hands the results he could achieve with himself.

Although Adrian is a Personal Trainer & now Full-Time Online Transformation Fitness Coach from outside of Tuam, Co.Galway – he not only coaches clients locally, but also nationally and internationally.

Adrian specialises in helping working professionals:


- Be confident in themselves·
- Feel more comfortable in their clothes·
- Look better in the mirror·
- Increase their energy and go for more promotions at work·
- Get fitter, leaner & stronger without following rigid meal plans·
- Go on more dates (this is a common one)·
- And feel proud of themselves for doing something they never thought was possible!

To date he has helped Transform over 500 Clients into fitter, more toned & confident individuals.

Transforming people’s lives through proper fitness, sustainable & enjoyable nutrition practices & mindset mentoring is something Adrian is truly passionate about and this is his mission in life.

Want to find out more? Contact me today & I’ll answer any questions you have.

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