“Active calories vs. total calories” The difference on an Apple Watch relates to how the watch calculates and presents calorie burn data based on your activity levels.
Have you ever wondered about the difference between active and total calories on your Apple Watch? It’s a common question among users interested in understanding their fitness data more deeply.
Let’s dive into what each term means and how they contribute to your overall health insights.
Table of Contents
What Are Active Calories on Apple Watch?
When you’re active, you burn calories. The amount you burn depends on the type of activity, plus several other factors like your heart rate and personal health data.
Your Apple Watch calculates these calories based on factors like your heart rate and movement intensity. So, the more intense your workout, the higher your active calorie count.
As you exercise using the Workout app on your Apple Watch, it tells you how many active calories you’re burning in real time. You can see it just below your timer and view it again later in the Fitness app on your iPhone.
What Are Total Calories on Apple Watch?
Even when you’re resting, you still burn calories. However, not everyone burns the same amount.
These resting calories are what keep your body functioning, like powering your organs and maintaining a stable temperature.
Apple Fitness includes this number in your workout data, so you can see the total number of calories you burned during the session, both active and non-active.
Active Calories vs. Total Calories: How to Find Them in the Fitness App
To view your active and total calories, follow these steps;
For Active Calories
Tap into the Fitness app on your iPhone. It opens to the Summary tab.
- Find the Workouts heading. Your three most recent workouts will appear here, with additional entries available by date when you select Show More.
- You can either scroll through every workout or tap All Workouts in the top right-hand corner to filter by type.
Once you find the workout you’re looking for, you can open it to view your stats, including active calories, which appear in red below the total time.
Additionally, you can find a quick overview in your Health app. In the Browse tab, navigate to Activity > Workouts.
Your active calories are also the ones that count toward your Move ring. If you close this without a challenge or it’s just out of reach, you can change your activity goals to suit your current fitness level.
For Total Calories
If you’re curious about how many resting calories you’ve burned in a day, you can check this in your Health app. To find it:
- Go to the Browse tab.
- Select Activity.
- Scroll and find Resting Energy total.
To get the most accurate number, you’ll want to ensure that your personal health data is up-to-date in the Watch app. You can do this in the app, scroll down to Health, and select Health Details.
You also want to make sure the watch isn’t too loose or too tight and that you wear it on the top of your wrist.
Apple Watch Active vs. Total Calories: What’s the Difference?
- Active calories: Active calories are the calories you burn when you work out or simply walk.
- Total calories: As the name suggests, it is a sum. Specifically, the sum of active calories and calories at rest. Those that your body burns naturally, even when you’re watching a movie on the sofa or sleeping.
Total calories = Active calories + calories at rest.
Understanding the Difference
So, why does this distinction matter? Well, active calories are great for tracking your workout sessions and gauging how much effort you’re putting into your exercises. They’re like a pat on the back for those intense gym sessions or long runs.
On the flip side, total calories offer a broader view of your overall energy balance. They help you understand how many calories your body burns in total, including the calories needed for essential functions like breathing and digestion.
This knowledge can be valuable for managing your daily calorie intake and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Active and Total Calories are Estimations
It’s important to remember that each of these totals is an estimation. Apple notes that throughout its Health app as well.
If you’ve ever wondered how a fitness app counts calories, there’s a bit of guessing behind it. Even with calorie intake, the number varies since you might not be eating exact portions of food and ingredients each time.
To estimate the number of calories you burn, these apps use a series of equations that might not fit you exactly—but they could come close.
How do I choose which type of calories to see on my Apple Watch?
- From your iPhone, go to the Watch App and go to Workout.
- The first option you will see is: “Workout view”. Here you can choose the metrics according to the type of training. Personalize it as you like!
Conclusion
In essence, active calories focus on the energy burned during activity, while total calories encompass both active and resting energy expenditure.
Together, they provide a comprehensive insight into your daily calorie burn, helping you make informed decisions about your fitness goals and overall well-being.
So, whether you’re crushing a workout or enjoying a relaxing day, your Apple Watch keeps you in the loop about your calorie burn, guiding you towards a healthier lifestyle.