Calories
kcal per day
Active Calories appears on the My Signal page.
Estimated total daily energy expenditure, combining active calories burned through movement and resting metabolic rate. The Pulse Device calculates this using heart rate and motion data together, which produces a more complete picture than devices that rely on motion alone. Calorie estimates vary across wearables due to differences in sensor inputs, user profile data, and each device's underlying algorithm. Variance between devices is normal and expected. We continuously refine our model to improve accuracy across a range of body types and activity levels.
Typical optimal range 2,000 kcal - 3,000 kcal
Population median 2,400 kcal
Key factors
- Physical exertion and exercise intensity
- Body composition and lean muscle mass
- Overall daily movement volume
What affects this metric
- Muscle mass raises the resting portion of the total.
- Accurate height and weight in your profile improve the estimate directly.
- Heart rate driven activity raises the active portion more than step count does.
- Fever, pregnancy, and thyroid conditions all raise energy expenditure.
- Body size, age, and sex set the resting portion of the total.
References
Peer-reviewed sources supporting the key factors, contributing factors, and typical optimal range shown above.
- Pontzer H, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, et al.. Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science. 2021;373(6556):808–812. doi.org/10.1126/science.abe5017
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(2):241–247. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
- Fuller D, Colwell E, Low J, et al.. Reliability and validity of commercially available wearable devices for measuring steps, energy expenditure, and heart rate: systematic review. JMIR mHealth and uHealth. 2020;8(9):e18694. doi.org/10.2196/18694
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician about your own results.