Free calculator
Apple Watch Move goal calculator
Your Move goal counts active Calories: everything you burn on top of what your body uses at rest. Answer a few questions below to see a goal that fits you and roughly how many steps it takes.
Your Move goal
Lots of walking or exercise 1–2× a week
Recommended Move goal
530 Cal
= 2,220 kJ · walking alone: up to ≈ 16,900 steps
- Starter
- 420 Cal
- Recommended
- 530 Cal
- Ambitious
- 640 Cal
In a competition your points are a percentage of your own goal. A fair goal is one you hit on about 5 days out of 7.
Want to race friends on this goal? Competo turns your Apple Watch rings into a group competition with a shared leaderboard.
Download CompetoEstimate based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and FAO/WHO activity levels. Not medical advice.
How the calculator works
First it estimates your resting energy with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your age, sex, weight and height. It then multiplies that by a physical activity level for your typical day, from 1.4 for mostly sitting to 1.95 for very active people, and takes away the resting energy plus about 10% for digesting food. What is left is roughly the active Calories you already burn on a normal day.
That level is the goal for “Keep my level”. “Slowly increase” adds 10%, enough to push you without missing the ring all the time. “Lose weight” adds 200 Calories, about a third of the roughly 550-Calorie daily deficit it takes to lose a pound a week. Diet covers the rest.
How to change your Move goal
- Open the Activity app on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Change Goals.
- Use + and − to set the new Move goal, then tap Next.
- Confirm or change your Exercise and Stand goals.
Common questions
What should my Move goal be on Apple Watch?
For most adults a sensible Move goal sits between 300 and 700 Calories. A somewhat active 35-year-old woman who is 5 ft 5 in and 145 lb lands at about 530 Calories, for example. Pick a goal you can hit on most days, and only raise it once that feels easy.
Is the Move goal my total Calories burned?
No. The Move ring counts only active Calories. Apple Watch tracks the energy your body uses at rest separately as Resting Energy, so your total burn for the day is much higher than your Move goal.
What Move goal is good for losing weight?
Losing about a pound a week takes a deficit of roughly 550 Calories a day. A realistic split is around 200 of those from extra movement and the rest from food. Choose “Lose weight” in the calculator to include that.
Should I lower my Move goal for a competition?
In Apple Watch competitions, points are a percentage of your own goal, so a lower goal earns more points. It stays fair when everyone picks a goal they hit on about 5 days out of 7 and leaves it alone until the competition ends.
How many steps is my Move goal?
By lab formulas a 155 lb person burns about 45 active Calories per kilometer at a brisk walk, so closing a 500-Calorie goal by walking alone would take roughly 11 km, or about 14,500 steps at 5 ft 7 in. Most people need fewer, because the rest of the day fills the ring too. The steps calculator can use your own numbers from yesterday for a closer answer.
Can I set my Move goal in kilojoules?
Yes. In the Watch app on iPhone, open Workout, then Units of Measure, and pick kilojoules. One Calorie (kcal) is 4.184 kJ; the calculator shows both.
Related
- How many steps to close your Move ring?
- Can you change your Move goal during a competition?
- Activity rings explained
- Apple Watch group competition with 3+ friends
Competo is independent and not affiliated with Apple.