How to log Planet Fitness Circuit?

crsantoni

Hi! I have a FitBit Flex. I've had it about 6-9 months. I do have it linked with MFP with sucess. I haven't tracked in MFP for a while, but here is to 2015!!!

Ok, I have a few questions ... sorry if these have been asked a million times before! :-)

In the past, I have mostly done walking ... so there was no additional exercise I had to track in MFP since my FitBit covered all my walking. However I recently joined Planet Fitness and they have a 30 minute circuit, which I really like. If you are not familiar with it, it is 20 stations, 10 of the stations are weight machines, and 10 of the stations are step blocks (where you can do any type of step exercise you want). You are at each station for 1 minute. Do the math, and that only equals 20 minutes, but you have time between each station (maybe 20-30 seconds?)

Anyway, I am not sure how I should track this type of activity? I'm guessing I should only add the non-step portions? in MFP? For example, should I just add 15 minutes of weights (circuit) in MFP? Also, I'm not sure how accurate the FitBit is counting steps when I'm on the stepping blocks, since its not like I am continuoulsy walking (I'm just stepping up and down or side to side or doing calf raises, etc). For example, when I go for walks around the neighborhood, I'll get about 30 active minutes on my FitBit. Today when I did the circuit, I only got 2 minutes! But I know I was working ALOT harder then when I walk around the neighborhood. KWIM???

I also have heard (vaguley) that you can double tap your FitBit (like you do when you track sleep) and this will track the exercize you are about to do. Then you double tap it again when you are done. I'm not sure I understand this? What would this accomplish if you had it linked to MFP? Would it double count it? Or would MFP recognize this as something you are going to track manually?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be great!

TIA

heybales

You'll get a headache trying to log only the non-step portions of that circuit. Besides, Fitbit isn't aware of the increased effort on blocks anyway for those steps, so not right either.

It should be manually logged of course, as you are burning way more than the no-steps on the machine are giving you for calorie burn.
Start time and total duration of the 30 min.

The setting of an activity (like sleep mode) does nothing regarding the numbers or syncing. It merely allows you to separate that time for steps and calorie burn for easier review later.
But - it also allows you to see the start and end time, so that when you replace it with more accurate manual logging, you have that data. Instead of having to notice the time when you start and stop.
But you'd be best to manually log on Fitbit then so you can see the activity info.

That sounds like you'd log that whole time as Circuit Training, though the rests are a tad short. Normally that entry in the database is for rests up to 1 min. But that is closer. Still make it hard though, should have difficulty finishing the time on each lift with good form. If it's easy and you could have kept going, not getting much benefit from your time doing it.

crsantoni

Thanks. I had to re-read this a couple of times, but I think I understand. But I think I need it "dumbed down" a little more! :-)

You are suggesting that I tap the FB when I start the circuit and when I end the circuit. Then when I get back to my computer go to FB and change the activity to circuit training? Will this delete any steps "earned" during that time? Just curious since half the exercises are machines and half are on step blocks.

If I added circuit in MFP, would it be double dipping my calories burned?

TIA ... I'm still trying to understand how everything is working together!

heybales

Correct on using the Fitbit merely as a stopwatch, so when you manually log it, you use correct start time and duration. You could use a stopwatch actually, but rarely does a stopwatch record the start time of when you pressed Start. It merely tells you total time.

And those 2 pieces of info (start and duration) are what prevent double-counting calorie burn. (Though it wouldn't be double even if it happened, it would be your more accurate higher calorie burn plus Fitbit badly underestimated calorie burn.)
But manual replaces, not adds to, what Fitbit saw.
Steps is ONLY replaced if you log walking or running as the workout.

And don't change the activity record to circuit training, that's merely a title name given to that chunk of time, so you can review it easier.
Actually enter a new activity with same start/duration time with database entry of circuit training.
You can delete the activity record since not really useful now, it's stats were replaced by your new activity, except for steps, and how useful will steps be later for review for circuit training?