Fibit and Treadmill

rosebette

So I decided to use the treadmill today because it's going to be too hot outside to walk, and I was wearing my FitBit HR. I was on the Treadmill and hour, and it gave me only 4000 steps, while if I walk for an hour around my neighborhood (about 3+ miles), I get around 8000 steps. I also got nothing for a calorie burn, even though part of the time on the treadmill I was jogging and making sure my heartrate was over 130 bpm, which is 80% for someone my age. What gives?

Spice1973

Were you holding on part of the time maybe? If not, I don't know. What speed were you averaging?

soldiergrl_101

My fitbit tends to miscount steps and calories if i hold on to the bar so I am cautious of that

ScubaSteve1962

If you hold the handles to get your heart rate, most activity monitors on your arm will not register steps, most of the time if your not swinging your arms they will miss steps. I have a Polar and a pedometer, today for the Precor EFX elliptical, the polar only had 7900 steps while the elliptical and my pedometer had over 11000 steps for the session, and I don't hold on to the bars

rosebette

I do hold the bar sometimes because I have lousy balance, and I was holding the sensors occasionally for heart rate. However, I've taken walks when it's cool out and have had my hands in my pockets the whole time, and it still registers steps accurately. Also, I use a ton of steps when I'm in the supermarket pushing the grocery cart! I'm one of those people who always forgets something and has to go back down the aisles.

editorgrrl

The only way to gauge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn is to trust it for several weeks, then reevaluate your progress. I lost the weight & have maintained for a year thanks to MFP + Fitbit. But I don't use a treadmill.

You should ask this question in the Fitbit Users group. FYI, you won't receive any notification of replies: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

rosebette

I've had the Fitbit since May, but this is the first time I've used it with a treadmill. For my walks, it's been pretty accurate measuring both steps and miles.

Katiebear_81

Could be that your gait changes on the treadmill.

rosebette

Katiebear_81 wrote: »

Could be that your gait changes on the treadmill.

Gait change shouldn't make a difference, since the FitBit measures steps, not gait. For instance, I could see how mileage might change if my gait changed. For instance, when I was in Scotland on vacation and hiking, it actually took more steps to cover a mile because of hills and such -- it didn't make me put in fewer steps.

missieuk

Put the fitbit in ur pocket when on the treadmill, I walk at a lvl 3 to 4 and it's around 1k for 8 to 9 mins, with an hour walk I can get 7k in steos. I never put the left hand in the bar when walking for fear of missing counting my steps, so I just hang on with my right hand.
I also have counted my steps and watched my phone count it up and find its very close.
Best of luck!

rosebette

missieuk wrote: »

Put the fitbit in ur pocket when on the treadmill, I walk at a lvl 3 to 4 and it's around 1k for 8 to 9 mins, with an hour walk I can get 7k in steos. I never put the left hand in the bar when walking for fear of missing counting my steps, so I just hang on with my right hand.
I also have counted my steps and watched my phone count it up and find its very close.
Best of luck!

Except my workout pants don't have pockets....

Maybe if I put the fitbit on my right wrist? Have people had different experiences putting it on a different hand?

MeanderingMammal

rosebette wrote: »

...since the FitBit measures steps, not gait.

Changes in gait could influence how the sensor moves around. The accelerometers do have thresholds to avoid false positives, and that can affect whether they'll measure a step or not. It's not just movement, but how the device has moved and at what pace and direction it has done so.

In any case, to answer the original question, your device just hasn't measured all the steps you've taken. It's difficult to know why not.

Personally, if I was reduced to using a dreadmill, I'd use a footpod to provide step information.

rosebette

I prefer to walk outdoors, but in very hot weather or if it's raining or snowing, I need to use the treadmill. I find them very boring, actually, so they're the last resort.

CSARdiver

rosebette wrote: »

I do hold the bar sometimes because I have lousy balance, and I was holding the sensors occasionally for heart rate. However, I've taken walks when it's cool out and have had my hands in my pockets the whole time, and it still registers steps accurately. Also, I use a ton of steps when I'm in the supermarket pushing the grocery cart! I'm one of those people who always forgets something and has to go back down the aisles.

The Fitbit is an advanced pedometer, so if it does not detect motion, it doesn't register steps. If you're holding onto a fixed object it will not register your steps. I find it interesting that your body generates enough motion when holding on to a stroller, grocery cart, etc. and still registers steps though - I find the same results.

ScubaSteve1962

This morning I switched my activity monitor from my left to my right hand, and was more accurate, only 100 steps behind my pedometer now.

demoiselle2014

Katiebear_81 wrote: »

Could be that your gait changes on the treadmill.

This is possible. My husband and I were very amused to discover that our fitbits register three hours of continuous tango as 50 to 100 steps.