dancing

rockstar53

Should I log dancing or is it considered a step based activity and it's not required? I have a zip, so no hrm, but I am definitely working harder dancing for 30min than just walking for 30 min.

editorgrrl

It'll take trial & error to find which you prefer:
• don't log it,
• log it in Fitbit, or
• log it in MFP.

heybales

A real easy test if you have access to a treadmill, and would be interesting to compare.

After a dance session where you noted the start time and duration and try to pay attention to your breathing and HR besides where your feet are, go into your Fitbit web account and create an activity record for that time/duration.

There's the steps, distance, and calories Fitbit gave you for that time. Figure out what that mph pace would be for duration and distance.

Next time you have access to treadmill, set it to that pace, and see if it feels as intense as the dancing was.

Keeping in mind there are probably ups and down in intensity to the dancing, so you would have to imagine what the average might feel like.

If that pace feels just right - there you go - no need to manually log.

If that pace on the treadmill doesn't feel right for breathing and HR and intensity, then increase or decrease speed until it seems to match.
Note that speed.

Now you know equivalent walking intensity to match the dancing if it didn't happen to match up really well.

Now you manually log Dancing as walking at that pace you found, and calorie burn and distance will be based on that comparison. Sadly steps will too, as walking and running get steps replaced if manually entered.

You might even create a personal workout called Dance, and when you enter in distance click don't know, and enter in pace instead - let it estimate calories of course.

As you get more fit - you'll have to test that again after probably 3 months. You'll be lighter, dancing will be easier, you'll walk faster likely, ect.

Liftin4food

I let Fitbit track my dancing and that works for me.

But I guess it depends on the type of dance you do. I could imagine that making a difference.

Christine_72

I wore my zip when I did a zumba class. The whole thing is pretty much step based. I'd rather my fitbit underestimate than overestimate.

NancyN795

When my exercise was mainly Zumba, and I had a One, my Fitbit seemed to do a fine job of estimating calories. I occasionally checked it against a chest strap HRM and it was usually reasonably close, so I generally just went with the Fitbit.

Christine_72

Obviously I wouldn't trust my zip for rowing or swimming etc duh! But step based activities such as dancing, I would just let it do it's thing, and not overthink too much.

retirehappy

I do Zumba classes and just let Fitbit log the steps. Works for me.

rockstar53

Thanks everyone! I was pretty sure to just let it calculate on its own, but thought I'd check anyway.

Morgaath

A big thing is "how do you dance". I know from my bits at Ren Faires where I spend most of the day standing in front of our shop dancing/swaying back and forth, I don't lift my feet so I wouldn't get credit for steps.
At the time I was using a Bodymedia which used other ways to figure out energy burned, so I have days with 4k steps, and 3500cals burned, because I'd pretty much never stop moving...it just wasn't steps.

Got a ChargeHR now, so I am kind of curious to see what it says next time. Actually, spending the month of July wearing both the Fitbit & Bodymedia so I can do a comparison of the 2...plus 3 different phone apps...cause I am odd like that.

supersocks117

Morgaath wrote: »

A big thing is "how do you dance". I know from my bits at Ren Faires where I spend most of the day standing in front of our shop dancing/swaying back and forth, I don't lift my feet so I wouldn't get credit for steps.
At the time I was using a Bodymedia which used other ways to figure out energy burned, so I have days with 4k steps, and 3500cals burned, because I'd pretty much never stop moving...it just wasn't steps.

Got a ChargeHR now, so I am kind of curious to see what it says next time. Actually, spending the month of July wearing both the Fitbit & Bodymedia so I can do a comparison of the 2...plus 3 different phone apps...cause I am odd like that.

I'd like to hear your results, I had a bodybugg (that got packed when I moved and is now lost ) so I replaced it with a Charge HR. Curious to know a side by side comparison because I found the bodybugg/bodymedia to be extraordinarily accurate for me when I tried to lose weight a few years ago.