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Steps or actual exercise?

Morglez
Morglez Posts: 46 Member
in Social Groups
I am going to be joining a gym this coming week. I will be starting slow at first because I am so out of shape. So, in the beginning I plan to just use the treadmill until I get used to it all then I will work up to a routine. My question is, when walking on a treadmill, do you all just let the Fitbit count the steps, or do you log it as a separate exercise? I have the Flex, if that helps. I imagine if it was an intense walk, then it should certainly be logged separately, but for someone who is a beginner like myself, I'm not sure.

Replies

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I let my fitbit count everything step based
  • NancyN795
    NancyN795 Posts: 1,134 Member
    It doesn't really matter - the calorie and step count will be the same either way if you're just using the treadmill. The reason for creating the record is that you can get a "snapshot" of your workout. Then, if you want, you can go back and review it later. Of course, non-step based exercise - weight lifting, swimming, bicycling, yoga, etc. - needs to be logged manually. (You can do that in either Fitbit or MFP, but not both. Fitbit is generally considered to have a better algorithm for estimating calories on manually logged exercise.)
  • Morglez
    Morglez Posts: 46 Member
    Ok, thanks! I knew for sure that anything else should be logged, just wasn't sure about actual walking, lol.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    walking and running, unless for long times at great incline or carrying more weight than Fitbit is aware of (backpack) - is fine doing it's estimate.

    Your best help will be improving it's ability to estimate by confirming stride length setting is correct.

    By confirming in that activity record "snapshot" the distance matches the treadmill. If you trust the treadmill is calibrated well. If the belt is worn out, squeaks, machines are in general disrepair looking sad - don't trust it.

    The FAQ in the stickies has a point on getting that stride length setting.
  • Morglez
    Morglez Posts: 46 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    walking and running, unless for long times at great incline or carrying more weight than Fitbit is aware of (backpack) - is fine doing it's estimate.

    Your best help will be improving it's ability to estimate by confirming stride length setting is correct.

    By confirming in that activity record "snapshot" the distance matches the treadmill. If you trust the treadmill is calibrated well. If the belt is worn out, squeaks, machines are in general disrepair looking sad - don't trust it.

    The FAQ in the stickies has a point on getting that stride length setting.

    Ok, I will look into that. Thanks!

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