Fitbit gave me a ton of extra steps

JeepHair77

So we were out in the jeep most of the day yesterday, enjoying the beautiful weather. We drove a LONG way to this little town with amazing BBQ and antique shopping. DH and I were both wearing our fitbits - he has a surge and I have the one.

He got about 8,000 steps. I got 24,000. Plus 150 "floors." I got bombarded yesterday with e-mails from Fitbit about all the badges I earned!

I don't suppose there's any way to go back and adjust it down? I don't WANT badges I didn't earn.

heybales

Yep - log driving time as workout activity. It'll knock your steps out for that time.

Floors is measured from air pressure, so standing on a hill with wind coming in can change that - so don't worry about it.

NancyN795

Actually, from what I can tell, floors are only counted if there are steps as well as air pressure changes, so standing still on the windy hill won't result in floors. Same effect, though - lots of flights of stairs that weren't climbed. But, since it doesn't affect calorie burn, I ignore floors and any badges awarded for floors.

Logging driving should take away the steps, but I don't think they ever take away badges that are awarded, even if it was an error that was later corrected.

mkozmik

I've logged both stairs and steps while driving. I've also logged steps folding laundry...especially when I "shake out" towels & jeans before folding.

GBO323

Technically, it's logging activity. When you are folding laundry, you are moving. When you are jamming on a guitar, you are moving. Not steps, but movement..and that movement requires energy....and movement burns energy.

NancyN795

I don't drive enough to bother with the few steps I get while in the car. However, for people who do drive a lot and rack up enough false steps while doing so to affect their stats, there is an app called DriveBit that is supposed to make logging your driving in Fitbit easier. For an occasional thing - like @JeepHair77 had happen the other day, I'd just do it manually.

Mostly, I don't worry about incidental false steps that I get from normal daily activity. I figure they're mostly cancelled out by the occasional missed step during said activity.

heybales

GBO323 wrote: »

Technically, it's logging activity. When you are folding laundry, you are moving. When you are jamming on a guitar, you are moving. Not steps, but movement..and that movement requires energy....and movement burns energy.

Except, the device only knows that steps are being done - usually very small impact steps and therefore short distance.
So the formula for calorie burn based on pace and weight will be used - and that's the right formula for step based activity.

But folding laundry and guitar isn't steps. So wrong formula to use.

Could luck out and it happens to match - but you'd never know.

But as Nancy mentions - it's a good wash out to the missed steps at other times.

mkozmik

heybales wrote: »

GBO323 wrote: »

Technically, it's logging activity. When you are folding laundry, you are moving. When you are jamming on a guitar, you are moving. Not steps, but movement..and that movement requires energy....and movement burns energy.

Except, the device only knows that steps are being done - usually very small impact steps and therefore short distance.
So the formula for calorie burn based on pace and weight will be used - and that's the right formula for step based activity.

But folding laundry and guitar isn't steps. So wrong formula to use.

Could luck out and it happens to match - but you'd never know.

But as Nancy mentions - it's a good wash out to the missed steps at other times.

I fold laundry while standing. And anyone who's folded a fitted sheet will tell you it is a HIIT workout. LOL

Christine_72

mkozmik wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

GBO323 wrote: »

Technically, it's logging activity. When you are folding laundry, you are moving. When you are jamming on a guitar, you are moving. Not steps, but movement..and that movement requires energy....and movement burns energy.

Except, the device only knows that steps are being done - usually very small impact steps and therefore short distance.
So the formula for calorie burn based on pace and weight will be used - and that's the right formula for step based activity.

But folding laundry and guitar isn't steps. So wrong formula to use.

Could luck out and it happens to match - but you'd never know.

But as Nancy mentions - it's a good wash out to the missed steps at other times.

I fold laundry while standing. And anyone who's folded a fitted sheet will tell you it is a HIIT workout. LOL

Haha I pace up and down the house when I'm folding Laundry, one pair of underwear at a time, every extra step counts

2essie

You need to log your driving as exercise in fitbit not MFP. That way your steps for the driving wont count.