Phone not counting all steps while on elliptical

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Sooooo past few weeks I've only been walking. Decided to get back into the gym today. Did 30 min, 1.75 miles on the elliptical. Amazeballs for first day back...right? I then find out my iPhone, which I had in my bra like I always do during walks, didn't calculate all my steps!!! I've avoided getting a Fitbit because I don't always move my arms. Has anyone ever used a Fitbit around their ankle?

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  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    I've heard of people wearing them around their ankles on a bike.

    An elliptical is a low impact workout, and it's the impact reverberating through your body that a phone or activity tracker can pick up - your foot hitting the ground. I have a fancy Garmin watch, it doesn't get steps on the elliptical either, just the nature of the beast.

    But kick *kitten* for doing a half hour your first time back. :smile:
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
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    What matters is that your body registered the activity, whether or not your phone did. I've been having similar issues with my phone (it says I took 157 steps today; I average about 8,000 - 10,000 plus I mowed the yard this morning). The first few days were tough on me mentally, but after several days in a row of this, I just said screw it, my body burned the calories either way...
  • ElleMcQueen
    ElleMcQueen Posts: 30 Member
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    Thanks! I guess I just like seeing "12000 steps" lol
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    FB doesn't count elliptical steps because you don't have the forward movement that you do in real walking. It's frustrating. If your elliptical shows you the strides, you can add these as steps manually on your fit bit web app.