Driving - is there a better way?

redversustheblue

Hey everyone! I have a problem. I love my fitbit one, but I have a big problem with the fact that there is no driving mode option or something.

I work out in the field and we drive over very bumpy dirt roads, which can rack up thousands of steps that I didn't take. So my solution to this is to make an activity record while driving (this can be up to four different activity records just for my driving time) and then when we get back to the office, I have to input a whole brand new activity record under the driving description, which gives you zero steps appropriately.

So I make four different activity records for my driving time and then delete the false records that were recorded out in the field. I find that it does even out my step count alright, but I really feel like it majorly messes up my calories burned; it just doesn't seem to translate right over to MFP so I'm always way lost on how much I can really eat on these days. It's a HUGE PAIN.

Is there any other way to do this? I don't feel like there is...when I try to just edit my activity to driving, it doesn't change the steps or calories or anything. Am I missing something or am I really doomed to do this every time I go to the field?

I wish fitbit would put a driving button on it so it would know not to record any steps during that time. Huge bummer. Outside of this problem, I love it.

Kimsied

Are you using the Fitbit activity database entry or are you making a custom entry? If custom, you might have better success using Fitbit's entry for driving (there might even be one for tractors) and to mark it as a favorite so it will be easy to log again. The calorie burn would be based on accepted values for someone your size driving (there are a lot of occupational and non-exercise activity in the Fitbit database so it can be used to decrease calorie burn as well as increase it). MFP is only using your total fitbit calorie burn compared to what MFP expected to calculate the "Fitbit Adjustment", so I am not sure why your manual log wouldn't be applied. You aren't logging it on MFP are you? If so, I think it works better to log any non-exercise to Fitbit, MFP adds whatever is logged here on top of your allowance and you probably don't want that for general activity.

The other option is to experiment with wearing it in different placements to see if it picks up less activity (if you haven't already). If the timer you run puts it in the "sleep log" than most likely it doesn't have a significant calorie burn and even correctly logging it might increase the fitbit calorie burn estimate. I find I get fewer steps in cars when I wear the fitbit higher on the body as opposed to the hip or waistband--so maybe clipping it inside a shirt pocket or something might help. I find my fitbit often doesn't pick up much if I clip it to my bra shoulder strap (it misses my actual steps)--but that will depend on the movement in a bumpy field, I am not sure. But I don't drive a tractor. You don't need to run timer, the main reason to is if you want to see the start time and duration and whether it classes it as sleep or activity. The timer doesn't change anything, it is just for reference. Unfortunately, the activity record and a logged activity are two different, unrelated things on Fitbit and you can't convert one to another. I also wish you could!

redversustheblue

You don't need to run timer, the main reason to is if you want to see the start time and duration and whether it classes it as sleep or activity. The timer doesn't change anything, it is just for reference. Unfortunately, the activity record and a logged activity are two different, unrelated things on Fitbit and you can't convert one to another.

Yeah, I think this is what is screwing me up.

I use the fitbit database to log my driving time and I find that works okay in terms of calories. I guess I just have a hard time deleting the activity record I created in order to log my driving time, and if it doesn't work that way, it's probably messing me up. I don't log any extra exercise to MFP, only to fitbit.

I think I will try putting it in my backpack while we're driving and seeing if that keeps it from racking up thousands of steps. Then I will take it out and put it on to work.