FitBit Questions

MysticRealm

Got a fitbit one yesterday. Wore it all day today.
It said that I climbed 66 flights of stairs today, which was FAAAR from the truth. I didn't go up or down any stairs and not many big inclines at all. Why would it think I did so many stairs?Obviously it will think I burned more calories than I did thinking I climbed 66 flights of stairs.
I wore it for riding my horse and I ended up at 10975 steps for the day, with majority of those coming from my riding. These are working rides to get my jumper competition fit and schooled so it does involve effort/muscles, and such but not sure if all those 'steps' should be counted.
I decided to try the activity tracker when I rode my horse today to see what it would say. I started the timer going when I got on, then checked my time at about 23 mins, everything seemed fine, then checked the time again at 38 mins and it was still tracking. Went to check it again 7 or 8 mins later and it was no longer tracking time. I got on my computer at home to see what it said I did during that time. It said it only timed from 6:18 pm to 6:18 pm, and that I only took 11 'steps' and went 0.2 miles of something. How come it stopped timing sometime after 38 mins, and how come on the computer it said it only tracked for a minute?

postrockandcats

Do you have a long car ride? Bumpy roads kind of skew it a little.

MysticRealm

I do about 90 mins driving total a day, but looking at the graphs, my 'steps' align right with my riding time and virtually none came from the times I was driving so I don't think that driving affected my steps. Thanks for the reply.
From the looks of the graphs it think my riding is me climbing stairs, maybe cause my fit bit is so high off the ground?? Should I try putting it on my shoe so it's closer to the ground (rather than my bra), but if I did that would it track my 'steps' while riding?

Babeskeez

I would honestly take it off during riding.

MysticRealm

You think so? But that's where a lot of my activity comes from? Other than my 30 Day Shred workouts, riding is the time I probably burn most of my calories/time period. There's no way to make it work for riding?

coop52

I'd take it off, since it's tracking the horses's steps and not your own, and just input "horseback riding" into your activities.

Lrdoflamancha

I'd take it off, since it's tracking the horses's steps and not your own, and just input "horseback riding" into your activities.

I agree... Do not use it for bike riding also, same thing happens.

meisha85

I agree. Take it off. Its tracking the horse's steps! That thing is not made for that type of activity. Its very picky

donnaleighh

Re the stairs..... fitbit 'measures stairs' by measuring changes in barometric pressure - it uses 10' of elevation as 1 floor! Which is why some people say they climb certain steps of stairs but they don't count - its because they may be less elevation than this. It also explains why going up and down a low set of steps doesn't count. Now... measuring barometrics means that the fitbit can be sensitive to some other things - for example walking a flat surface on a really windy day or during a storm. Movement is fundamental to this - for example if you sit on a cliff on a windy day it will not likely count as the fitbit is not sensing movement but if you are walking it can count these barometric changes as a floor. I fly a lot and if during take off I step with my feet it will record a few extra floors - but if I am careful to stay still it won't - so movement is the key here - I tested the same when driving up a step hill near my house.

So my guess is the reason that this is happening when you ride is that you are exposed enough and moving enough to register that change in pressure so it triggers a floor. It may be for example mounting your horse, if you are jumping him/her or simply riding through winds and uneven terrain.

The good news is that I was told that the 'floors' function really does not increase the calorie calculation - it is more of a tool to provide an extra challenge and get people moving!

Remember Fitbit is largely for calculating your walking steps etc. Any extra exercise that you do can and should be entered manually - and when you do a manual entry this will override the calculation for that time. So everything I do that is not walking I enter manually - e.g. rowing, cycling etc.

Now in terms of the second question... I don't really know the answer, you may just have knocked it off. Personally I never use the turn off and on function. I wear my fitbit 24/7 and it tracks my movement/steps ... then any additional exercise I do I enter manually. I suggest that you try that.

I'm not convinced about the argument that the fitbit is counting the horses steps as yours and so it is inaccurate, or rather I'm not convinced it will make a massive difference to your burn. Riding is good exercise and if you are trotting, jumping etc you are likely to be burning more calories than you would be simply walking that many steps. But ya, perhaps just take it off when you are riding and then add the calorie burn manually....

I love my fitbit but like everything it has its limits and it is worth getting to know them well ... it is a pedometer designed to help track your daily activity and get a good sense of your calorie burn, but it is NOT a heart rate monitor.

There is a good searchable forum on the fitbit webpage too and some good posters there who are great at helping with tweeking the fitbit to do what you need.

Good luck and I hope this helps in some way Donna

Happy for you to add me if you want another fitbitter on your team

Seksi_K

Not sure if anyone will read this as it's been awhile since the question, BUT....I have this same issue while training to show jump...I am wondering if the fitbit is sensing a 'step' everytime I post trot? It has similarities to a step even tho you are just moving up and down in the saddle. Some food for thought.

BikiniDreamer7

I got a fitbit and used it for about 3 months (following the steps and calories) and I GAINED a TON of weight. In my experience, it was great to get me to be more active, but the calories are WAYYYYYY over in my experience.

smcarrie

Actually those steps which your fitbit device is logging when you ride your horse could very well be accurate. I am another avid rider and also have my degree in Equine Sciences specializing in therapeutic riding. Therapeutic riding is a type of recreational therapy service which uses horses as a therapy tool for riders who have been diagnosed with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. As a certified instructor by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship i have been able to teach riders who are in a wheel chair to learn to use the same muscles they need to walk by riding a horse. You see, when a person walks their body moves forward and back, left and right, and in a rotational pattern. When riding a horse especially bareback, your entire body is moving in the exact same pattern because of the movement underneath the horse. This is called a 3D walk and no other animal in the world can imitate the same kind of motion for a person. This is why riders who are wheelchair bound actually can develop the skills they need in order to learn to walk. So in fact those steps the fit bit is logging could indeed be correct. For every stride your horse takes at the walk it should equivocate to about 4 to five steps for you depending on your own stride length, and your horses stride length. The only thing which may be skewed is the speed the device is registering, you may have gone that many steps but you may not have actually run a 5 min mile after 15 at the hand gallop.