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Fitbit flex - not tracking steps or active min on treadmill

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hopeinmn
hopeinmn Posts: 35 Member
in Social Groups
I have a fitbit flex and it is not counting steps or active minutes correctly on the treadmill. Does anyone else have this problem? I get credit for only about half the active minutes and a and probably 75% of step activity.

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  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    From my experience, the flex (if worn on your wrist) has a hard time measuring movement if your arm is not moving. Are you holding the rails when walking on the treadmill or hanging on to the front of the machine? if so, that may be the problem. You could put it in your pocket and see if it gives you the credits you earned. That may help figure out if its the flex or some other factor.
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I don't have that problem, although I don't hold on. Every time I think about holding on I picture Jillian Michaels on TBL screaming at her contestants to let go.
  • hopeinmn
    hopeinmn Posts: 35 Member
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    Thanks for the replies! I found that today I concentrated on keeping my hands off the rails and it did count better. Jillian Michaels screaming at me would be a good motivator.
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Thanks for the replies! I found that today I concentrated on keeping my hands off the rails and it did count better. Jillian Michaels screaming at me would be a good motivator.

    RIght!?!

    Even when I'm shopping I find if I hold the shopping cart loosely I'm okay, but if I have a death grip on the handle or if I have my wrist planted on top of the handle then my steps don't show up very well.
  • ladypembroke
    ladypembroke Posts: 14
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    I use the video trainer on the treadmill, and she is always reminding you to move your arms (keep them at a 90 degree angle! LOL), so my count has gotten much better. Drives me nuts, though, because you have to grab the rail to check your pulse, and I like to keep track of that as well. I just accept that I'm going to be short a few steps and check in on my heart rate periodically when I change incline or speed.
  • NadirToZenith
    NadirToZenith Posts: 62 Member
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    I've never had an issue but I'm careful not to hang on. And in the market I've begun pushing the cart with only one hand so as not to "lose" any steps. I fully recognize that I look stupid btw. The first step is admitting you have a problem... LOL
  • stephensaved
    stephensaved Posts: 1
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    I bought the Flex thinking it was an upgrade from my entry level little FitBit but the whole moving your arms thing is crazy and I ride a bike a lot so I get nothing from that
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    stephensaved wrote: »
    I bought the Flex thinking it was an upgrade from my entry level little FitBit but the whole moving your arms thing is crazy and I ride a bike a lot so I get nothing from that

    Bike ride would be wrong on many levels anyway.

    It'll only see 1 step.

    The "step" isn't really a walking or running step - which is required for the calorie burn formula to have chance of decent estimate.

    If you want half the "steps" just to help reach a real step goal, then put it on your ankle.

    But for better calorie burn estimate - manually log your bike. Steps will be left, calories will be replaced.

    As their site FAQ mentions - ALL non-step exercise should be logged, so swimming should be obvious, biking, rowing, lifting, elliptical, stair climbing, recumbent, ect.
  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,440 Member
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    NadirToZenith wrote: »
    I've never had an issue but I'm careful not to hang on. And in the market I've begun pushing the cart with only one hand so as not to "lose" any steps. I fully recognize that I look stupid btw. The first step is admitting you have a problem... LOL

    I do the same thing in the market.

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