Spent three hours at the mall, Fitbit issue?

MarKayDee
MarKayDee Posts: 196
in Health and Weight Loss
My husband and I took our son to the mall today, we spent three hours (minus lunch time, so maybe two and a half) walking around, my Fitbit only registered something like 1500 steps for the day which I normally break past by noon. My question is, do you think it is possible that the fact I was pushing a stroller instead of just plain walking could have effected the readings? Or could the fact it's a bit looser on my wrist than most days be messing things up? I know I was less active than most days today, but 10,000 steps less seems crazy to me.

Replies

  • yungohara
    yungohara Posts: 9 Member
    I would try the Help forums on Fitbit.com, but my first guess would be that pushing the stroller kept your hand more stable than normally swinging it so it couldn't accurately log the step count. Just speculating though!
  • ghostfingers
    ghostfingers Posts: 24
    I've googled this before, and found this

    http://www.jamierubin.net/2013/05/28/does-pushing-a-stroller-affect-fitbit-flex-data-capture/

    So yeah, it does appear to be an issue that Fitbit has.
  • Mr_Mer
    Mr_Mer Posts: 8 Member
    You could always add an activity to your log for that day and account for the steps.
  • Losingthedamnweight
    Losingthedamnweight Posts: 536 Member
    This is the main reason I never got a wristband based fitness tracker. It's totally dependent on swinging your arms, so if you're resting your arms on a stroller or a shopping cart, it ceases to count steps. May as well take it off and leave it in the car. The clip on ones like the one I have are far more accurate. You clip it to your center mass (shirt, bra, pants pocket) and it counts every single step cause as long as your center mass is moving, it knows you're taking steps.

    Buuuuut since you already have one, I'd suggest taking your hands off the cart or stroller or logging your walking separately. Or just not counting that time at all and consider it bonus exercise. Or hey, you can always sell it and get a fitbit one!
  • ghostfingers
    ghostfingers Posts: 24
    Oh, and this is completely derpy and I should have mentioned it earlier- I've found that if I'm having issues with things like that, you can just put it through a belt loop while you know you'll be pushing a stroller. It records steps really accurately on my hip.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    Thanks everyone, yesterday was my first day off with the the Fitbit which meant less walking than normal (pretty walking heavy job) but that seemed really low to me. Normally when I push the stroller I do it one handed but the mall was too crowded to allow for any drifting (it's one of those three wheeled jogging strollers which is great for jogging in a straight line and terrible for most else).
    I did a bit of extra workout last night to make up for how ever many steps taken/calories burned I missed and I'll know for cuter reference.
  • fitfoutch
    fitfoutch Posts: 25 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    Obviously not, but walking is walking, no need to be a ****.
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    Tell that to the mall walkers I occasionally bump into. Some of those broads really move. You gotta look out for the elbows or you'll lose an eye.
  • chase128
    chase128 Posts: 8 Member
    I have a Fitbit Force and it does the same thing when pushing shopping carts. To fix this I put the setting on "Non-dominant hand" and put it in my pocket. I tested this against my old Fitbit Zip and over the course of 90 min it was less than 1% off.
  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    Any movement is exercise :grumble:
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    Walking in the mall is the same as walking leisurely at the park. It's exercise, sorry buddy.
  • doubleclick_darling
    doubleclick_darling Posts: 100 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    Tell that to the mall walkers I occasionally bump into. Some of those broads really move. You gotta look out for the elbows or you'll lose an eye.

    Many of the malls I've been to have walkers clubs (they have certain times where the mall is to themselves, usually an hour before opening or soon after closing for an hour where they can walk up and down the length of the mall (even up and down the escalators, which are turned off at that time) so they're not disturbing regular mall traffic. Some even provide promotions (discounts at stores, sponsorship with medical centers, etc.).

    And just wandering around the mall all day definitely gets me more steps than I would get just lounging about, which was what the original question was about.
  • jmadison20
    jmadison20 Posts: 1 Member
    I have a fitbit force and I walk the stroller to and from my daughter's daycare and it was counting steps. I have it set on non-dominant hand so it is a little more sensitive. :smile:
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
    My question is, do you think it is possible that the fact I was pushing a stroller instead of just plain walking could have effected the readings?

    That would be my best guess. I love my fitbit force, but that is the one thing I don't like about it is that it won't count accurately when pushing something. I have become very adept and pushing carts one handed through the grocery store etc.
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    It might not be "exercise" but it contributes to your TDEE. Someone who walks 15,000 steps a day uses more energy than someone who works 5,000. Bottom line.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    I have a Fitbit Force and it does the same thing when pushing shopping carts. To fix this I put the setting on "Non-dominant hand" and put it in my pocket. I tested this against my old Fitbit Zip and over the course of 90 min it was less than 1% off.
    Thanks, I already wear my flex on my non dominant hand so I don't know if that would work still? I didn't notice it missing steps when I walk/jog to the store from my apartment but it must help that the sidewalks in my neck of the woods could use some leveling.
  • kdsp2911
    kdsp2911 Posts: 170 Member
    Look at that as a blessing. Milling about the mall is not exercise.

    Sorry, but that couldn't be more incorrect. There are people that are just starting out (and even some that have lost major weight) that ONLY walk for exercise.
  • joecaiola
    joecaiola Posts: 1
    Definitely, the stroller. Same happens on a bicycle. Think dropping it in your pocket is the right trick for this.
  • fitfoutch
    fitfoutch Posts: 25 Member
    Notice I said MILLING about the mall. Mall walkers, and true walking is exercise. But milling about, stopping and looking, shopping ect. is just not something I consider exercise. All movement is good, certainly. Do you also consider grocery shopping exercise?
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    You say it is on your non dominant hand but make sure you have the settings changed to activate the extra sensitivity.
  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
    Notice I said MILLING about the mall. Mall walkers, and true walking is exercise. But milling about, stopping and looking, shopping ect. is just not something I consider exercise. All movement is good, certainly. Do you also consider grocery shopping exercise?

    I let me fitbit calculate it all so yes, it would of course count grocery shopping steps. Would I intentionally enter it in the tracker, of course not, but what counts is my daily step count..I don't subract for "Milling"
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Notice I said MILLING about the mall. Mall walkers, and true walking is exercise. But milling about, stopping and looking, shopping ect. is just not something I consider exercise. All movement is good, certainly. Do you also consider grocery shopping exercise?

    I let me fitbit calculate it all so yes, it would of course count grocery shopping steps. Would I intentionally enter it in the tracker, of course not, but what counts is my daily step count..I don't subract for "Milling"

    Indeed. I'm not sure the other individual understands how a Fitbit works or what the purpose is. The Fitbit is partially about tracking "exercise," yes, but it's even more about getting a more accurate TDEE based on your true activity level than the somewhat arbitrary ranges the online calculators give you. In this case, you absolutely DO want credit for every one of those steps.
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
    Notice I said MILLING about the mall. Mall walkers, and true walking is exercise. But milling about, stopping and looking, shopping ect. is just not something I consider exercise. All movement is good, certainly. Do you also consider grocery shopping exercise?

    It might not be "vigorous" exercise but it is still exercise in the sense that the person is moving and is active....so yes, I consider grocery shopping exercise. It may not meet your definition but that is ok.

    Do I log it as exercise? No, but in the context of this topic, active walking with a fitbit, it is exercise.

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