My new fitbit charge HR way overcounts my steps

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madlynn2
madlynn2 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I will walk across a room and it will give me 100 steps. It is not right. Does anyone else have these issues?

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  • cmsincla
    cmsincla Posts: 41 Member
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    Nope. I have mine on my non dominant hand. But I have it set on the settings as dominant. So it's not so sensitive with those little movements.
  • corrie_nina
    corrie_nina Posts: 1
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    I have mine on my non dominant with dominant settings also. This way I really have to work for my steps to count. It is very accurate!
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    Can you change your stride length in your settings? I had to figure out my stride length initially because my steps were really off on my model (Zip), but once I figured it out it has been pretty spot on.
  • madlynn2
    madlynn2 Posts: 22 Member
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    I just changed to dominant using non dominant hand. Thanks for the tip!
  • madlynn2
    madlynn2 Posts: 22 Member
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    @Lourdesong. Thanks I am new to Fitbit and didn't see anything telling me to set up my stride length. It was set to zero. Let me see if this helps. Thanks again!
  • Docpremie
    Docpremie Posts: 228 Member
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    If you go to your dashboard on your computer, then the "gear" image at the top, you can click on "settings." That is where you adjust or "customize" your stride length. I figured the dashboard would keep my adjustment when I changed from my Fitbit One to my Charge HR, but it didn't. I had to reset my stride length for the new device.

    By the way, I'm getting LESS steps on my Charge HR than my Fitbit One by 5-10% depending on my activity level. I wear my Fitbit Charge HR on my "non-dominant" wrist & have it set accordingly, but the step count is still low. I have figured out, if you don't swing your arms when walking/running that the steps aren't always counted. I've been wearing both devices for about a week.

    My calorie counts are higher on my Charge HR than for my Fitbit One, but I alway thought my Fitbit One undercounted my calorie burn. I could eat the same calories as I supposedly burned & still lose weight. I did a little research for actual scientific studies regarding tracking devices. A study published a year or so ago, showed the Fitbit device (they didn't specify which one) undercounted the AVERAGE calorie burn by as much as 28%. They were specific to say it alway UNDERCOUNTED and never over counted, which makes me feel better about the higher calorie burn on my new Fitbit Charge HR. By the way, I read the actual article not just the abstract. The same group of researchers have published a newer article, but I'm unable to gain access to the article, only the abstract. The abstract stated that the most accurate devices on the market were the Body Media Fit, the Fitbit Zip and the Fitbit One, compared to 6-8 other trackers (including several wrist worn trackers). The error for calorie burn was closer to 5-10% for the Fitbit models. They did not test any of Fitbit's wrist devices however, just other wrist devices that were currently on the market at the time of the study.
  • christianperera
    christianperera Posts: 1 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I have fixed the overcounting steps problem. Here is the process I took:

    1. Click the gear icon (top right of dashboard) to get into "Settings"
    2. Change "Non-Dominant Hand" to "Dominant Hand" (reduces sensitivity to extraneous movements)
    3. Change "Stride Length" to your actual stride length (measure it: front foot toe to rear foot heel)
    4. SAVE and exit dashboard (close browser)
    5. UPDATE by double clicking "Fitbit Connect">"Sync Now" (this updates the settings on the tracker)
    6. TEST with a short walk - count your steps and see if the Fitbit gives the same count.
    7. Fine tune "Stride Length" to get the accurate number of steps:
    • If Fitbit's number is too high → Increase "Stride Length"
    • If Fitbit's number is too low → Decrease "Stride Length"
    9. Rinse and repeat steps 3 to 7

    In all, it took me about 5 minutes to set up.. and now it's DEAD accurate.

    I'm puzzled as to why Fitbit does not detail this process in their own documentation. Weird.

    BTW, this is precisely what one would have to do to set up a cheap pedometer as well.
  • Yerakon
    Yerakon Posts: 1 Member
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    christianperera wrote: »
    I have fixed the overcounting steps problem
    (cut)
    7. Fine tune "Stride Length" to get the accurate number of steps:
    (cut)

    This helps to correct the distance traveled and not the number of steps, or I'm wrong?
    I assume that the "Stride Length" is useful for calculating the distance traveled by the number of steps we have made...
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,157 Member
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    Weird, but I find that changing from my Flex to the Charge HR gives me less steps. I should change the non-dominant hand settings though. Great tips, thanks
  • cindyangotti
    cindyangotti Posts: 294 Member
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    This is why I think I'll stick with the fitbit ONE. I never understood how accurate step counts could be on the wrist!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    cindyangotti wrote: »
    This is why I think I'll stick with the fitbit ONE. I never understood how accurate step counts could be on the wrist!

    me neither. I'm walking right now. Phone in one hand, and my other hand tucked in my pocket. I've got a zip, I'll never, ever upgrade to the HR or wrist devices..

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