fed up with garmin

jerber160
jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
I'm thinking it's stupid and giving me a false sense that I'm doing better than I actually am. The doctor said log 4-5 miles per day. Yesterday the garmin gave me 1.18 miles for cutting the grass for an hour... both hands on the lawn mower. Today it gave me .0some miles for sitting in the car swinging my arm and banging my leg

Replies

  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
    ??? So you're mad that it was at least reasonable in giving you miles when you were actually walking (or was it a riding mower), but not when you're sitting in a car and not walking? Confused. The ability to differentiate between (assuming) walking with a mower and just swinging your arm would suggest that it is more accurate in reflecting your actual activity. My vivofit seems reasonable (as far as days I know I'm doing more walking it is reflected) although it's a little off on distance, but I never calibrated to my steps so not faulting there.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited June 2015
    My Garmin Vivofit 2 has been spot on so far after I corrected my height and calibrated the settings. When I had the Fitbit it used to give me almost 500 and more steps when I was driving to work. I was never able to correct that. The Vivofit does that too, only it will give me 5 steps at most which is ok. None of these tracker devices are going to be perfect. I use mine as a fun tool to keep me challenged since the Vivofit 2 automatically increases my step goal everyday.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    My vivofit2 tracks use on a stroller or cart no problems. It 5racks more if I am swinging arms as I walk but over pretty accurate bc when I am at home if I don't go for my walk my mileage is not high.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
    brisingr86 wrote: »
    ??? So you're mad that it was at least reasonable in giving you miles when you were actually walking (or was it a riding mower), but not when you're sitting in a car and not walking? Confused. The ability to differentiate between (assuming) walking with a mower and just swinging your arm would suggest that it is more accurate in reflecting your actual activity. My vivofit seems reasonable (as far as days I know I'm doing more walking it is reflected) although it's a little off on distance, but I never calibrated to my steps so not faulting there.
    I'm frustrated that it doesn't give me enough steps/miles when I'm actually walking ( I would be half way to Cleveland if I was going in a straight line) and that it gives me ANY when I'm just sitting. I think I'm the kind of person to do better actually logging stuff above and beyond just living, so I think I'm gonna go back to the polar FT4...with heart rate monitor for when I'm actually exercising.
  • NowIsForMe
    NowIsForMe Posts: 12 Member
    edited June 2015
    I think ppl think the Vivofit should show steps when you are moving in other ways. It is for walking, jogging, biking, etc. It gives you an activity manually way to add other activities and that is how you can do other things. Use the whole ability to of your Vivofit. The only problems to remember are that while walking with a shopping cart or stroller your Vivofit will NOT keep up your steps (Garmin stated this in Notifications) and I have also found that thick soles of my shoes (some of my tennis shoes) don't keep the steps correct (less steps than say a running shoe).
  • insipid42
    insipid42 Posts: 9 Member
    I don't really care if it's 100% accurate so long as it it wrong in a consistent way. I figure it averages out.
  • JennieMaeK
    JennieMaeK Posts: 470 Member
    I find my Vivofit averages out. I've kept it on my left wrist, so I don't track movement that might be interpreted as walking, but is really not. There maybe a few inconsistencies, but I found it fairly accurate.
  • ScubaSteve1962
    ScubaSteve1962 Posts: 612 Member
    If you want something to give you accurate steps, a pedometer that goes on your hip is the best choice. If you're looking for something for calories, I use the Polar V800 with H7 sensor. it separates my workout, activity (walking) and bmr calories. MFP only gives me credit for my work out calories and deducts if my activity and BMR calories don't may with theirs. The A300 (water proof to 30M will read heart rate with H7 sensor.) M400 (gps, and waterproof, but doesn't read HR in water)