Fitbit Question and Little Experiment

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I_Will_End_You
I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've had a Fitbit One for years. I always wear it on my waste band. Today when I went to walk my dog, I decided to do a little experiment. I put it on my shoe instead of my waste band. Same route, same amount of time (give or take a couple of minutes) but my calorie burn was doubled, I was given around 500 extra steps and all of the activity lines were in the green (intense) and usually they're orange (moderate). So I'm wondering...which do you think would be more accurate? Common sense tells me my putting it on my shoe or sock would give me a more accurate step count, but the difference in intensity made me want others opinions.
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Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I would have thought waist band would be more accurate, mostly because that's where it's designed to go. The different type of movement from your foot may be messing with it. Maybe try putting it on, doing a chosen number of steps, then seeing which readout is the closest.
  • catt952
    catt952 Posts: 190 Member
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    well if its designed to read movement from your waste-band then putting it on your shoe would wack it out. your waste doesn't move very far.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Your feet move more, and at a greater speed, when walking that your waist does. If the fitbit thinks your waist is moving like that when it's really your feet, it's no wonder it thinks you were exercising and moving more vigorously.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    You could do a lap somewhere and count your steps wearing your fitbit.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    Your feet move more, and at a greater speed, when walking that your waist does. If the fitbit thinks your waist is moving like that when it's really your feet, it's no wonder it thinks you were exercising and moving more vigorously.

    This exactly. Those things are calibrated for wherever you're supposed to put them. The wrist ones are calibrated for wrist movement and those other ones i think just need to be attached to your torso somehow. But definitely not to your feet.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    I believe the One is designed to be worn anywhere from hip (pants pocket) to chest (bra strap).
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    here you go http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-wear-my-One
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    So, yeah. Your feet move a crazy amount and with much more momentum than does your torso, which is where the device is designed to be worn.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    DuckReconMajor wrote: »
    here you go http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-wear-my-One

    I've seen this, it kind of read like you just wear it there so you don't lose it.

    catwils1 wrote: »
    well if its designed to read movement from your waste-band then putting it on your shoe would wack it out. your waste doesn't move very far.


    I don't know that it is designed to go specifically on the waste band, a lot of people wear them on their bra, too. I'll just stick to the waste band, but maybe count steps with it on my foot vs. wasteband to see which step count is more accurate. More to satisfy my curiosity than anything.
  • pstegman888
    pstegman888 Posts: 286 Member
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    Since your foot makes two movements for every step (first a heel strike, then a push off the ball of the foot), it makes sense that the Fitbit wouldn't give you an accurate step count compared to the single jolt your body makes during a step.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    DuckReconMajor wrote: »
    here you go http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/How-do-I-wear-my-One

    I've seen this, it kind of read like you just wear it there so you don't lose it.

    catwils1 wrote: »
    well if its designed to read movement from your waste-band then putting it on your shoe would wack it out. your waste doesn't move very far.


    I don't know that it is designed to go specifically on the waste band, a lot of people wear them on their bra, too. I'll just stick to the waste band, but maybe count steps with it on my foot vs. wasteband to see which step count is more accurate. More to satisfy my curiosity than anything.

    Your foot moves a hell of a lot more than your chest/bra. Both your bra and your waistband are going to move with your torso so they are going to give you the accurate result here.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've had a Fitbit One for years. I put it on my shoe instead of my waistband. Same route, same amount of time (give or take a couple of minutes) but my calorie burn was doubled.

    Which do you think would be more accurate?

    The only way to gauge the accuracy is to trust your Fitbit for several weeks, then reevaluate your progress. So wear your One on your shoe for a few weeks, eat back your adjustments, then see if you lose, maintain, or gain.

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've had a Fitbit One for years. I put it on my shoe instead of my waistband. Same route, same amount of time (give or take a couple of minutes) but my calorie burn was doubled.

    Which do you think would be more accurate?

    The only way to gauge the accuracy is to trust your Fitbit for several weeks, then reevaluate your progress. So wear your One on your shoe for a few weeks, eat back your adjustments, then see if you lose, maintain, or gain.

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    I've been maintaining for years, weighed myself last week for the first time in a couple of months, and lost 5lbs on accident. That's kind of why I wondered if it wasn't calculating my burns correctly. It could also be that I eat less than I think. My logging is pretty shotty.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've been maintaining for years, weighed myself last week for the first time in a couple of months, and lost 5lbs on accident. That's kind of why I wondered if it wasn't calculating my burns correctly.

    It could also be that I eat less than I think. My logging is pretty shoddy.

    If you aren't logging everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly, then you can't gauge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn. But we should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose or maintain—never the minimum.

    Have you synced your Fitbit account with Trendweight.com? It's free, and plots a moving average without the "noise" of water weight. And TW shows a maintenance range, rather than just a goal weight.

    I've maintained for more than a year thanks to Trendweight, Fitbit & MFP.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
    edited July 2015
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    I've maintained for more than a year thanks to Trendweight, Fitbit & MFP.
    Glad to hear it's working for you. I bought a Withings WiFi scale to use with Trendweight and I love it so far. I am hoping my usage of these 3 things will make maintenance easier for me too when I get there.

  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited July 2015
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've been maintaining for years, weighed myself last week for the first time in a couple of months, and lost 5lbs on accident. That's kind of why I wondered if it wasn't calculating my burns correctly.

    It could also be that I eat less than I think. My logging is pretty shoddy.

    If you aren't logging everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly, then you can't gauge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn. But we should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose or maintain—never the minimum.

    Have you synced your Fitbit account with Trendweight.com? It's free, and plots a moving average without the "noise" of water weight. And TW shows a maintenance range, rather than just a goal weight.

    I've maintained for more than a year thanks to Trendweight, Fitbit & MFP.

    No, I'm not familiar with Trendweight. I will look into it, though.

    I'm not one who logs consistently. I didn't do it much when I lost weight, and only do sporadically when maintaining. I've just always been good at estimating. I use the fitbit mostly because I find it intriguing and like to see the numbers.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Since its made to be worn on the core of your body, I'd assume waste to be more accurate than shoe. Its just not meant to be worn there so its counting extra steps. The device showing extra burn doesn't mean you've done anything extra. I could probably put mine in the dryer for an hour, make it look like I ran a 10k. But that wouldn't do my body any good.
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've had a Fitbit One for years. I always wear it on my waste band. Today when I went to walk my dog, I decided to do a little experiment. I put it on my shoe instead of my waste band. Same route, same amount of time (give or take a couple of minutes) but my calorie burn was doubled, I was given around 500 extra steps and all of the activity lines were in the green (intense) and usually they're orange (moderate). So I'm wondering...which do you think would be more accurate? Common sense tells me my putting it on my shoe or sock would give me a more accurate step count, but the difference in intensity made me want others opinions.

  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,618 Member
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    Waist. An area on your body.

    Waste. When you buy a fitbit but don't wear it.
  • KarlaH9801
    KarlaH9801 Posts: 362 Member
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    I have a fitbit flex, and since it is designed for non-dominate wrist placement, that is where I wear it. Unfortunately, it has its problems, too. If I am pushing a stroller or shopping cart, it doesn't catch all of my steps, so I put it in my pocket. Better, but still not accurate. I even attached it to my shoe once, out of curiosity, and it went way over in steps for my usual route.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited July 2015
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    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    Since its made to be worn on the core of your body, I'd assume waste to be more accurate than shoe. Its just not meant to be worn there so its counting extra steps. The device showing extra burn doesn't mean you've done anything extra. I could probably put mine in the dryer for an hour, make it look like I ran a 10k. But that wouldn't do my body any good.
    I_Will_End_You wrote: »
    I've had a Fitbit One for years. I always wear it on my waste band. Today when I went to walk my dog, I decided to do a little experiment. I put it on my shoe instead of my waste band. Same route, same amount of time (give or take a couple of minutes) but my calorie burn was doubled, I was given around 500 extra steps and all of the activity lines were in the green (intense) and usually they're orange (moderate). So I'm wondering...which do you think would be more accurate? Common sense tells me my putting it on my shoe or sock would give me a more accurate step count, but the difference in intensity made me want others opinions.

    I realize that. What I was wondering was if putting it on the part of your body that was actually doing the work was more accurate than putting it on your waist. Since it is apparently designed to go on your core, I guess not.

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