Not getting 'steps' while shopping/pushing stroller?
stephmph16
Posts: 114 Member
Hey all -
I thought I remember reading somewhere that if you're pushing a shopping cart or stroller, fitbit may not calculate your steps correctly. I have three small children, so I basically do this all the time, and dang it, I want credit. If it's not counting my steps or whatever, should I put this on "workout"?
I have a Charge 2 if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
I thought I remember reading somewhere that if you're pushing a shopping cart or stroller, fitbit may not calculate your steps correctly. I have three small children, so I basically do this all the time, and dang it, I want credit. If it's not counting my steps or whatever, should I put this on "workout"?
I have a Charge 2 if that makes a difference.
Thanks!
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Replies
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My husband and I have Charge 2s and we occasionally (but not often) have this issue. The biggest culprit is the shopping cart at the grocery store; the strollers rarely cause problems. Sometimes, we'll push them one-handed (non FitBit arm) to make sure we get credited for the steps - but that's not really necessary.
Most of the time, when I'm pushing the stroller for a walk outside, I get credited with "outdoor cycling" instead of walking but my calorie burn is fine (which is, to me, the most important part).1 -
@SusanMFindlay thank you! Yes I care more about the calorie burn than the steps, I just want credit... shopping with 3 babies under 3 is a workout! Haha.2
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stephmph16 wrote: »@SusanMFindlay thank you! Yes I care more about the calorie burn than the steps, I just want credit... shopping with 3 babies under 3 is a workout! Haha.
Heck, yeah, it is! I only have two kids (ages 1 and 3), and that's challenging enough.
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I push a regular stroller and jogging stroller all the time and have never had this trouble. It has always been very accurate for me!
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I had this problem just this week....made my 8yr old push the cart when I noticed it
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My flex doesn't log the steps when I'm pushing the shopping cart I try doing it one handed but that doesn't work well at all.1
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Yeah, I.got in the habit of putting my fitbit in my pocket or my sock to get credit when im out shopping!2
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Yes, I noticed the lack of steps while pushing a shopping cart recently. I had upgraded to a Fitbit Charge 2, which gives a prompt when one hasn't yet reached 250 steps within an hour. So, this was a new feature for me and I was gung-ho about getting credit for all my 250-step hours. I was at Marshall's, busily shopping, when I got the alert that I needed more steps. So I continued to walk along pushing the cart. Well, when the hour turned over, I still hadn't gotten the credit I thought I deserved. Doggone it! Anyway, that's when I figured out that having both hands on the cart prevented steps from being counted reliably.1
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I have a Blaze, but have had 2 Charge HR's (buttons broke), and 2 older models years ago... ALL of the trackers work on my wrist fail to count stepd while pushing a cart of any kind (work, stores, strollers)... I try to put it in my pocket if I remember or only push the cart w the other hand if possible :-(1
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The problem is that the lack of movement for the gyroscope in the device on your wrist causes the device to not track. If you want to track, you either need to put the device in your pocket, or push with the hand that doesn't have the FitBit (but you need to make sure the hand with the FitBit is swinging as you move). Same reason why you won't get steps if you are on a bike unless you put the device on something that is moving.1
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Thanks guys! I will put it in my pocket on my heavy shopping days so I get some credit 0
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For the shopping cart, I usually will walk in front/side of the cart and pull it, so I can easily maneuver it while still having my fitbit arm free.0
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Ok I screwed up my last post, but what I do when shopping is I pull the cart with my right hand, so the cart is behind me, so my left hand can swing. That helps me shop and get steps. No kids, so no tips for a stroller, since that obviously wouldn't work to pull a stroller.0
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I know this isn't the option for everyone, but I'll go pick up my mom and bring her with me. I make her push the cart (it helps with her balance too).0
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I had the same problem with the stroller and shopping cart. I took my grandson to the zoo and walked all day. My steps were not there. I recently bought a Flex 2 for water aerobics. You can buy a pendant that holds the flex to wear around your neck. I use it to go to the store and when I have to push a stroller. You can get the pendant pretty cheap, not the fitbit brand, on Amazon. I have even gotten several comments on how pretty my necklace is. I laugh and tell people it is my fitbit and they are amazed. I wear my Blaze the rest of the time.0
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Take it off and put it in your pocket. I am usually pushing a stroller and walking a dog on long walks and doing this gives me an accurate step count. If I don't I only get about 40% of the steps I've taken because my arm isn't swinging.0
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i push with one arm... been doing it for like a year and now i'm used to it lol0
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I put my Fitbit in my jeans pocket when pushing a shopping cart.0
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Didn't know about this! Dreading all the steps I've missed out on when out shopping! (Though I guess I counteracted them with the ones I picked up when driving back from the shops before I found out about Drivebit lol)0
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You might test measure too.
Since the device is attempting to see foot impact despite the swinging arm, sometimes even pushing with 1 arm makes it miss about 1/2 the steps - seen that with folks before.
If half the steps seen, and they are lighter than reality, then way lower calorie burn than you should get credit for.
On your body usually solves that problem too.
Obviously grocery store shuffle ain't a huge calorie increase - but it's better than the sleeping BMR rate you'll get otherwise.
And kids in strollers, especially doing hills - that's really unfair to miss those - that's an increase of calories Fitbit won't even pick up on for inclines even if it does see your steps!0
