Step Counting and Exercise

rachel780mpg
rachel780mpg Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Garmin Vivofit HR, I wear it all day and have my steps tracked and linked to MFP. There is an option for me to select that I am doing a workout activity, which I normally turn on during my walks/runs. The Garmin still counts steps during these walks/runs. This is giving me an inflated amount of calories since Garmin will send over the work out data and the steps to MPF.

Should I not turn on the workout option for a walk/run and just count the steps?
Or should I just enter the work out and unlink the steps?
Alternatively, does anyone know a setting for the Garmin to not count steps when the workout feature is selected?

I like to see the data Garmin offers during a workout, but hate seeing that I made 10000 steps when 4000 is from an exercise that is also being counted.

I have my activity level in MPF set to sedentary, which is appropriate as I work a desk job with little need to walk around.

Replies

  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Make sure negative adjustments is turned on, but I had similar trouble with a Garmin VivoSmart HR. I ended up not doing activities with it until I swapped it for a VivoActive HR and then a Fenix 3.

    Not everyone seems to have the issue though and I never got to the bottom of why mine did this and others didn't.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    I have a Garmin Vivofit HR, I wear it all day and have my steps tracked and linked to MFP. There is an option for me to select that I am doing a workout activity, which I normally turn on during my walks/runs. The Garmin still counts steps during these walks/runs. This is giving me an inflated amount of calories since Garmin will send over the work out data and the steps to MPF.

    Should I not turn on the workout option for a walk/run and just count the steps?
    Or should I just enter the work out and unlink the steps?
    Alternatively, does anyone know a setting for the Garmin to not count steps when the workout feature is selected?

    I like to see the data Garmin offers during a workout, but hate seeing that I made 10000 steps when 4000 is from an exercise that is also being counted.

    I have my activity level in MPF set to sedentary, which is appropriate as I work a desk job with little need to walk around.

    I think the key question is what your walk/ run ratio is like.

    One of the points is that workout mode assumes something more strenuous than walking. As it is HR as an indicator, it's inevitably going to overestimate. HR doesn't relate to calorie expenditure at low intensities, and the transitions from walk to run, and vice versa, generate error as well.

  • rachel780mpg
    rachel780mpg Posts: 83 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    I have a Garmin Vivofit HR, I wear it all day and have my steps tracked and linked to MFP. There is an option for me to select that I am doing a workout activity, which I normally turn on during my walks/runs. The Garmin still counts steps during these walks/runs. This is giving me an inflated amount of calories since Garmin will send over the work out data and the steps to MPF.

    Should I not turn on the workout option for a walk/run and just count the steps?
    Or should I just enter the work out and unlink the steps?
    Alternatively, does anyone know a setting for the Garmin to not count steps when the workout feature is selected?

    I like to see the data Garmin offers during a workout, but hate seeing that I made 10000 steps when 4000 is from an exercise that is also being counted.

    I have my activity level in MPF set to sedentary, which is appropriate as I work a desk job with little need to walk around.

    I think the key question is what your walk/ run ratio is like.

    One of the points is that workout mode assumes something more strenuous than walking. As it is HR as an indicator, it's inevitably going to overestimate. HR doesn't relate to calorie expenditure at low intensities, and the transitions from walk to run, and vice versa, generate error as well.

    I am currently doing a C25K program, however I generally go for 30 minutes longer than the program dictates. I choose the walk workout feature as opposed to the run option.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    rachel780mpg wrote: »
    I have a Garmin Vivofit HR, I wear it all day and have my steps tracked and linked to MFP. There is an option for me to select that I am doing a workout activity, which I normally turn on during my walks/runs. The Garmin still counts steps during these walks/runs. This is giving me an inflated amount of calories since Garmin will send over the work out data and the steps to MPF.

    Should I not turn on the workout option for a walk/run and just count the steps?
    Or should I just enter the work out and unlink the steps?
    Alternatively, does anyone know a setting for the Garmin to not count steps when the workout feature is selected?

    I like to see the data Garmin offers during a workout, but hate seeing that I made 10000 steps when 4000 is from an exercise that is also being counted.

    I have my activity level in MPF set to sedentary, which is appropriate as I work a desk job with little need to walk around.

    I think the key question is what your walk/ run ratio is like.

    One of the points is that workout mode assumes something more strenuous than walking. As it is HR as an indicator, it's inevitably going to overestimate. HR doesn't relate to calorie expenditure at low intensities, and the transitions from walk to run, and vice versa, generate error as well.

    I am currently doing a C25K program, however I generally go for 30 minutes longer than the program dictates. I choose the walk workout feature as opposed to the run option.

    Ok. Fwiw Garmin Connect reconciles the steps while Workout Mode is on. It's not double counting.

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