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Tracking Active minutes but not exercise

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‎10-31-2016 11:08 - last edited on ‎08-20-2020 18:17 by Fitbit Moderator

‎10-31-2016 11:08 - last edited on ‎08-20-2020 18:17 by Fitbit Moderator

 

Hi there, 

 

I was hoping someone could give me a hand with a problem I had with my Alta.

 

This morning I was on the treadmill for 35minutes doing HITT. 

My Alta recognized I was actively working out since it did record my 35 active minutes.

The problem is that although it did record active minutes it didn’t track mi exercise. 

I have no exercises recorded for today!

* Why did this happen?

*How do I fix it now so it shows my active minutes + the exercise I did today

* How can I know how many calories I burnt during these 35 active minutes or during this workout that wasn’t recorded?

 

Hope someone can give me some insight since I´m a bit confused!

 

Update: My Alta is set to auto recognize exercise after 10min..

 

 

Moderator edit: Format

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46 REPLIES 46

‎10-31-2016 11:13

‎10-31-2016 11:13

Mine did the same thing this morning!  I have talked to FitBit and they said to restart it and see if it will track the next time.  Well, nope it didn't work then either.  I am getting ready to call them back!

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‎10-31-2016 11:17

In response to Mdalke

‎10-31-2016 11:17

I really don’t understand it!

I mean if it tracks active minutes then it should automatically track an exercise and vice versa right?

 

If I am having active minutes it is because I am doing some sort of exercise and if I am exercising it should lead up to active minutes!

Does it not work like this??

 

Best Answer

‎10-31-2016 11:26

In response to LaraMA

‎10-31-2016 11:26

If your settings are set to track exercise, then it should track it.  I am on hold with support now.  No answers yet.

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0 Votes

‎10-31-2016 11:33

In response to Mdalke

‎10-31-2016 11:33

Please let me know if you get an answer! 🙂

@Mdalke wrote:

If your settings are set to track exercise, then it should track it.  I am on hold with support now.  No answers yet.

 

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‎10-31-2016 11:40

In response to LaraMA

‎10-31-2016 11:40

Mine did this today for the first time as well.  It always tracks my 45 minute run, and it tracked no exercise today but did do the active minutes.  

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‎10-31-2016 11:44 - last edited on ‎11-18-2016 10:46 by Moderator Alum

In response to GraceA

‎10-31-2016 11:44 - last edited on ‎11-18-2016 10:46 by Moderator Alum

Hey..

 

I think I have solved it but I am left even more confused..

 

The time on the setting for beginning activity was showing sometime after 15.00 hours, whereas my activity was in the morning. I have reset it to 6.00 and suddenly my exercise for this morning has appeared.

 

(This is how I changed the beginning activity: click on the active minutes bit on the main tile, then on the settings thingy, then at the bottom on hourly activity goal, and you then get the page with start and end times.)

 

I thought the Hourly Activity Goal is for the 250 steps per hour tracking purposes… Not for other exercise. I am lost..

 

Again: If I am having active minutes it is because I am doing some sort of exercise and if I am exercising it should lead up to active minutes!

Does it not work like this?

 

 

Moderator edit: Format

 

 

 

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‎10-31-2016 11:46

In response to LaraMA

‎10-31-2016 11:46

The support tech said that he had to refer my issue up the chain of command and that I would be getting an e-mail from fitbit about the problem.  He said there have been other complaints and that they are having issues with a "bug" in the system.  I will post once I know something.

 

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‎10-31-2016 12:01

In response to GraceA

‎10-31-2016 12:01

Update: my app just added my exercise from this morning.  I didn't do anything except sync it, so maybe they fixed the bug.  Good luck to everyone!  

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‎10-31-2016 12:28

‎10-31-2016 12:28

Hi, i have a same problem today. I ran on the treadmill 20 minutes but my alta dont recognize this exercise.

 

 

 

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‎10-31-2016 12:31

In response to Margo2206

‎10-31-2016 12:31

I dont understand how it works, and how can I solve this problem??

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‎10-31-2016 12:38

In response to GraceA

‎10-31-2016 12:38

@LaraMA  ok I'm here. 

Let's look at active minutes first. 

They are counted when your burning 3 times the calories that your body burns while at rest. The calorie burn is based mostly on heart rate with your tracker

Let's look at the help doc about active minutes This can also be found by clicking "help" below.

 

Now when it comes to detecting exercises such as running and walking your tracker is looking at arm motions. You mention the treadmill, where you holding onto the hand rails? This could affect a normal arm movement that happens durrimg a run and could confuse the algrithym.

So basically we need to know a little more about your time on the treadmill. 

 

About getting somebodies attention notice how I typed an "@" before your name? This triggered Fitbit to send you an email saying that you where mentioned. 

When you respond with your questions I'll get an email. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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‎10-31-2016 12:44

In response to Rich_Laue

‎10-31-2016 12:44

I have the same problem.  My Alta tracked elliptical the first few times I used it.  Now it doesn't track anything.  Steps, and active exercise, but does not pick up elliptical, or walking for over 10 minutes, nothing.  I have talked via chat for technical support twice with no resolution. 

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‎10-31-2016 12:47

In response to Rich_Laue

‎10-31-2016 12:47

Hi everyone 😽

 

Empty

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‎10-31-2016 14:25

In response to debPon

‎10-31-2016 14:25

Hi, all, I think the problem is that you are thinking of active minutes and exercise credit as the same thing, but they are not.

 

You get active minutes if your Fitbit detects you engaging in moderate to vigorous activity for at least 10 minutes.  Since the Alta does not have a heart rate monitor, really the only way it can tell is if it detects steps at a fast rate -- at least fast enough for a brisk walk.  A gentle walk should not give you active minutes credit.

 

Exercise credit is given for at least 30 minutes moderate to intense exercise -- again, your Alta will need to detect fast movement.  

 

But suppose you walk briskly for 10 minutes on three occasions in the day.  You should get 30 active minutes, but you will not get any exercise credit, because that has to be a 30 minute block.

 

If you get exercise credit, then you should get 30 active minutes, but if you get 30 active minutes you won't necessarily get exercise credit!

 

Also, because your Alta doesn't have an HR monitor you may be exercising very vigorously and not get credit for active minutes or exercise...  It probably won't know if you are lifting weights or taking a spinning class.  In this case the best solution is to create a manual log of your workout.

 

I hope this makes things clearer!

Sense, Charge 5, Inspire 2; iOS and Android

Best Answer

‎10-31-2016 15:22

In response to Julia_G

‎10-31-2016 15:22

Nope, thank you for your reply, but that is not the problem. The problem is
smarttrack is not working. I am on the elliptical for 16 minutes, I have
smartrack set to recognise after being on the elliptical for 10minutes, and
it does not see this exercise as elliptical. It does time it as active
minutes, but not under smarttrack autorecognise.

--
*Debbie Pontius*
deborahpontius@gmail.com
Best Answer

‎10-31-2016 15:43

In response to debPon

‎10-31-2016 15:43

Hi, @debPon, I agree that it does not sound like this is the resolution to your issue, but I do think my explanation could help with some others' confusion about the distinction between active minutes and exercise credit.

 

SmartTrack mostly works pretty well, but as you have found, it isn't always perfect.  You might want to have a look at, or add your vote to, this feature request to add an exercise mode to the Alta for when SmartTrack doesn't exactly pick up your workout.

Sense, Charge 5, Inspire 2; iOS and Android

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‎01-09-2017 08:05

‎01-09-2017 08:05

I've had this problem with two different Altas.  The second one is worse than the first.  For $140 I expect it to work perfectly but so far I'm very unimpressed.

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‎01-09-2017 08:24

In response to SunsetRunner

‎01-09-2017 08:24

Are your exercises lasting for a long enough period to be detected?  The default is 15 minutes, which can be changed by the user.

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‎01-09-2017 09:26

In response to Rich_Laue

‎01-09-2017 09:26

I have it set to 10 minutes. My walk today was 40 minutes long.

Sent from my iPhone
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