Blaze sensitivity (counting arm movements as steps)

[SunsetRunner]

Hi all,
anyone know of a work around for the problem below?
Whilst my job is quite sedentary, (I sit at a workstation rather than an office desk), I do have to move my hands and arms quite a lot during my work ( I am a glass engraver).
The problem is, my blaze is counting my arm movements as steps.
You may not think this would make much difference, however it's counting around 12 steps (pretty accurate against the arm movements I'm making) for every piece of glass I start to work on, considering I usually get through 300-350 items a day, potentially a mis count of over 4000 steps.
I know I could take it off while I was working, but 1 it's new, 2 I need to keep an eye on heart rate, and 3 I would be loosing out or 8 or 9 hours of activity per day.
Can anyone suggest how I can correct or at least reduce this massive over count please?

[Rich_Laue]

Other than taking it off or logging the time as driving, I'm unaware of what else could be done.. You have noticed the main problem of counting steps by monitoring arm movements instead of body core movements as the fitbit One and Zip do.. So why are arm mounted step counters so popular? Convenience

I've done tests between arm units and the Fitbit One, while they where not spot on i found that they where close on the 7 day leaderboard sometimes switching possitions with every successive sync. 

[SunsetRunner]

Logging as driving would be a good idea if the calorie count is similar, I would be willing to do this as an alternative.
Would anyone know the algorithm or the comparison in numbers between walking/steps and activity logged as driving. If they are comparable, that's my problem solved.

Regards
Andy


Sent from my iPad

[bbarrera]

It's a bit ironic that the older, less expensive trackers like One and Flex had excellent (One) or good (Flex) step count accuracy and calorie estimates. For all the talk of better calorie estimates with HRM it's not something I've seen. In fact I get better calorie estimes during bike rides from letting Fitbit estimate as if it was a walk, than I do from using bike mode on Surge or Blaze.

[Jrdubyakc]

@SunsetRunner Do you have your wrist setting set for "dominant"? Might not solve the problem, but Dominant makes it less sensitive to small movements which could help a bit.

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks for the tips folks.
I have the wrist setting on non dominant and wear it on the left (correct for me)
Would it be better to choose the dominant setting and still wear on the left, or just simply swap hands?
I'm not too worried if it's a bit out here and there, but 4000 steps a day would be a really false figure to work with when I'm trying to work out my best plan to loose weight.

[bbarrera]

Experiment! Only 4 possibilities, two on left and two on right.

[Jrdubyakc]

@SunsetRunner I would keep it on your left (non-dominant) wrist, but switch the setting to Dominant. Let us know if that helps at all.

[SunsetRunner]

Ok Just finished a shift with Blaze set to dominant but wearing on non
dominant.

Over the entire shift there is an improvement, however one part of the
process saw an increase in the over-counting by at least 10% (GO FIGURE??).

At the end of the day I suppose I know the error is there, roughly how large
the over-count will be per day, and the fact there is not a lot I can do
about it (both arms kind of do an equal amount of moving in the job I do),
so on a whole If I deduct say 20 calories for each 100 over-counted step I
will just have to put up with problem for now.

Any suggestions as to, if 20 calories per 100 steps is enough or too much of
a deduction would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for all your help and
advice so far!!

[AndrewFitbit]

@SunsetRunner Well for the situation you have, I would suggest maybe monitoring what your usual calorie burn is for that time period and then enter your own calorie burn estimate when you go to log a driving activity. Hopefully that works for you.

[Heljo.Dedor]

I happen to have the same behavior on my Blaze. This is a flaw in the design. It happens even when sleeping and move the arm. This should be corrected by FitBit due to the bad reputation will it brings to the product.
It seems to me that nobody form FitBit has answered back this topic offering a real solution (as working in the firmware to avoid the misreading or an other creative and required solution).

[sadbyblaze]

ITS SERIOUSLY ridiculous that it counts HAND movements as steps and WE have to f*** around with a HUNDRED options instead of a device doing what its supposed to do - COUNT STEPS!

[kellykat]

I'm wondering if the OP ever found a solution. I have the same problem, but I can't log my time as driving because I stand up and walk around to other departments a few times an hour so there are real steps mixed in. But I move my arms a lot at my desk. I noticed this was happening because I get the alert that I have to do x-number of steps that hour, and then before I get a chance to stand up and walk it's congratulating me on getting 250 steps.

[SunsetRunner]

Never did find a full time solution no, sorry.
I have come to the conclusion that ....it is what it is, over time it kind of evens out. At the end of the day, the motivation given by wearing it has become enough for me to overlook the discrepancy, whilst i would love it to be completely accurate, its never going to be so, jog on!!!
Steps counted when actually stepping is very near spot on, so I am happy with that, and if just working on a phycological level, means a 42lb loss, then it was worth every penny.
If a solution is ever found, i will be monitoring this thread just in case.


Regards
Andy


Sent from my iPad

[CJMinier]

Hi Andy, I have the same problem with my Blaze, mostly if I pet/pat my dog. The other problem I have is when I go shopping. If I am pushing a cart around the store it doesn't count my steps because my hands are gripping the cart.

The only solution I have found is to put my FitBit on my right leg, around my ankle. I have to use a couple medium safety pins, but it works great!

If you do this while working it will stop counting your hand movements as steps but still count your actual steps when you get up and walk.

Hope this helps.

[Tucotoca]

I have found that even though it may not be actual ‘steps’ it is still kinetic energy expenditure and contributes to your overall activity level and calorie burn. If you take the info more as a whole and allow for more data to gradually collate, your end result will be more indicative of your expended efforts. It is supremely accurate whenever I make a dedicated run/walk. 

[xyx]

I agree...I'm new to Fitbit.bought the Blaze two weeks ago and feeling my way with it....but my step count this morning is 3172 ..and I have only walked a short distance to the barn to feed the horses and clean the stalls.  So my Fitbit seems to think that each scoop of poop is a step!!!!!...going to return it!!!