Fitbit Blaze not counting steps properly

[allyse803]

My Blaze makes me feel like I do not know how to walk correctly! I was walking with a coworker at lunch and when we started, we had almost the same amount of steps. By the end of our walk, she was over 400 steps ahead of me! We have almost the same stride, so I am confused as to how we are getting such a large difference in the number of steps. Am I doing something wrong?

[SilviaFitbit]

@allyse803 A warm welcome to the Community! Please check this post made by @AndrewFitbit. Also, the steps will be a little bit different because both of you don't have the same personal settings. 

Hope this helps. 

[Rich_Laue]

Just some quick math on almost the same stride. 

Person A has a stride of 26 inches 

Person B has a stride of 27 inches 

Person F has a stride of 28 inches 

A will do 277 steps in 600 feet or 2437 steps in a mile. 

B will do 266 steps in 600 feet or 2347 steps in a mile. 

C will do 257 steps in 600 feet or 2263 steps in a mile. 

[allyse803]

I completely understand that if we are walking a great distance, our step count will be quite different. But when we are walking about a mile, I only get 1400 steps, and she has over 2000.

[bbarrera]

1400 steps over a mile? Something is clearly wrong. I'm 6' 1" and walking my fastest (longest stride) the step count is roughly 1650-1700 steps.

[allyse803]

My steps have ranged from 1421 to 1634 on my daily walk, which is a 1 mile walk. I get there will be a difference each day, as I won't walk exactly the same every day. But I feel I should be getting at least 2000 steps out of a mile walk. This is the second Blaze I have used, as my first one was even worse!!!

[bbarrera]

@allyse803 Well if you are taller than me (6' 1") and/or have very long legs and walk 5mph then 1634 steps/mile is possible!

[allyse803]

I am only 5'6 so I am not sure why they most steps I have gotten for 1 mile is only 1634. All I know is it is very frustrating!

[bbarrera]

Very frustrating! You should definitely be seeing 2000 or more steps per mile.

Three suggestions that I've seen offered on these forums:

1. Restart tracker three times, instructions here:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1186/?q=restart&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1

2. Although this is for improving heart rate accuracy, try different placement on your wrist:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1565/?l=en_US&c=Topics%3AFAQs&fs=Search&pn=1

3. If you strongly swing arms while walking, or are pushing a stroller (arms not moving), that might decrease your step count. 

[allyse803]

You are much more helpful than anyone that works for Fitbit monitoring to boards. I will try these suggestions. Thank you 🙂

[bbarrera]

Good luck!

[bbarrera]

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@bbarrera wrote:

3. If you strongly swing arms while walking, or are pushing a stroller (arms not moving), that might decrease your step count. 

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@allyse803 See this post regarding reduced step count while power walking - swinging arms 90 degress: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Blaze/Blaze-consistently-undercounts-steps-by-30-to-50/m-p/1525231/h...

my stroller / shopping cart comment was for completeness - I don't think you are pushing anything while out walking at lunch.