Double zone minutes frustration

[mountie506]

Anybody else find it ridiculous that you get credited for 2 zone minutes for each minute spent in vigorous or peak zones, such that you can end up with more zone minutes than actual minutes in your activity? I’ve been an endurance athlete for a long time and have never seen anyone or any device track zone minutes this way.  Seems like there’s no way to change it either. This is a Fitbit deal breaker for me. 

[JohnnyRow]

It makes perfect sense to me.  I guess you disagree with the exercise guidelines of the American Heart Association and others. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adu....

In part, "Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week."

Which implies that the higher intensity activity counts double, and also gives motivation to work harder.  I don't know how long these have been the recommendations.  Perhaps science has not always realized the added value of the more intense exercise, and the guidelines have changed.  Fitbit has not always tracked this way either before the guidelines changed.  Perhaps that is also true of some other devices.

By the way, I think you can still see the "Active Minutes" on the fitbit.com dashboard which never get doubled, and also have the old-school standards, based solely on max heart rate (220-age) ignoring resting heart rate, and counting nothing unless at least 10 consecutive minutes activity.

[DianeBeth]

I find it ridiculous as well and totally misleading. I contacted the company and they said it’s to provide motivation. Makes no sense to me. Along with counting arm movements alone as steps I do not like this device. 

[DianeBeth]

But if the fit bit doubles your time in the vigorous zone when it says 80 minutes, for instance, you have only done 40 actual minutes. 80 makes you think you reached the 75 minute recommendation. But you actual were below it because you only did 40 minutes.