Inaccurate calories when swimming

[Drakermom]

Have just added the Flex2 to my collection of Fitbits. Was so excited finally to have a tracker for my swim workouts. I find the time and distance swum to be 99.9% accurate. But calories burned is a farce. It estimates 1 cal per minute. I.e. 40 calories for a 40 minute swim. I'm 67, 140 lbs, 5'6" and very active. So what's going on? (I also own an Alta, charge HR and Charge 2). 

Moderator edit: subject updated for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Hey there @Drakermom! Wow, you have several Fitbits, good to know. 

How are you tracking your swimming activity? It should calculate your calories correctly and not just 1 per each minute. Let's make sure we Swim SmartTrack Feature ON:

1. From the Fitbit app dashboard, tap or click the Account icon.
2. Under Goals, tap or click Exercise.
3. Tap Swimming and then tap or click Auto-recognize.
4. If you want to change the minimum duration that's automatically recorded, tap or click Swim Longer Than and choose your time

Once you have checked that, It's nice to know that Flex 2 automatically tracks the duration of your swim and the number of pool lengths you complete. So, for it to track your pace and distance, enter the pool length in meters or yards into the Fitbit app before starting your swim. Keep in mind the pool length you enter will remain the default length until you change it.

1. From the Fitbit app dashboard, tap or click the Account icon
2. Scroll down to Settings and tap or click Advanced Settings.
3. Tap or click Swimming Settings
4. Enter the pool length and unit of measurement (meters or yards).

While you don’t earn steps for swimming, the exercise will count toward your active minutes and calories burned goals.

After making sure of this, test your tracker again to see how it goes this time. In case you keep getting just 1 calorie per minute, try restarting your Flex 2 at least 3 times in a row and test it once again. 

PS: If by any chance, you're manually logging this activity even when wearing your tracker, let me know. 

I'll be around! 

[Drakermom · Accepted solution]

I have all the settings just as you describe. I track (or try) to track automatically. At the end of the swim I get time and distance, but the stupid calorie count. Also, even though my dashboard shows time swum, these minutes do not count towards my active minutes. So I end up noting the swim stats, and then delete the entry and re-enter everything manually. I then get a more accurate calorie count, as well as the active minutes. Bit of a waste having the tracker, as I could count laps as I've always done and could enter the swim manually. I've been using my other trackers to automatically recognise runs and most gym activity, so I know how it should work. But the flex 2 does not live up to expectations. I owned a Fkex - long gone- and currently use a Charge HR, an Alta,a Charge2 as well as the Aria scale. So I think I know what I'm doing! But the Flex 2 just doesn't work.

[Drakermom]

Calories burned!

0 active minutes following 39 minute swim

[Drakermom]

I have just restarted the tracker three times in a row, and will see what happens on Monday when I lap swim again. 

[stinaldi]

Did this solve your problem?  I just got a flex2 and am disappointed in this feature as well.

[Drakermom]

Resetting three times in a row did seem to help. But I still get some inaccuracies. One time it only recorded half my swim. I am more particular about switching between my Fitbits. At least twice a week I workout with my charge 2 immediately before swimming and although I make sure to sync everything before switching to my flex 2 for swimming, it seems that sometimes it takes time to recognize that I have switched devices. So I make a point of walking around deliberately and tapping the Flex just to make sure it realizes I'm there. Sounds dumb I know. But on the day I go to the gym only to swim, I just wear the Flex from the start and it seems to work ok. When I get an odd reading the 3x reset seems to work. I have found it records laps/distance pretty accurately. I still count laps! I think battery life is pitiful. Never five days as advertised. I wish they would come out with a waterproof version of the Charge. I like the tracking in the multi sport mode and the heart rate monitor. Good luck. 

[MrTaylor]

Return the Flex 2 for a refund, we have gone through 3 of them since Christmas with replacements, returns and refunds. The swim tracker and step counter do not work as it tracks every movement of you arms and counts them as steps. As for swimming Fitbit told us to remove the tracker before going swimming and only put it on when entering the water, ridiculous. I have also found the only way to track steps is to take it off and put it in your pocket before you set off..Fitbit themselves refunded the last one even though we bought from Amazon, think they are glad to get rid of us. Resetting does nothing as we have tried all that. The alarm is good though.

[stinaldi]

Thanks for your response. I am certain it is innacurate..but I'm 61 and not
really into tracking my training, just curious. I totally agree..the
battery only lasts 3 days. And the heart rate info missing is a missed
opportunity.

[hopskipjump]

I have just bought the flex 2 and am similarly disappointed. Today I walked my dog, lazily.  I even lay down and looked at the sky for a while and just waited for my dog to wear herself out!  The fitbit registered my walk as having burned 435 calories.  Later today I swam hard for over an hour, often gasping for breath.I know my heart rate was far more elevated, and my heart rate was far more elevated afterward. Since I'm new to this system, I also flipped a bead across the abacus I keep at the edge of the pool after every lap, and came up with 40 laps (2000 yards).

Fitbit recorded that I swam 2450 yards (I acknowledge that I sometimes fail to move a bead but that would mean I had missed 9 laps--not likely) and that I burned only 360 calories.  Oh, come on! That can't be right.  Using the free online swim calculator I found at http://www.swimmingcalculator.com/swim_calories_calculator.php, and entering the conservative 2000 yard estimate, I come up with 490 cals.  If Fitbit is correct that I swam 2450 instead, that's 600 calories.  I am sure you can get this thing, Fitbit! Please try. We swimmers want credit for our workouts.

[paulozac]

With all due respect, manually logging calories can't be called a solution at all.

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@Drakermom wrote:
I have all the settings just as you describe. I track (or try) to track automatically. At the end of the swim I get time and distance, but the stupid calorie count. Also, even though my dashboard shows time swum, these minutes do not count towards my active minutes. So I end up noting the swim stats, and then delete the entry and re-enter everything manually. I then get a more accurate calorie count, as well as the active minutes. Bit of a waste having the tracker, as I could count laps as I've always done and could enter the swim manually. I've been using my other trackers to automatically recognise runs and most gym activity, so I know how it should work. But the flex 2 does not live up to expectations. I owned a Fkex - long gone- and currently use a Charge HR, an Alta,a Charge2 as well as the Aria scale. So I think I know what I'm doing! But the Flex 2 just doesn't work.

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@Drakermom wrote:
I have all the settings just as you describe. I track (or try) to track automatically. At the end of the swim I get time and distance, but the stupid calorie count. Also, even though my dashboard shows time swum, these minutes do not count towards my active minutes. So I end up noting the swim stats, and then delete the entry and re-enter everything manually. I then get a more accurate calorie count, as well as the active minutes. Bit of a waste having the tracker, as I could count laps as I've always done and could enter the swim manually. I've been using my other trackers to automatically recognise runs and most gym activity, so I know how it should work. But the flex 2 does not live up to expectations. I owned a Fkex - long gone- and currently use a Charge HR, an Alta,a Charge2 as well as the Aria scale. So I think I know what I'm doing! But the Flex 2 just doesn't work.

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[HelenEdw]

Just got a fitbit flex 2 because of the swimming... really disappointed to find just what is described here.  40 minutes... 40 calories!  Crazy. 

I can't see how this particular answer is a solution. 

Is the only solution simply to send it back?  I only got it today.

[Drakermom]

Helen. I kept mine because I find that it does count laps accurately, and logs the correct time. Saves me having to count in my head or use a clicker. But that's about it. Occasionally it will record what looks like accurate calories. Invariably it shows I have swum 40 or 50 minutes but does not give credit for the swim minutes as active minutes. What I usually do is note the laps swum and beginning and ending times, delete the entry and then put everything in manually. Not a solution but it works for me. I am a Fitbit addict but disappointed with this particular one. I really wish they would produce a waterproof version with a heart rate monitor. I'm sure this would be much more accurate. Love my Charge 2. 

[davewschroeder]

Today is 10/8/2017 like you I have finding my calories burned number to be about half of what it should be. I contacted Fitbit. They acknowledged that this was a known problem and they are working on an update to fix the issue. So you are not doing anything wrong. The software is not working properly. 

[VivLA]

I've just swum for 2 hours at a fairly fast pace. I set up all the settings as instructed - turn swimming tracking on, made the pool 25m etc but it said after 2 hours I had burnt 98 calories. I don't think so. I have now restarted the device as I saw this recommended in the forum. I did however record the duration of the swim manually as I couldn't see how else to do it.

[VivLA]

I've just swum for 2 hours at a fairly fast pace. I set up all the settings as instructed - turn swimming tracking on, made the pool 25m etc but it said after 2 hours I had burnt 98 calories and had swum 700m when I had in fact swum 6m! I don't think so. I have now restarted the device as I saw this recommended in the forum. I did however record the duration of the swim manually as I couldn't see how else to do it. What am I doing wrong?

[VivLA]

I've just swum for 2 hours at a fairly fast pace. I set up all the settings as instructed - turn swimming tracking on, made the pool 25m etc but it said after 2 hours I had burnt 98 calories and had swum 700m when I had in fact swum 6m! I don't think so. I have now restarted the device as I saw this recommended in the forum. I did however record the duration of the swim manually as I couldn't see how else to do it. What am I doing wrong?

[stinaldi]

Wow...you are fast!. I have no idea what is wrong. I have no faith in its
accuracy, but it is consistant. I leave mine set at 50yds, and then
mentally divide the distance when I'm on a 25yd pool.

[Archswim]

I am on my second Flex2 in weeks. The new one still does not track my laps and the cal count is bogus. One day it records as swimming, and another it shows as sport. I have posted the pool length and set up steps repeatedly with no success. Any ideas?

[NellyG]

Have you tried restarting it? Do it several times.

Restart your tracker