Active Minutes Not Being Awarded

[Konababe]

I just did 35 minutes of exercise in which the heart rate was at the same point the whole time. When I finished, the sweat was pouring compared to prior times. I had been doing 15 minute segments up to 4 times a day. How many active minutes did I get for this deliberate extension of exercise? 17 minutes out of 35. I had 17 minutes 20 min into the exercise as I asked Alexa to alert me I continued walking as I checked the Alta HR. So for the additional 15 minutes, I didn't get anything. 

Compare a 15 min session last night to this morning's: 15 gave me 9 active minutes at a heart rate of 93bpm. This morning's 35 min session had an avg heart rate of 109 which was higher but I only got 17 min and nothing for the additional 15 minutes.

I'm still sweating as I type this but the heart rate has returned to normal 15 minutes after I quit. I assume the intensity was the same as the heart rate was same as in prior times I earned minutes. The moral is to exercise in short periods of time several times a day if you want to be awarded active minutes

[BruceBu]

Active minutes are based on steps, not heart rate. And it is based on getting more than ~70 steps in a minute and then stringing together more than 10 of these minutes. If, in your 35 minute exercise, you took a couple of 1/2 minute breaks (HR still up but not stepping), that would break up the continuity of active minutes. So if you take breaks (greater than about 1/2 minute, which would prevent you from getting sufficient steps to make that particular minute active) that are less than 10 minutes apart, you'll not be credited for the active minutes in between. (Fitbit will tell you that they have a fancy a method for determining active minutes including other factors, but in practice the above is a adequate description of how it works).

Moral: If you want to get maximum active minutes, walk continuously at a moderate rate (I'd recommend 90-100 steps/min) with no breaks. If you need to take any sort of break, make sure you have been going continuously for at least 10 minutes before taking it.

I find it hard to get maximum active minutes when exercising indoors - too many distractions - but very easy when taking a long, comfortable walk outdoors (without rests/breaks). I've been able to get up to about 4 hours of continuously active minutes. Multiple shorter sessions probably doesn't help (indeed, may be worse if timing isn't right) except that focus may be better for avoiding the little breaks that you really don't think about.

[Konababe]

Thanks! I knew about the ten minutes but not the number of steps per minute. I thought I had kept walking while checking my FitBit.

[Konababe]

OK, I just finished 12 minutes of walking but  not as intense as times I have done it before but still had elevated heart rate based upon you saying heart rate did not count, only steps.  I did not stop or pause at any time after I started. I was awarded a really big one minute. Do the first ten minutes not count?  I had Alexa set the timer and I also glanced at clock to verify elapsed time when Alexa buzzed. I had read active minutes are based upon reaching a level of intensity after ten minutes but number of steps was not mentioned.  I did not have this problem last week, but then I had to take over 500 steps counting only when hitting my left foot to earn the 250 steps an hour twice today

[BruceBu]

You should receive credit for the first 10 minutes, once you get there. How many steps did fitbit say you took during the 12 minutes?

I just walked 12 minutes at steady moderate pace, 1140 steps, and received credit for 12 active minutes.

You do have to sync to get the active minutes (AM) to show up on the dashboard or iPhone/win10 Apps. Some of the newer models (my Charge 2) will calculate and show AM on the device as they are earned, but they don't get into you account until after a sync.. When I did the above 12 minutes, I started at 68 AM (so far for the day) and after 10 minutes of walking it jumped to 78 minutes (on the Charge 2)and then added an AM each minute after that while I was walking, but AM did not change on Apps or web dashboard until after a sync.

If no success, I'd try a reset, (hold down the device select button for 10 sec while plugged into charger - should come up with fitbit symbol and firmware version). If still no, Then on to contacting support . . .

I'm empty of further ideas/suggestions - hope you get it working right.

[Konababe]

I've done the sync each time. Sometimes, it takes hours for the activity listing to update the latest activity. As of right now, it doesn't show the activity under question. I'll start making a paper note of number of steps and any active minutes before I start doing an activity I have the Alta HR.  At least, the heart graph shows when I was active as there is a definite increase in heart rate.

Thanks for your help. I was hoping this would provide an accurate record of the minutes I actually was active for medical/cardiac purposes. As it is now, the heart graph does show the time I began exercise as there is a definite increase in heart rate followed by the period in which it returns to its normal high 50 resting rate.

[Konababe]

OK, new day. I just finished 17 minutes of walking and was awarded 17 active minutes. I also had a firmware update on my tracker yesterday evening.

[BruceBu]

Cool - life is good