Are the zone minutes correlated to the timer minutes on my watch, or my actual heart rate?

[charsuzy]

I went to the gym for the first time and used three machines.  I accidentally left my fitbit timer on, I forgot to turn it off after exercising, which measured I was active on a bike for over 3 hours but I only rode the bike for 25 minutes while at the gym.

My zone minutes jumped up to 150 minutes.  Are zone minutes correlated to my heart rate while on the bike & active, or did the timer have anything to do with racking up more zone minutes than usual?

I deleted the bike activity in my Android, and manually entered the correct time I was on the bike.  The zone minutes still show the same 150 minutes.  Are these the real zone minutes I earned?  Or were they tied to what my watch timer said (3+ hours of activity)?

I just want to make sure how many zone minutes I got from working out at the gym so I can plan that I will get more zone minutes if I go to the gym rather than walking the trails like I have done every day for 30 minutes but didn't get a lot of zone minutes.  I'm in shock at how many minutes I got while at the gym!

[Triletics]

Zone minutes use your heart rate and are based on how long your heart rate was within a particular zone. The duration of activity is irrelevant.

[RiekoC]

Hi @charsuzy 

Active Zone Minutes (AZM) are based on your heart rate zones. You earn 1 AZM for each minute your heart rate is in the Fat Burning Zone and 2 minutes when your heart rate is in the Cardio or Peak Zones. 

I could see where you start your workout with a 25 minute bike session which got your heart rate in the Cardio & Peak zone for most of the time, which would earn close to 50 AZM. Then, continuing working on other machines while your heart rate continues to be in the Cardio or Peak zone. With that in mind, doing an hour workout session could result in earning close to 120 AZM. 

Depending on your pace and levelness of the trail, a 30 minute walk could earn you anywhere from 30 to 60 AZM. Does that sound like what you've seen in the past?

Click here for more information about: Active Zone Minutes 

[Baltoscott]

Hi @charsuzy -- it can be surprising (and maybe motivating) to see how many active minutes you can get once you get your HR up into cardio or peak zone -- where you get 'double credit.' Keep experimenting, but don't get too wrapped up in the numbers. The gym is great. I try to go 3 or 4 times a week, but the more you move in any way throughout the day the better and walking the trails is fun!