Fitbit Charge 3 on ankle?

[cindyanne1]

I tell you what, I'm getting kind of perturbed with my new Charge 3 counting steps when I do things like fold laundry or type on the computer.  It's not the steps that bother me per se... it's that it will up my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) accordingly, which makes me look like I'm burning more calories than I actually am. 

The main reason I bought the Fitbit was to see how many calories I was burning in a day, basing it on my heartrate and activity level.  So to think that it's telling me I'm burning significantly more than I actually am is very distressing to me.

I took it off the band and placed it down inside my sock, and then put a terrycloth sweatband (for wrists) over top of it to hold it in place.  So far I think it's working a lot better.

Is there anything else I should do... reset it perhaps... because I've switched to wearing it on my ankle?   Does anyone else do this? 

[WendyB]

Welcome to the forums!

A lot of people do.

It is not meant for the Ankle and also is not recommended by Fitbit. So do not expect accuracy for heart rate.

Hope to see you around!

[Heather-S]

I like to think of the steps metric as "movement".  They are activity trackers, not pedometers.  So think of your steps as measuring your total movement throughout the day.  Your body is moving and you are expending a little more energy folding laundry than you would watching TV sitting down.

I also like to remember that even though I might get steps folding laundry, there are times when I won't get steps, like when I'm moving around my kitchen or bathroom or carrying something with both hands.  So I figure that the steps from arbitrary activities make up for the missed steps that might occur.

I've never received steps typing though.

[WavyDavey]

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@cindyanne1 wrote:

I tell you what, I'm getting kind of perturbed with my new Charge 3 counting steps when I do things like fold laundry or type on the computer.  It's not the steps that bother me per se... it's that it will up my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) accordingly, which makes me look like I'm burning more calories than I actually am. 

The main reason I bought the Fitbit was to see how many calories I was burning in a day, basing it on my heartrate and activity level.  So to think that it's telling me I'm burning significantly more than I actually am is very distressing to me.

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The calorie counts are largely based on heart rate. Adding steps doesn't change the calories burned as far as I know. So how accurate the step counting is, doesn't have an effect on calories. Heart rate exertion and active minutes will do that.

It's fine if you want to wear it on the ankle. But as @WendyB mentioned, because it's not designed to wear on the ankle, the heart rate monitoring may be off, which will affect the accuracy of the calories burned.

[cindyanne1]

That actually makes me feel a LOT better... and makes sense, too.  Because I have to say, I have gone back to wearing it on my wrist.  The sleep tracking was SO messed up with it on my ankle, and not only that, I saw that what you said above was correct... while the steps changed, my average TDEE really didn't.  That's a big relief to me!   🙂 

Thanks all!! 

[Petergol]

What about shock factors 

[WavyDavey]

Shock factors? Do you mean like the force of impact from the foot hitting the ground?  Now that I think of it, a tracker worn on the ankle this way would be absorbing a lot more vibration than one on the wrist...

[westsidesteve]

I just bought an extension for the band on Amazon and I'm wearing it on my ankle right now. My problem was with the outdoor bicycle. Or when I'm shopping in the grocery store with my hands on the cart. If I ride the bike for an hour and a half it registers 20 minutes. I think these things are waterproof so I'm going to leave it on my ankle for a while.

Steve

[SunsetRunner]

i put my charge 3 on my ankle better count then wrist 

[SunsetRunner]

i can go 200 steps still burn 2 k calories 

[SunsetRunner]

your feet move not your wrist 

[jjessj18]

i put my charge 3 on my ankle better count then wrist 

[Baltoscott]

@SunsetRunner @jjessj18 -- keep in mind that all of the Fitbit metrics -- steps, calorie burn, active minutes (or zone minutes with newer devices), miles -- when GPS is not used, and even sleep detection, assume that you are wearing your Fitbit on your wrist not your leg. You MAY increase your step count by putting your tracker around your ankle and you may actually lower it. Either way it won't necessarily count steps more accurately, and it probably is making your other metrics less accurate.  

[SunsetRunner]

well i dont know to wear it