How are the floors calculated?

[smr50]

Just wondering how the floors are calculated on the Fitbit? I have the One and am looking to upgrade someday soon. Just wondering since there are two for the wrist. The Flex and the Force. Do I really need the floors?

[Jim_M · Accepted solution]

floors have zero impact when fitbit calculates calories.  They are strictly for self motivation, and are prone to errors as ANY change in air pressure could be counted as a "floor".

[Ali · Accepted solution]

I have been seriously walking for a year and a half. I decided to add stairs on to my walk. I now aim for 100 flights of stairs each day in addition to my steps. If your fitness challenge includes climbing then I would go for the Force. I also like the instant access to the days main stats right on your wrist

[Ali · Accepted solution]

Stairs are calculated by a 10' gain in elevation. I use indoor stairs so I know I am getting the right number of flights.

[rightdx]

Thanks for the info.  In fact, I climbed up a relativey steep hill for 1 mile, which was 36 floors.   I expected the calorie count on the way up to be higher than when I logged that same mile separately on the way back down.  To my suprise, I actually "burned" more calories during the same mile on the way back down!  Obviously, I didn't get any extra credit for climbing.   So now, if I need extra calories for the record, I walk on flat land (more bang for the buck). 

[ac7ss]

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@rightdx wrote:

Thanks for the info.  In fact, I climbed up a relativey steep hill for 1 mile, which was 36 floors.   I expected the calorie count on the way up to be higher than when I logged that same mile separately on the way back down.  To my suprise, I actually "burned" more calories during the same mile on the way back down!  Obviously, I didn't get any extra credit for climbing.   So now, if I need extra calories for the record, I walk on flat land (more bang for the buck). 

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Your fitbit  (and server software) calculates your workout intesity by pace and strength of motion. (Floors is not in the calculation.) Therefore, you are striking harder and at a higher pace going downhill than your uphill climbs. Therefore reading a more intense workout. If you are doing a round trip, I wouldn't worry about it, it likely will even out to be accurate.

[TandemWalker]

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@rightdx wrote:

Thanks for the info.  In fact, I climbed up a relativey steep hill for 1 mile, which was 36 floors.   I expected the calorie count on the way up to be higher than when I logged that same mile separately on the way back down.  To my suprise, I actually "burned" more calories during the same mile on the way back down!  Obviously, I didn't get any extra credit for climbing.   So now, if I need extra calories for the record, I walk on flat land (more bang for the buck). 

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I agree with you, it doesn't make mush sense, does it. Unfortunately, fitbit's floor functionality does NOT recognize the incremental effort of climbing up. In fact, floors do not count for anything - floors do not carry any incremental caloric burn value, it's just a statistic aimed at keeping people motivated. But all your steps, for both going up and down, do get counted (irrelevant of the floor being counted or not) and all those steps do carry their due share of caloric burn. So yeah, not perfect, but better than many other pedometers out there, I think!

[Baltoscott]

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@rightdx wrote:

Thanks for the info.  In fact, I climbed up a relativey steep hill for 1 mile, which was 36 floors.   I expected the calorie count on the way up to be higher than when I logged that same mile separately on the way back down.  To my suprise, I actually "burned" more calories during the same mile on the way back down!  Obviously, I didn't get any extra credit for climbing.   So now, if I need extra calories for the record, I walk on flat land (more bang for the buck). 

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That is a very steep hill, righdx!! I've got some good ones in Baltimore, but not that good. 

Although fitbit unfortunately doesn't give you any extra calorie credit for climbing, you DID burn more calories. If you were on foot instead of a bike like me, you might have even burned more calories going downhill - thought not as much as your fitbit says - negotiating a steep decline will engage a lot of core muscles for balance that just don't come into play if you are on a steady flat surface.  So if the idea is to get stronger, or burn more calories than you eat, you get a lot more bang for the buck taking the harder route - even if fitbit doesn't know it 🙂

[mcubed1959]

If stairs are measured by 10 feet of elevation change, has anyone tried walking in place while riding an elevator?  (I know it's pointless...but will a fitbit know you're messing with it?)

[Baltoscott]

It would probably count the floors @mcubed1959. If you are stepping during the elevation change it won't know you are getting a mechanical "boost." I walk up escalators - if there are no stairs where I'm going - and it counts floors for that.

[JoanieL]

I noticed that the more humid it is outside, the more floors my charge HR calculates. That's why i came to this forum to see how it was calculated. I had 43 floors this morning alone and had not walked up one flight of stairs. If i had done 43 floors, i would have been dead at least 4x. But the humidity seems to be the reason, at least for me. The harder it is to breathe, it calculates more floors ... go figure ... and no elevation.

[watsonjl28]

I've noticed that on the days I ride an elevator (NOT MOVING) my floor count goes WAYYYY up.  I live in a three story townhouse, and expect to get about 10-15 floors aday, but when it goes to 60 or even 100, that is way off.  

[divedragon]

its really not important whats on the record, but what your body actually expends.  don't obses over the numbers.  the fitbit is a tool, not the panacea of fitness or weightloss.  you wantto get fit, you have to work your body.

[Ladybug1]

Clever !!!  Next time I'm on an elevator, I am going to test it !!!

I don't like cheating but I have tested it.  You can move your arms like you're walking without stepping and it calculates steps.  Also, there are times when I have walked without moving my arms and it didn't calculate the steps.  

I still don't understand the floor thing.

[Ilona46]

I walk the same amoutn of floors everyday! But my Fitbit one counts very diffrent every day!! Yesterday I walked 41 floors??? I live in an apartment 4 stories up.....that's about 8 stairs in total 64.....(3 to 4 times a day) ....Really weird sometimes it doesn't count and like yesterday it counted 41 floors that's not right.....Any explenation anyone??

[Dominique]

Those Fitbit trackers that support floors use an altimeter to detect the change in elevation. The altimeter can be influenced by the weather (atmospheric pressure), causing it to detect extra floors when there hasn’t been any change in elevation.

[Ilona46]

Oke....thanx for the answer Dominique....