How can I remember exercise time for manual logging?

[rattiemomma]

Hi, all!

I currently use a Flex and I always use the manual exercise/activity mode to mark the start and stop of my non-step-based exercise. I know some other trackers, including the Alta I am considering, don't have this feature.

When I tap to begin and end my workout, I get a nice, neat little record with accurate beginning and end times. I NEVER remember to make a note of start or end times if I need to add an exercise after the fact. Sometimes I have no way of even knowing time when it dawns on me part-way into a workout that I should pay attention to the time. What tricks do you use to remind yourself to keep track of times for manual exercise logging? Thank you so much!

[WendyB]

The Alta has SmartTrack which will automatically start tracking after 10-15 minutes

you can read about it here

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/News-Announcements/SmartTrack-announced-for-Surge-and-Charge-HR/m-p/...

As far as knowing the time. I don't think you need to be so precise. I just  know I starting walking at 6:00 even it was a bit after.

[rattiemomma]

Hi, WendyB!

Thanks for taking time to answer me! I do think it's cool that Alta has SmartTrack, but I was thinking of logging other activities. Other than walking, I don't do any of the other activites SmartTrack apparently recognizes. I would need to manually enter things like yoga, bar, pilates, strength, some of the videos I do, golf, and many of the Fitness Blender workouts I do. I like to be as accurate as possible because I want all the credit for my workouts! Lol!

Part of the problem is I can't just say, well, class is from 6-6:30, so close enough. I workout almost entirely at home whenever I can squeeze it in around everything else I'm getting done. And, I can't always enter my exercise right away, so if I DID know the times, I promise I will have forgotten by the time I can enter it! Occasionally, if I am really on my game, I'll write down my start and stop times, but that really seems silly to have to do that when I just paid for a fancy piece of technology whose sole purpose is to monitor my activity. It seems weird to upgrade and acutally LOSE functionality.

Oh, well. I'll just have to figure something out. I guess it will help that Alta actually has a clock, unlike Flex. But, I will miss the convenience of just tapping and letting Fitbit keep track. If I even get an Alta. I want one, but I don't know if I can justify it when my Flex is still plugging along!

Thanks, again!

Rattie

[SebringDon]

@rattiemomma

You can create (and later delete) an Activity Record, which is simply a window across a period of time, then note the actual start and stop times from observing your steps or calorie burn.

Here's what the Activity Record icon (on your Log Activity page) looks like. It's the one in the upper right hand corner.

And here's an example where I can figure out exactly when I went for my walk today.

I know I went between 11:45 and 1:00, so I'll use those as my starting points.

First I create the Activity Record.

Then I click on the record I created in my Activity Log, and this is what I see. This shows calories.

By picking Steps, I can see those instead.

And finally, by hovering my mouse pointer over the first long line, I can get the exact start time. Of course, hovering over the last long line will give me the exact ending time.

With that information, you can either modify the times on the Activity Record or delete the Activity Record and create a manually-logged entry if you want to enter your own calorie estimate.

Hope this helps!