How to log an activity, but keep my active minutes?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi everyone,

I've had my fitbit for quite a while now, but I only recently started excercising regularly. 

This morning I followed a yoga class, which gave me about 40 active minutes and 216 burned calories. Yoga isn't automatically logged by fitbit, so I manually added it. However, it says now that the activity has 0 active minutes, which reduced my total active minutes. Also the 216 burned calories I filled in while logging are now on top of the 216 burned calories fitbit registered, so it's doubled. When I fill in 0 burned calories, it makes my total 0. 

I don't know how to get it right, so I hope someone has te answer for this. Please let me know!

[Colinm39]

@SunsetRunnerYoga is an option in my Fitbit exercise short cuts. I also use Workout and rename that.

I avoid using manual entered data because it can average out your effort because you need 3 times your BMR for at least 10 continuous minutes to accumulate active minutes. Many over the years have complained of the same issue.

I would delete that manual record, learn from it and progress using the features in your Fitbit..

[Baltoscott · Accepted solution]

I like @Colinm39‘s approach. When I go to the gym I generally start a ‘workout’ or ‘weights’ from my the shortcuts on my Fitbit and just leave it after that, no matter what I actually wind up doing.  (Starting an activity will cause your Fitbit to sample your heart rate more often).  Changing labels after the fact when you do something different helps you keep things straight though ...

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[emili]

agreed. If you think your fitbit won't auto detect an activity, start one before you begin exercising. If you forget, just let it go...  

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks so much for the explanation. I might be a total noob here, but I can’t figure out how to start registering an activity when my fitbit doesn’t automatically.

[Colinm39]

@SunsetRunner What model Fitbit are you using? 

[SunsetRunner]

@Colinm39 I have an Alta HR.

[Colinm39]

@SunsetRunner  I can see your issue.. Here is the Altra HR manual  is the manual

On Page 21 it mentions Smartrack

Track your exercise

The SmartTrack feature automatically detects selected exercises and records the details in your exercise history. By default, SmartTrack detects continuous movement at least 15 minutes in length.You can increase or decrease the minimum duration or disable SmartTrack for one or more exercise types. For more information about customizing and using SmartTrack, see help.fitbit.com

Based on the 15 minutes continuous maybe it's not enough activity level to pick up the activity.

What I would be doing is manually log your activity via the PC Internet and use the

in your Activity Log. Give it a name for the activity and you may have to create it in Custom. This is a non destructive way of seeing what your activity was and it gives you graphs like this when you click on the small stop watch next to the Description. a start rather than outlay on a more modern device.