Using the exercise tracker

[JaimieBatch]

When going on a walk is it better to use the exercise tracker or just let the steps add up? Does it still add the steps as usual?

When going on a walk pushing the stroller I figured it would be better to use the tracker but if I am going on my own I wasn't sure which would be best.

Thank you for any insight you can give!

[WendyB]

I would let ther tracker do its thing. Thats what its for.

[Colinm39 · Accepted solution]

---

@JaimieBatch wrote:

When going on a walk is it better to use the exercise tracker or just let the steps add up? Does it still add the steps as usual?

When going on a walk pushing the stroller I figured it would be better to use the tracker but if I am going on my own I wasn't sure which would be best.

Thank you for any insight you can give!

---

@JaimieBatchMany of the users using the Exercise option aren't using the data, they use it and examine and then delete it because it is cutting back on their steps and active minutes. It is acting like a manual activity. But, form your own opinion and examine the posts in this link, especially the solution.

Tell us what you think because many others will benefit.

[JaimieBatch]

Thank you both for your help!

[Heybales]

The tracker still isn't going to realize you were pushing a stroller, which is a bigger burn than just walking.

But Fitbit steps isn't going to know that either.

There is a manual entry you can use for pushing stroller, sadly no speed is mentioned, and if you use that your steps are not changed.

[klkane]

I used the exercise tracker as a way to record my 'exercise activity' versus the residual steps I received as a by-product of my day. It was really helpful to ensure I achieved my exercise goal versus just my step goal. Since the iOS upgrade, I've noticed the stop watch feature is inaccurately giving me a higher count, especially if I am in a building and exercising - walking the mall due to inclement weather. Is this something that is on the list to be fixed or do I need to just stop using the stop watch feature when I am wearing my fitbit one?

[Heybales]

---

@klkane wrote:

I used the exercise tracker as a way to record my 'exercise activity' versus the residual steps I received as a by-product of my day. It was really helpful to ensure I achieved my exercise goal versus just my step goal. Since the iOS upgrade, I've noticed the stop watch feature is inaccurately giving me a higher count, especially if I am in a building and exercising - walking the mall due to inclement weather. Is this something that is on the list to be fixed or do I need to just stop using the stop watch feature when I am wearing my fitbit one?

---

I believe you are speaking of the function that actually skips the device, and uses the phone accelormeter and GPS (if available) to get distance.

Then when that workout is logged like any manual walking/running workout, the estimated distance is divided by your account specific stride length - changing the steps to calculated rather than seen.

It means the phone feature is estimating different distance than the Fitbit is estimating from steps taken.

People found the same issue when using that fieature outside and the GPS kicked in. Very accurate distance usually, but when divided by stride length their steps changed, sometimes greatly, by the math.

All that means is their stride length was actually off, and all their normal activity has inaccurate data.

In your case in a mall without GPS, it's merely the difference between what your phone is seeing as steps and calculating as distance, and what Fitbit is seeing and calculating.

Depends which you trust more for seeing steps.