Walking and Steps

[Lynnr1231]

When I log walking as an exercise my Fitbit logs more steps even though my steps were being counted as I did the exercise. Why is that?

[Heybales]

Because you logged a Workout Record, which asks for distance, time, or pace, and optional calories if you know them, or it calculates it from the database (this is actually more accurate for calorie burn than HR).

From that distance Fitbit divides by the Stride Length setting and calculates steps.

If you log a Workout Record - it's assumed you must have better info than what Fitbit saw. And since Fitbit is a replace-only system - it replaces it's stats in the daily total with what you provided. Steps included.

Perhaps what you really wanted was to see what Fitbit saw for your walk - in which case you want to create an Activity Record, on website that link is top-right of box to create a Workout Record, not sure on app as I don't use it.

That Activity Record is a snapshot of the Fitbit stats for the chunk of time you tell it. You can update a title and some notes if desired for easier review later.

This is the same thing created if you were to start a workout on the device, it creates an Activity Record snapshot.

Is there a reason you aren't starting a workout on your device called walking?

Because to manually create the Activity later you have to know the start/end time, but to create it at the moment you just have to press a few buttons.

Oh, at some point if you go delete old Workout Records in the hopes of seeing the original Fitbit stats, they've already been overwritten.

But it probably should work for yesterday, delete the Workout Record, create an Activity Record.

In that order.

If you do it opposite order, the Activity Record is going to merely show the stats of the Workout Record because that is what's on file now.

[Lynnr1231]

• Thanks for the response. What I was trying to do was log my walk as exercise just like I log the elliptical. My Fitbit is adding my steps when I am on the elliptical so when I add in the amount of time and calorie burn it doesn’t add any additional steps. However when I walk and log the exercise it does. So I was a bit confused. I will try creating the workout at the time vs after the fact. Thanks again!!

[WendyB]

Use your device to capture it.

Exercise mode

How to customize exercise modes

Once on your device scroll to the exercise and use the button to start it when done push the button in to stop it. It will sync to your dashboard

[Heybales]

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@Lynnr1231 wrote:

• Thanks for the response. What I was trying to do was log my walk as exercise just like I log the elliptical. My Fitbit is adding my steps when I am on the elliptical so when I add in the amount of time and calorie burn it doesn’t add any additional steps. However when I walk and log the exercise it does. So I was a bit confused. I will try creating the workout at the time vs after the fact. Thanks again!!

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That is correct that other exercise options do not do the math for steps, because they are not step-based workouts (though they may cause steps).

So even your elliptical - you are selecting a database calorie burn based on no options of intensity (actually maybe 2 now) - and overwriting what Fitbit came up with for calorie burn.

You have a more accurate calorie burn than what Fitbit is doing per HR for elliptical?

Don't trust the machine, there are no formula's for elliptical calorie burn like there is for walking & running - so it's totally made up on that machine.

[AlRoss0908]

Probably it tracks the workouts. You can change it in settings

[emili · Accepted solution]

you can use the auto recognize feature when you are taking your walk- no logging required and it will synch the steps it counts when you are finished. depending on the tracker you have, you can also use GPS. Most newer versions have it - you just need to have your phone. 

[Lynnr1231]

Thank you this is very helpful. 

[JuanJoFitbit]

Hi everyone! Just as a side note, I'd like to share this help article, which explains how your Fitbit devices track your exercises.