Below Zone HR

[BernadetteS]

Hi - for the last week, my Charge 4 has been showing large percentages of below zone!  I'm not doing anything differently, and am still raising my heart rate while walking??  Anybody else had similar? or have an explanation?  Thanks

[LZeeW]

Hello @BernadetteS and welcome to the Help forums.  Your Charge 4 uses active zone minutes.  They are different from the active minutes you got with your previous Fitbits.  Active zone minutes take your resting heart rate into account.  Tap on your zone minute icon on your phone dashboard and you will see your new zones.

[landerivers]

am i the only one that is fnding this a bit "unmotivating" i mean i am still working my butt off and sweating and i am getting big chunks of time that are "below zone" how do i even know what my zones are - can i go back to old way - i liked that better 🙂

[addsea]

mine is the same way!! and i have been trying to figure it out but i can’t. 

[Gloria65]

A lot of my exercise minutes show up below zone as well - so they don't show up as active minutes. When I walk at the mall, now that cold weather is setting in, I show zero active minutes after walking 4 laps (3 miles).  I am on heart meds for AFib, but I'm still working up a sweat and should get some minutes during that long of a walk. I wish they would just go back to active minutes. 

[Karleeputt]

Same here. I did a biathlon yesterday, it took 48 minutes. I was puffed the whole time pretty much, but apparently 42 of those minutes were below zones.

Yet I did the same biathlon last Sunday in 46 mins, puffed but only had 4 mins below zones?

Christmas day I went for a stroll with my dog and that managed to get me more of those zones minutes than my biathlon yesterday haha

I don't get it either!?!?

[Alli39]

Same happened to me.  I went for a run yesterday and my heart rate average was 155....0% active minutes......

[Welshchick]

Mine is the same too 

[Welshchick]

I just done 100 burpees said below zone 😭

[KDFitness]

I agree with you!!

[DelicateDevil9]

I love the idea of Active Zone Minutes but I couldn't agree with you more, it needs some adjusting. Seeing a large chunk of my workouts as "below zones" is extremely unmotivating. Especially when throughout the workout, my heart rate is consistently between 130 and 160. 

[KDFitness]

Yes!! That's exactly how it makes me feel! I'm a fit pro and deal with
people on a daily basis that need motivating....and now my fitbit can make
me feel the same

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Kitcat5678]

Why is this still a thing. I worked hard 4 out of 5 days now where I felt like my eyeballs were even sweating and felt like my Fitbit told me "meh you got a few fat burning moments in there but really, you're below average and I'm disappointed in you." Lol jk bit seriously seeing those percentages are slightly discouraging. 

[KDFitness]

Lots of people need the encouragement so getting a negative from Fitbit isn't good!!!

[Beckh]

Can someone please pass on the feedback that this is not making us happy???😫

[KDFitness]

Yes please...not sure who though....they only seem to answer positive
comments!!

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Kitcat5678]

I sent a message to Fitbit help to see if there is someone we can send the community's thoughts to on discouraging aspects of the devices being used.  *crosses fingers*

[KDFitness]

*crossed fingers* thank you 😊
Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Kitcat5678]

Their response:  

"Hi, Sara.  Thanks for the screenshot.  Fitbit device uses a concept called reserve heart rate and it takes your resting heart rate into account in addition to your age to calculate your zones.  You can find out more in the updated help article:  https://t.co/seyZeNZcfW.  To see if your zones are being measured correctly, can you try something?  Start a walk at an average pace, then gradually increase your effort and speed to get at least in to your new cardio zone.  Your heart rate is recorded at one minute intervals.  We're trying to get your heart rate to increase gradually so you can go through your new, updated zones.  Do you get a better breakdown in your zones,"...

Then it stops.  *shrugs*

[Beckh]

This is why I'm considering switching to Garmin 😂 such a shame. I've been using Fitbit for 2 years and it's just so buggy and now this!!