Heart Rate Zones and Active Minutes don't match

[MotherM]

My great fitbit gives me both "Active Minutes" and for each activity, time spent in each heart rate zone.  And they don't match at all.

Here's an example.  On Monday, I recorded 3 activities and my active minutes recorded at 32.  Yet, activity 1 = 11 peak, activity 2 = 26 peak + 3 cardio, and activity 3 = 6 cardio.  I count that as being pretty active for 46 minutes.

Could it make a difference that I'm 80+ with low resting rate, and each activity I do isn't super long?  Activity 2, for example, was just over 30 minutes.

Can't wait to hear an explanation.  Thank you!

[JohnnyRow · Accepted solution]

"Active Minutes" have a precise definition.  It does not necessarily to what one might consider "being active".  One part of it is a certain level of exertion maintained continuously for at least 10 minutes.  By that precise definition, you might get 5 minutes of cardio a dozen times a day without actually getting any "active minutes".

Note the newer Fitbit models have switched to tracking "(Active) Zone Minutes" rather than "Active Minutes".  The Zone Minutes are generally harder to earn but do not have the 10 continuous limit that "Active Minutes" have.

See What are Active Zone Minutes or active minutes on my Fitbit device?  and scroll down to the "Active Minutes" section.