Tracked exercise doesn't count as active minutes

[sabrina.two]

Yesterday I did a lot of fast walking (yay rain and cold) and my device captured it as active minutes for the dashboard.

Today, I used the exercise shortcuts to track a 50 minute workout class. On the exercise part of the dashboard, it shows the time, average heart rate, and at the bottom of the detailed activity, it tells me impact on your day: + 90 steps + 161 calories burned but... +0 active minutes. 

I could see custom exercise minutes not counting towards active minutes, but this was categorized (in the moment as weights and when I fixed my shortcuts, as pilates since that's the closest thing).

Or do I not understand what active minutes are/how they are counted? Does increased heart rate/increased movement only count for one or the other?

[NellyG]

Hi @sabrina.two Active minutes is an odd thing - it is not simply minutes of activity, but is the minutes you spend over 3 METS. Here is a Help Article that can explain it better than I can

Active Minutes

So I would guess that in your exercise class you didnt exceed 3 METS. But that is a guess of course.

[JohnnyRow]

Hello @sabrina.two, Welcome to the Fitbit forums.

Active minutes and exercise time cause much confusion.  They often coincide but are different and you can get one without the other.

See What are active minutes? for Fitbit's description of active minutes.

Here is another very good article about active minutes, not official Fitbit info, but accurate and useful from the Wearable Whisperer website:

Everything you need to know about active minutes

Active minutes are defined to help meet a guideline of the heart association or some govt recommendation.  It is defined by reaching a certain intensity level and maintaining it for at least 10 minutes.

Exercise time can be either of 2 things: an auto-recognized activity, such as a walk, for at least the min time set for that activity (I think all default to 15 minutes but you can change); or any activity that you track with an exercise shortcut.

Where they can differ: you could use an exercise shortcut to track weight lifting for 50 minutes, which automatically gives you 50 minutes of exercise time, but if you took a break every 8 minutes enough to lower your heart rate below the required level, not get 10 consecutive minute to count as "active minutes";  likewise you could use an exercise shortcut to say you are doing aerobics for an hour when you really sat down and read a book.  If you tracked it as aerobics, it shows as an hour of exercise time, but would certainly give you zero active minutes.

It's best probably not to get too hung up on the 2 numbers; aside from any time you tracked as a workout, you might likely find yourself getting more "active minutes" when you are not even realizing it, such as walking around a store, doing housework, etc.

I hope I didn't just confuse you more.

Also, I believe weights and pilates are both trackable options.  There are 6 or 7 options showing on your tracker, but there are over 15 you can select which to show as options.  For how to do that, see:

How do I change or reorder the exercises in the Exercise app?

and you might find surrounding articles about using the exercise app useful too.

[KP145]

I have the same issue with my fit bit versa lite, today I used the elliptical for 30 minutes and tracked it as an excercise, however, the active time does not coincide with the exercise so after my 30 minute workout in which my heart rate was in the 140s, it still noted under active that I only had 21 mintutes from an earlier walk. This is my 2nd model of fit bit, they seem to have so many flaws. It also continues to read a heart rate when I am not wearing it, I sent out for a new one after calling fit bit and they sent me a new one but it still does the same thing. I will not be purchasing another fit bit. I will spend the extra money and get a better brand. 

[Sdfgh]

Yep did 40 minutes on the Ring Fit with the 30 active minutes alarm going off on the watch. App then shows those minutes too. However if you assign that time period as exercise the active minutes count goes back to zero (or whatever it was before). Delete the exercise and the active minutes go back up. Seems stupid, if intended.