Active ZONE Minutes Needs A 10 Minute Minimum Threshold Option

[JimGreiner]

I love the Active Zone Minutes (AZM) feature for tracking cardio fitness, however, it should have an option to set say a 10 minute minimum threshold, before the dashboard begins logging any time. Cardio fitness is best done in blocks of 10 or more minutes at a time, so when I see 2 minutes logged in here and there, from walking up some steps, or from a fast walk from my car to my house in the rain, I’m not a happy camper, as this is NOT optimum cardio! Even on my days off, I can rack up the 22 minute AZM minimum, a couple minutes at a time, and I’m not doing any work! 

[JohnnyRow]

I respectfully disagree with you.  The guidelines used to specify at least ten minutes at a time, and that is what "Active Minutes" which fitbit used to use, and still uses on some older devices.  In the latest guidelines, that 10 minute minimum has been removed.

Look at https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines

and download the pdfs in "explore the guidelines" section.

Quote from executive summary pdf above, "What's new in this edition"

"For example, new aspects include discussions of:
ƒ Additional health benefits related to brain health, additional cancer sites, and fallrelated
injuries;
ƒ Immediate and longer term benefits for how people feel, function, and sleep;
ƒ Further benefits among older adults and people with additional chronic conditions;
ƒ Risks of sedentary behavior and their relationship with physical activity;
ƒ Guidance for preschool children (ages 3 through 5 years);
ƒ Elimination of the requirement for physical activity of adults to occur in bouts of at
least 10 minutes; and
ƒ Tested strategies that can be used to get the population more active."

[JimGreiner]

Thank you JohnnyRow for your reply, and web link. While you are correct about the previous ‘Active Minutes (AM)’ having a 10 minute minimum threshold, and the new ‘Active Zone Minutes (AZM)’ lacking that same threshold, it is not comparing apples to apples, as they are two different monitors. Also, it does not mean that the 10 minute threshold was wrong, and has now been corrected. The ‘AZM’ is a heart rate monitoring system, that begins to log minutes when you get your heart rate up to the ‘Fat Burn Zone’, and it gives 2 for 1 minutes when you get into the ‘Cardio Zones’ or higher. The ‘AM’ monitors 10 or more minutes of an activity, which does not have to be in a certain cardio zone. For instance, I can take a slow 30 minute walk, and keep my heart rate below the Fat and Cardio Zones, and the ‘AM’ will still record the full time, after the 10 minute minimum, as long as I keep moving. So the new ‘AZM’ is the superior way to exercise, as it is cardio based. Lets face it, the old way of counting steps, or how many minutes of steps were done, doesn’t mean much, because it is not a measure of intensity. That does not mean that the 10 minute minimum threshold on the old ‘AM’ was a bad thing. 10 minute or more blocks of time to any given exercise seems to be the recommended minimum for optimum benefit. When I pick up a couple of ‘AZM’ minutes here and there for minor everyday exertions, such as carrying something up from the deep freezer in the basement: that’s not an optimum cardio workout. 

[JohnnyRow]

Regardless of what you think is an optimum cardio workout, the AZM with no minimum adheres to the official guidelines.  So basically you are saying the official guidelines are not optimum, and you may well be correct.  But I'm not sure you can fault Fitbit for using the official guidelines, even though you might prefer some other guidelines for your personal situation.

If this was aimed at top athletes as a training aid, it might make sense to adopt different standards for judging workouts, but for the general public I personally cannot disagree with Fitbit for following American Heart Association guidelines.

Beyond that, I will agree to disagree.

[JimGreiner]

Thanks for your input; I do appreciate it, and you do respond with some good information. The AHA guidelines recommend 150 fat burn minutes/75 cardio minutes per week, which translates to 22 Zone minutes per day. Fitbit allows me to customize those settings to suit my goals, which I did by setting my Zone minimums to 45 minutes per day/400 minutes per week. And more importantly, I lowered my age from 67 to 47 on the personal settings to give me a better pump when I work out, as the Zone Minutes are age sensitive. I just wish Fitbit also gave me the option to set a minimum threshold as well. Those who want to keep the default zero minute threshold setting can do so, but I would like the option to customize it. Thanks again for your replies. 

[JimGreiner]

I’ve read the health.gov guidelines that JohnnyRow replied to me on 08/01/2021. I must say that I was very impressed with the ebook, and JohnnyRow’s feedback! Thank you very much JohnnyRow; I stand corrected, and feel more confident in the current Active Zone Minutes as Fitbit records them. I would like to add that in the article, it is recommended that a minimum of 150 to 300 minute equivalent to Zone Minutes per week (Fitbit adjusts the ratios according to intensity) be exerted, so for those using the Fitbit Default Settings of 22 Minutes per Day/150 Minutes per Week Goals, those are the absolute minimum recommendations for health benefit; upping the minimum Personal Goal Minutes say to 45 Minutes per Day/300 Minutes per Week will add health benefits. Thanks again JohnnyRow for some good information.

[LZeeW]

@JimGreiner   You shouldn't adjust your age to change your Zone Minute thresholds.  Fitbit uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your BMR calorie burn.  Age is one of the variables, so your BMR calories burn will be incorrect.  Fitbit's exercise calorie burn algorithms are proprietary, but I suspect they also use your age.  In addition, the cardio fitness score and sleep benchmarks are age dependent.  Changing your age sends you down the path of garbage in = garbage out.

If you want to work harder to earn zone minutes, you should set a Custom Maximum Hear Rate.  Fitbit uses 220 - age = maximum predicted heart rate.  You can raise yours by doing the following.  Tap on your profile picture > scroll down to Activity & Wellness > Heart Settings > Heart rate zones > toggle Custom Max Heart Rate to on.  You will see your 220 - age max heart rate.  Raise your max heart rate until you get to your desired zones.  Now your calorie burn, cardio fitness score and sleep benchmarks will be for your age.

[JimGreiner]

Thanks LZeeW; I’ll give your suggestion a try.