Heart Rate Zones on Versa 2 after the latest firmware upgrade

[klm4iast8]

My Fitbit Versa 2 prompted me to upgrade the firmware on Thursday, September 3, 2020.  Since then, I have had issues with the "new & improved" heart zones that are "personalized to my cardiovascular fitness and age".  Using your calculations:  I am a 57 year old woman so my MHR is 163, my resting heart rate is usually 65-70 BPM.  My calculated Heart Rate Reserve is 98.  My new target for fat burn zone  is 104-123, cardio zone is 124-147.  These calculations are based on your formulas using a resting heart rate of 65 BPM. 

Previously, my zones were:  below zone < 80 BPM, Fat Burn 82-113 BPM, Cardio 114-137, & Peak >139.

As you can see, there is quite a difference between the way zones were previously calculated and now.  My problem is that I am on a medication that slows my heart down.  I ride a stationary bike for 60 minutes (5-6 days a week).  I usually use the hill, fat burn, or interval settings and my rides are between 15 to 18 miles.  In addition, I walk my dogs for 2 1/2 miles every morning.  Before the upgrade, my exercise registered as primarily fat burn, with some cardio, and very little peak.  This makes sense because of the medication that I take.  For the last 4 days (after the upgrade) most of my workout  are below zone.  

Here are 2 examples of nearly identical walks this week: one before the upgrade, and one after.

Tuesday 9/1/20

time 42 min

avg bpm 95

calories 208

peak - 0 min

cardio - 1 min

fatburn - 42 min (97%)

below zone - 0 min

Friday 9/4/20 

time 42 min

avg bpm 94

calories 197

peak - 0 min

cardio - 0 min

fatburn - 1 min

below zone - 41 min (97%)

As you can see, I went from 42 minutes of being in the fat-burn zone to 1 minute!!!!!!!  This is a problem.  Today, after riding my bike and walking, I had a whopping 9 minutes of being in the fat-burning zone!  Does anyone else have this problem?  These "heart zones that are personalized to my cardiovascular fitness and age" are not working for me.  Can someone help me to resolve this... please!  

[klm4iast8]

Never mind, I found an answer from Mr. Marv that looks like it will work.  Thank you Mr Marv!!!!!

[Colette1988]

I have exactly the same problem! I’m a similar age and heart rate. Since upgrading I’ve never even been in fat burn, despite been very active! 

Can you please let me know the fix you found? Btw- you’re activity level put me to shame! Well done you!

[SteveH]

@Colette1988 I believe the post from @MrMarv that they are referring to is at https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Other-Versa-Smartwatches/Heart-rate-zone/m-p/4462591/highlight/true#...

[Colette1988]

Thank you!! 😀

[klm4iast8]

I found another thread that dealt with heart rates, it turns out that many people have had the same problem after the firmware upgrade. Anyway there is a great solution from MrMarv he says that you can actually change your MHR on your dashboard. Absolute genius!

He has another post about heart rates and beta blockers that is interesting too. I don’t know if you have that problem too, but I am excited to actually have accurate heart rate readings that reflect my exercise efforts. Please read MrMarvs posts and give him credit for the best solution. Have a great day and stay safe.

Sent from my iPad

[Colette1988]

Thank you so much for this. I completely understand. I have lupus which, I
understand affects my heart rate. It’s so disappointing to look at the app
after being active and finding no active minutes!!

Thank you again for taking the time to reply.

[klm4iast8]

I think you might have to change your MHR lower than what you think, and that this will be a trial and error process. Maybe while you are working through the process, you should take notes about your activities during the day and how you felt at the time. You know, the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and compare this information to the graphs relating to your exercise (on your dashboard). It might make it easier to make your adjustments so that it feels right for you. I think MrMarvs information will be a game changer for me too. I have never had accurate zones in the three years that I have had a Fitbit that tracked HR. Heart surgery and beta blockers will do that to you. Good luck, everybody here is rooting for you.

Sent from my iPad

[MrMarv]

@SteveH -

Thank you for pointing @Colette1988 to my post - beat me by a "whole bunch" - being in the UK while I'm on the West Coast of the "Colonies" helps a bit, I'm sure. And the thread was started just after my turning off the lights.

@Colette1988 - I will be quite happy if my posts end up helping you. That is the main reason I stay on the boards.

@klm4iast8 - I'm glad that I could help you, as well. Thank you for your comments, especially for referencing my post on Beta Blockers.

For anyone wondering what that is all about...

My initial research in March of last year didn't bring out that Beta Blockers inhibit heart rate increases during exercise, as well as in general, though I was concerned. lt wasn't until recently I found the Harvard Health Letter pointing out the 20% reduction of Max Heart Rate for Beta Blocker users. I verified with my Cardiologist that the zones reflected with the reduced Max HR and the new Heart Rate Reserve method were perfect for me - but only with the reduced Max HR. Without the reduced Max and just HRR, it could be detrimental to my health to push myself in an attempt to sustain cardio, as HRR formula start of Cardio is 4 bpm over the Beta Blocker formula Peak zone. Sustaining Peak with a viral damaged heart is not a good thing.

My best to all.

[PMB816]

Having the same problem with minutes spend in the different exercise zones after the firmware update I installed yesterday. I too take a medication that lowers my heartrate. Yesterday I went on a bike ride going uphill for 4.5 miles and showing no minutes in fat burning zone or cardio zone. This cant be correct. Please get this issue resolved...Thanks

[MrMarv]

@PMB816 -

I would suggest you think about reducing your Max HR - talk to your doctor. You will probably have to do it in the "Settings" page accessible from the Web Dashboard as that function appears to be broken in the app, or at least it is in the iOS app. Once the change is saved on the web, sync your device and the new zone definitions should be in place.

As an example:

• Traditional zone values for me and with a Max HR of 152 are shown in the first data row below. This is what it was before the Versa 2 firmware update.
• The new Heart Rate Reserve formula zones for me are shown in the second data row below.
• My heart rate zones utilizing the Heart Rate Reserve formula and using my redefined Max Heart Rate of 120 (80% of traditional Max HR) is represented by the third data line below.

Good luck and welcome to the boards.

[klm4iast8]

Hi, MrMarv has a couple of posts in another thread about heart rate zones. He has a work-about to change your MHR on your dashboard. He has another post that deals with our medication issue. I am going to study it tonight and see how I can apply it to me. To summarize his second post, he has reduced his MHR by 20% to account for the medication he is taking.

His methodology makes sense to me, because no matter what kind of exercise I do, I rarely get out of the fat burning zone (even though I ride the hill setting on my stationary bike for 60 minutes (and travel a distance of 15 to 17 miles). With the new upgrade, I don’t even get in the zone.

Check out what MrMarv says because it makes sense and is really an easy fix. Please thank MrMarv if you find his information helpful. Have a great evening.

Sent from my iPad

[PMB816]

Thank you for this useful information. It is so defeating to really workout and not even have it show as fat burning because I take a beta blocker.Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[PMB816]

Thanks for the useful info.Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[klm4iast8]

MrMarv, I just had the chance to work through your model using my specific information. Your methodology for incorporating the beta blocker adjusted MHR makes the target heart rates for each of the zones more realistic, and in line with the results that I am seeing.  I’m going to check with my doctor to see what he thinks and then I am going to customize my heart rate based on your 20% beta blocker reduction.

Just for curiosities sake, do you think that Fitbit will continue to update (and change) the target heart rate per zone calculation on a regular basis since our resting heart rate is constantly changing?  It could change everyone’s zones by a little bit with every increase or decrease in RHR.

Thank you again.

[MrMarv]

@klm4iast8 -

And @PMB816 if you are interested...

Yes the zone breaks will change when your resting heart rate changes, but not by much.

My RHR recently spiked a bit, probably due to the mini-heat wave we are having in SoCal, from my normal (like 95% of the time) 63 to 66 on Thursday and is back on the way down.

You can see the historical values by looking at your exercise records' heart rate graphs (be advised that some individuals are reporting the graphs and zone definitions missing). From a Thursday exercise record:

Thursday, with a RHR of 66, the zone breaks were 87, 98, 111

Friday, with a RHR of 65, the zone breaks were 87, 98, 111

Sunday  with a RHR of 64, the zone breaks were 86, 97, 111

If you never hit peak then the peak value will not show. I had a session with a max of 109 and all I got was 87 and 98.

Of course you could always just tap on the gear icon after tapping on the heart rate tile in your mobile apps Today screen each day. Just make sure you just look and then press "done" or you could reset your custom Max HR and have to go back to the Web Settings page, which isn't always guaranteed to work.

FitBit apparently, instead of rounding decimal fractions to the nearest whole number, uses integer values instead. For instance, in Excel, the one-digit decimal fraction values are:

Like I said, not a large change from day to day, if your RHR fluctuates.

Have a great day. My breakfast has settled and I'm off to visit my "friend" the treadmill.

[PMB816]

Wow..thank you...interesting reading!