Add Snow Shoveling as exercise shortcut

[CBAlexandria]

After spending the last four days shoveling, pushing cars out of snow drifts, etc pre:post snowzillia my FitBit Flex barely made a dent, with a exception of some elevated calories burned. I can tell you I felt physically exhausted each night. Much more so then working out at the gym or walking 6-8 miles. Would love to see some options such heavy snow shoveling be added. I fell strongly that my weekly report will be most inaccurate this week.

Moderator edit: added labels/Title for Clarity

[CatMeghan]

Me too!

[SunsetRunner]

I appreciate the support of everyone who finds and supports my request to add snow shoveling to the fitness activities database. I made my orignial request almost two years ago. I love my Fitbits. In a very real sense Fitbit has vastly changed my life toward the positive. I have three Fitbits, and I have recommended Fitbit to numerous friends who are now a part of the community. However, given the choices that are in the fitness activity database, I cannot believe that a company that has played such a primary role in the activity tracker industry cannot add snow shoveling to its activities database. I was told by Fitbit almost two years ago that snow shoveling was orignally in the database and was removed in an effort to "clean-up the database." Come on FitBit, snow shovelling needs to be in there.

[SunsetRunner]

New Thread Regarding Restoration Of Snow Shoveling To Activity Database...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Persistent-Requests-To-Restore-Snow-Shoveling-To...

[CatMeghan]

Shoveling is a main source of cardio for many people in the world during winter. In Canada, there are many people each year who suffer heart attacks while shoveling so not only should Fitbit track it, it should come with a warning to pace oneself, take frequent breaks and bend at the knees, not the waist. 

[Thepriceswife]

Add snow shoveling please!

[SunsetRunner]

My Original suggestion regarding snow shoveling....from two years ago...

I would like to see snow shoveling added to the exercise log pull down menu. I emailed Fitbit Help/Mac for this addition to be considered. I also posted the suggestion in the Community Forum section and learned that apparently snow shoveling used to be an option. I also learned that there are others that would like to see the addition/restoration of snow shoveling as an exercise log option. I wouldn't imagine that adding it would be that difficult.

There are a lot of Fitbit users out there shoveling a lot of snow right now. Perhaps, there could be choices like "Snow Shoveling - Light/Fluffy Snow," and "Snow Shoveling - Heavy/Wet Snow" with the estimated calorie expeditures. If there's anybody out there like me, I would have a much more positive attitude about snow shoveling if I knew I could easily and "somewhat accurately" get "credit" by doing it!

I currently have a Fitbit Flex and I love using it and checking my stats several times a day. I am planning to purchase a black Surge and a tangerine Charge HR when the tangerine color becomes available. I was considering an Apple Watch, but I have been pleased with my Fitbit experience. I only mention this information because I am very enthsiastic about Fitbit, and I want to see it fit my life/activity experience as closely as possible.

[Rich_Laue]

So lets start the count all over and split up the votes, usually a suggestion doesnt make it in because of lack of interest.

[LolaM]

Could you please add snow shovelling to your track your exercise section!?

[LolaM]

Yes, add snow shoveling. We get a lot of exercise doing shoveling. 

[SunsetRunner]

I would also like to see snow shoveling added.  It's super rigorous and deserves to be in the activity tracker.

[YvonneinSudbury]

I am in agreement with an option to add upper body workouts like shovelling (snow, dirt, crusher dust, etc) raking, gardening, etc to the list of possible activities.  I noticed that the activities listed are streamlined with athletic hardware i.e. treadmills, ellipticals, weights, etc.  and tells me there is a boardroom deal with partners in the fitness market. I have my doubts that hardware stores will stand to gain improved sales of shovels should Fitbit add / restore this feature to their software.

[MooseyG]

If fitbit won't/can't add certain activities for when we are working hard then could we at least be able to add a title to a customized workout such as during this time frame when my heart rate was being tracked I could call it "Snow shoveling" or "Gardening" etc...?

Thank you.

[RoughSawn]

For years I have not understood why this wasn't an option...

[HeidiJ]

Hi I just spent 45 minutes shovelling snow and would like to track it. If you don't want to put a bunch of activities in, then add the feature of manually entering calories burned doing such activities. 

[kes458]

I think this would be a great idea addition and hope to see it on an update.  There is a lot of exercise in shovelling snow.  Its got to be worth something !

[gringitack]

If there was some way for me to sync in activity from my WiiUFit, that would make me happy.. For the moment I just ignore the Exercise Days widget because there's no way to bring in those workouts.

[SunsetRunner]

We find ourselves in the heart of snow shoveling season, immediately after the first substantial snowfall for the Northeasat region, with no response from FitBit on the snow shoveling issue except "make your own custom activity." I do not consider this to be a satisfactory answer, especially considering some of the activities that are currently in the activities database. I was on the fence between purchasing an Apple Watch before I bought my first FitBit. I didn't want to be a guinea pig/first adopter for Apple, the price and features from FitBit were right, so I purchased a Fitbit Flex, which led to a Surge, then to a Charge HR2 . I have been a satisfied customer. However, this issue snow shoveling issue has revealed to me that FitBit lacks appropriate responsiveness to reasonable consumer concerns. This lack of responsiveness disappoints me a great deal. Recently, I was considering getting both a Charge 2 for everyday and workouts, and a Blaze for going out in the evenings. FitBit's stubborn refusal to respond to its customers with regard to this snow shoveling issue has placed me back on the fence between FitBit and Apple. I may have to reevaluate the situation with the next version of the Apple Watch.

[Spazfemme]

I agree! Snow shoveling (with intensity) should be listed as an activity. I used to track my exercise on prevention.com a decade ago and they had it listed. New technology should be more inclusive, not less.

[YvonneinSudbury]

I just put my Fitbit on 'workout' when shoveling over the shoulder and on 'treadmill' when clearing with a snowfloat.  It works.  As the planet warms up, there will be less snow to clear.... unfortunately the snowmobilers and skiers are already on suicide watch.

[AKiick]

There are so many more excercise shortcuts that could be added.

Some suggestions...

*Basketball

*Rowing machine

*Kayaking

*Rock Climbing

*Jump rope

* Volleyball 

*Raquetball 

*Soccer

*Swimming (once the blaze is waterproof)

[Cyndyth]

Please add an automatic calculation for activity snow shoveling!

It is a major physical activity in wintery activities and it is frustrating to not be able to record it.  Recording a custom activity doesn't really cover it as not everyone has the time or patience to figure out how to calculate the effort.

Please add a calculation for light snow and heavy/wet snow.

Similarly, please add raking leaves... this is an Autumn time activity that also is major physical effort.

[CC45Angel]

You can add any exercise you want through the internet interface through your exercise dashboard. You can go in there and add any type of exercise you want, barre, cardio kickboxing, cardio core, etc. It is really quite easy. Then once you add an exercise label, it gets pushed through to options on your phone. You can change it from a generic workout to the new labels you entered through the internet dashboard drill down option.

[NHDrjon]

Add me to the list in favor of snow shoveling 

[YvonneinSudbury]

I just put it in 'treadmill' when I shovel with a snow-float and 'workout' when shoveling over my head.  It works.

[CC45Angel]

Seriously, all you have to do is go to the activities log and hit the edit button next to any workout that you want to add ANY activity label you WANT! ANY AT ALL. ANY!!! Leaf raking, snow shoveling, etc. It is SO EASY AND TAKES SECONDS. Stop whining and add it yourself.

Activity History

Feb 24, 11:21PM

Treadmill Edit

1,976

N/A

23:54

129 cals

View Details Delete