Automatically Increase Goals Incrementally - 'Smart Goals'

[SunsetRunner]

It would be great to have a program geared for beginners with a very gradual increase based on success. For example:

Day 1 goal:  2000 steps, .5 miles

Day 2 goal:  2020 steps, .5 miles

Day 3 goal:  2040 steps, .5 miles

Day 4 goal:  2060 steps, .6 miles, 1 flight

...

Day 15 goal: 3000 steps, 1 mile, 3 flights, 1 active minute

etc.   (Just a rough example).   But something that would be easily accomplished by those that really need to increase their exercise, but find it really challenging/difficult.  If there was just a small increase every day (when successful) most people would be able to build on their success and build a healthy habit.  Rewards and incentives built in would be even better.

Moderator Edit: Updated label

[LaniH]

I would like for the step goal to automatically increase based on average. If you are averaging 20k steps your step goal should autimaticaly increase not stay at 10k. If you are in a challenge it is unmatched. It is a feature of other devices so it is something that is feasible.

Moderator edit: Edited labels and title for clarity.

[Gill_N]

Sounds a very good idea to me.

[SunsetRunner]

Needs to be an option, many folks may not like this changed permanently.

[LaniH]

@SunsetRunner

Making it a option is fine but It wouldn't be a "permanent change" it would align with the step average. More motivation to stay active that's all.

[Rights21]

This sounds ok but I spend two weeks at work where my avg is 20k plus and a week at home where I have trouble reaching half that amount just yet. I do think it would be great for the goal day challenge though.

[TobiasF]

good idea for such dynamic goal on daily basis, Garmin vivobands have this feature and they increase slighlty after your reached yoru dialy goal but did not decrased it

[enteecee]

I love this idea, but increases of 20 steps a day is too little.  More like a hundred, since I can log 20 steps going to the bathroom and back.

[SunsetRunner]

Sure--100 a day works, too.  Just an example. 🙂

[Velamint]

More badges more motivation. There should be hundreds. I couldn't wait to get my first 100,000 lifetime steps only to find out there was no badge for that. More badges equals more fun. Everyone needs to vote for more badges asap. 😀 and after your 25 stairs badges you don't get another one until you hit 500 lifetime stairs. That's a lot of stairs. Especially for the unfit lol.

[jes2015]

I'm not a big badge collector in principal, they dont seem to motivate me BUT having said that I do think that a program of consistently and constantly increased number of steps is a really good beginner idea. The actual number is of itself a motivator especially when folks are starting from very low/zero levels of activity

[DerrickS]

@LaniH This a great idea! I think it would be great to have the option of of having a dynamic step goal that increases based on historical fitness data. I will be sure to relay your feedback on to our team for review.

Thanks for posting on the Feature Request board!

[AngelaMa]

What a great idea, I'm sure it will help a lot of users to increase the activity level in a healthy way! Thank you for sharing your idea.

[cplincoln]

I would love to have a step goal that is a modifiable percentage above the 28 day moving average.  For instance, if my 28 day average was 15k, I've obviously got the standard 10k step goal down.  I could permanently change the goal to 15k, but maybe a planned vacation to lounge at a beach will make that goal very hard.

A dynamically changing goal tied to the 28 day average could help coax people to just go a small percentage more every day.  Additionally, it could ease someone coming back from an injury like a sprained ankle into making manageable goals without over exurting themselves.

Say your desired step goal increase was 3%.  With a 28 day average of 15k, on day 29 your goal would be 15,450 steps.  Not a great increase...and not hard to achieve and keep a goal streak alive.  If you made exactly that amount, on day 30, your 28 day average would be 15,016 and the goal would be 15,467... another slight increase.

If on day 31 you sprain your ankle, and have to stay off your feet for 7 days, getting zero steps for that time, your 28 day average woud have decreased to 11,283.  Instead of shooting for the higher 15k+ goal immediately after coming back from an injury, the +3% step goal would be 11,621.

	28 Day Avg.	Goal
Day 29	15,000	15,450
Day 30	15,016	15,467
Day 31	15,033	0
Day 32	14,497	0
Day 33	13,961	0
Day 34	13,426	0
Day 35	12,890	0
Day 36	12,354	0
Day 37	11,818	0
Day 38	11,283	11,621

It would be nice if there was a min/ max that the dynamic goals would not pass as well.  If you forget your charger on a 3 week work trip, your 28 day average when you return home is going to be artificially low.  A max goal would be needed so people don't over exert themselves after.

I would also love to be able to modify the desired increase.  I used a 3% example, but would like to see it modifiable between 1 and 25%.  

[SunriseRun1250]

The reviews of fitbit say once you set your goals, that's it VS the Apple Watch which automatically adjusts your goals.

It want the Fitbit to challenge me more automatically with further steps, etc based on my week, history, etc.

[sethgagnon]

I would like to see a feature where the user can set their daily step goal to Auto. The tracker would then look at the user's previous step history to establish a new goal for the day. Ideally, the goal would try to increase slightly more than what the user has been recording in history (maybe 10% more). If the user is not meeting the Auto step goal, then the goal would adjust down a little as well.

As an example Garmin trackers do this today:

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/vivoactive/EN-US/GUID-64D4EA37-AC6A-4359-A96D-2F8BD1707839.h...

[tmoufid14]

Hey Fitbit,

I just bought a new Fitbit Flex 2 and I like it! I would like to make two suggestions so that I can get the most out of my tracker. Bear with me while I try to articulate my ideas.

First, I would like to see automatic detection (rather estimation) of stride length on all trackers. Your high end trackers use the connected GPS functionality to do this, but all trackers have accelerometers and and all smartphones have GPS and accelerometers. So why not expand the functionality to all trackers? I won't have my phone for all my workouts but it would be nice to bring it along once in a while and have the app automatically estimate my stride length. I compared your estimated stride length with a few workouts I recorded on Google Fit. They were close, but as my cardiovascular ability changes your estimate may no longer be accurate. I'm not an exercise scientist but I am well aquainted with digital signal processing and feel this would be interesting to explore.

Second, I use the Fitbit app to track my weight. As of yet, I don't measure my body fat percentage but I know you offer a smart scale. So, given that the app tracks my weight, body composition and activity level (through steps, calories, heart rate and distance) it would be amazing if you could add a feature which adapts my activity goals to aid in weight loss. For example, if my weight is steady over a period of time, the app would increase my daily step goal.

These are just two ideas so that I can fully benefit from my Fitbit. It might be easier said than done, and I might be missing vital information but I hope I can help.

Keep up the good work guys and gals!

[SantiR]

Hi @sethgagnon! Interesting idea. I like the idea of the app becoming intelligent, thanks for taking the time to share it with us. Keen to hear what others think?

[LizFitbit]

Hi @tmoufid14 thanks for sharing these ideas. Currently there aren't any plans to automatically detect stride length on Flex 2. Your second idea is really interesting - I took the liberty of editing your title to focus on that one so people can vote on it. Thanks for posting!

[Lynnanine]

I would really like to have smart goals that adjust per user! Even just on a step count level, to encourage me to beat yesterday rather than having a flat, consistent goal.

[SunsetRunner]

So till this is added to fitbit I will have to buy a Garmin vívoactive because they have the auto adjust goals. I was looking to buy the Fitbit Versa till I found out the fitbit had not added this into app.

[jmechu]

I would like to see goals that looked at your past week of activity and increase your goal by 10% of last week's steps, active minutes, flights, and distance. If someone didn't get any steps because they forgot to charge their Fitbit, only include the active days.

[Asifhussain]

Instead of having a static target i feel having a dynamic step target and other targets are more realistic and help as part of your direction of coaching.
Garmin do a moving target so that when the step target is reached it is increased by 300 for the next day and if it isnt then it decreases. I feel as if the target continually moves and where you can set the interval of how much the jump is it will keep users more engaged

[stephenwfield]

 I, too, would love the feature of auto-goal or smart goal based on the user's previous history. Garmin has this feature on its devices. This would be a huge factor in purchasing a Fitbit vs. a Garmin. Please Fitbit, add these feature in a future firmware upgrade. It is a dealbreaker for me. Otherwise, I will have to go back to a Garmin. 

[chunkygreen]

Something I would like to see is an option to have step goals auto adjust. So rather than a fixed step goal which I have entered the counter would adjust the step goal compared to the amount of steps I take over a certain period. If I'm very active the goal would increase and the opposite if I'm not being so active. Seen it on other brands and like the option.

[SunsetRunner]

The step go is now set to 250. It would be great if this number were adjustable. Many people are struggling to walk, elderly, disabled, or shut in. 10 steps an hour might be a great achievement for some, and might be an accomplishment for them to be proud of.  If these people could set realistic step goals for themselved, they might be motivated to move, be encouraged to use a Fitbit, and possibly increase their health and mobility; therefore, recognize a benefit of the device. It could even increase sales to that population.