Challenges not Based on Steps, eg. Sports, Stairs, Active Mins

[Lianne393]

It would be nice to have different types of challenges that aren't solely based on getting our steps in. 

For instance, the number of active minutes in a day, loss challenge, calories, water consumption. Some activities don't count steps such as cycling, skiing or skateboard.  I would like to be able to compete against my friends while doing other activities.  

Moderator edit: Word choice

[Zsinka80]

Daily and weekly water challenge would be a very good one! Most people around me struggling to drink enough and sometimes I forget to log it too but if there is a challenge it would remind us. Thank you

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Zsinka80, thanks for explaining why you would like to have this option. I've moved it into a similar suggestion which has a lot of votes. As the more votes and comments an idea has the more visibility and momentum it gains. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs.

[StephaniaDarius]

to little too late. i stopped wearing mine about a month ago and don’t miss it

[debgumm]

When is this going to happen?Its been months?Come on get with it tons of vote.Whats the hold up when u said it was going to happen?

[SunsetRunner]

Hello. There should be a challenge option that is more than just steps. Physical Activity should be one. There are often times where I am being a lot more physically active than people who are in step challenges and I will lose the step challenge because even though I ride a bike for over an hour a day it means nothing. I also think that this would promote people to go out and be more active in other ways than just walking or running to add up steps.  Please implement this feature. It should not take long to make a challenge as you already have it coded to do a challenge and calculate the steps, just have the coding look at the activity part that is already being tracked.  Probably could do this over night, in a few hours. Please do, it is really my biggest complaint with the Fitbit app.

[X-BT]

Why has this not been implemented yet? Shouldn't be more than a couple of ours work of coding as it is more or less copy paste of the step challenge with a different variable name. Couldn't find a third party service that could provide it either - Endomondo only reads steps and sleep from Fitbit it seems.

[JacquelynL]

This would definitely be awesome. I just got my fitbit and was looking forward to doing the NYC adventures but they're not available now.  I was very disappointed.

[debgumm]

Yeap and they took that away several months back won’t answer u why and for almost a year now they said that it got enough votes and where going ad more that’s why I thought they took off New York?Guess not I have a feeling this and clock faces for new charge 3 r going at same SLOW pace or never do it.Someone before mentioned Stridekick under Fitbit in our app section so I have been doing Fitbit challenge and that nowThey do need to change up challenges so often.

Sent from my iPhone

[kbryant62616]

My coworkers and I do weekly workweek hustle challenges, and its great motivation to get moving. However, I am a rower not a runner, so I can never win because I am up against people that run for their exercise, and I can do a 50 minute row and not get any credit towards the challenge. It would be awesome if there was an active minutes challenge, or a calories burned challenge - just something that would accommodate different kinds of exercise!

[MarcelBK]

Hi @kbryant62616, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us,this feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here as it is under consideration. Click on the thumbs up button to vote for this suggestion.

[VTedrow]

I gave it a thumbs up eight months ago! Just make new challenges already! I don't know why the fit bit execs don't listen to their customers. It's sad really.

[StumpFarm]

Oh, Fitbit has been ignoring steps challenge suggestions for YEARS. 😞
Really frustrating.

[Lydiah17]

I think it’d be great to have challenges set up other than steps related. Like workouts or water intake challenges? I love competition!

[MarcelBK]

Hi @Lydiah17! Thank you for taking sharing your idea with us, this feature suggestion already exists so I’ve moved your post here as it is under consideration.

[tsperry]

I would love to have an activity challenge.  I spin and dont get as many steos, but its a workout!  Fun challenging friends.

[Choyoung]

I would love if fitbit had challenges for running distance, or other types of sports. Like NRC app, 15k a week challenge and more. Also not just with someone else but by myself as well to get a different kinds of badges..

[SunsetRunner]

Moderators, please relay the status of any plans to update the challenges for users. For me, at minimum, I would like to see ”calories burned” being added. Step counting is rather useless for a good % of your users. If there are no plans to update or there is reasoning behind not updating it would be nice if you were upfront about it.

Other than that, good fun product initially, kinda getting stagnant though if challenges aren’t updated.

Thanks,

Mac

[Joelk28]

I just received a fitbit versa for christmas. It is a bit shocking to see that the challenges are still only step-based after all of these years. Any ETA to when more categorical challenges will be available (eg: exercise, water consumption, calories, etc) , it is clearly a highly requested feature from reviewing this thread. Thanks!

[Jamere1023]

Have y'all considered adding challenge options beyond step count? I.e. For people who are using the fitbit for workout tracking and weight loss as well as steps, challenges like "pounds lost", "percent of exercise goals met", "minutes of exercise", or "daily exercise" would be really good for sharing accountability with friends while using features that the Fitbit already tracks.

[mtwomey]

+1 Just got my first fitbit for Christmas. My wife bought us each one. We're already enjoying competing with the couple of challenges in the app. However, we're already looking for more. Reading this thread (and the corresponding forums thread which goes back years) is, indeed depressing.

As a software developer myself, this seems like pretty low hanging fruit and a great way to add value to Fitbit products with relatively little cost. I understand no one is "ignoring" anyone here, clearly you're aware of the demand as it stands. It would probably put people at ease if they could just understand if it's not going to go on the roadmap anytime soon (or if it is, then where on your product development roadmap is it?). Just telling people you "value their input" for 4 years, but doing nothing - feels pretty disingenuous. If you're not going to do it, just lock the request and mark it closed - or commit to a re-evaluation in 2021 if you don't want to completely close the door on the idea.

[Missxmartian]

Preach.

[Kmgioia]

Exactly!!

[DejavuPoison]

Beautifully said, @mtwomey. Thank you! 🙂

I've posted in this thread in the past; I'm not sure where in the 34 pages, but to state again: I'd love more challenge options! I work a desk job and I don't get many steps during the day; however, I DO work hard in the evening to get as many steps as I can on my treadmill which amounts to a lot of active minutes, even if I don't meet the 10k goal.

I have friends who are teachers and market floor employees who say, "I haven't exercised all week and have 100k steps! What have you been doing!?" ... In a joking manner, since they know I exercise every evening of the challenge, yet my total "Work Week" step count ends up around 40k, and their active minutes are zero.

[keatrob]

@mtwomey - could not agree more!!

[rcooked]

I still maintain Fitbit's secret sauce is their software.  The ONLY thing I miss using my Apple Watch is the challenges, and not having them for more than just steps is a huge miss for me.  I would venture to bet that companies like Google and Apple will slaughter Fitbit in the long run if they continue to hold onto just step based challenges.  My gut feel is those two will get better at software for their devices faster than Fitbit innovates, and it's a shame, they have a real opportunity to dominate them, but will probably rest on their laurels.

Shame.