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

[NoxDineen]

Almost 4 years of people saying they want this and still not traction on adding challenges focused on metrics other than steps? 😞

[Costeni]

Exactly. I'm trying to understand why Fitbit don't like the idea of other
metrics but I have no answer, only various speculations. Perhaps they think
it overcomplicates things (and they may be right). The one I want is sleep
challenges.

[GerdaMerete]

Challenges based on healthy food:

I seriously think you should consider "sugar-free challenges" like "challenge a friend to stay sugarfree for 10, 20 or 30 days", or start a streak and see who can stay sugarfree for the longest. This could also work for periods with low carb diet with set rules, a white month (a month without alcohol), or a week of fast (no food). 

This functionality needs to have an extremely easy user interface and easy rules. No need to log food, but maybe to press a "reset (I screwed up) button" that will make you move back to day one and start over again, or it's of course possible to use a different set of rules where you move back five days or whatever. This is something you do with friends based on trust anyway. Maybe there should be a "pledge" on what kind of food you pledge not to eat or drink. Find inspiration in the app "Sugarstop Challenge". Maybe a similar list of food where you can tick off what you will drop eating this period. There should be a buildt in ranking and count down - and you move back to day one again if you eat sugars? This will add a new and fun perspective to the app, and the general health of the users.

Challenges on THE RESULTS of a healthy lifestyle:

Would be nice to be challenged on greatest weightloss in % for a set period (1, 3 or 6 months?). People don't like sharing weight, but would possibly not mind sharing change in % every week. Fun ranking! Also change in fat-% would be a fun challenge over a longer period of time. You have to work hard to win a challenge in changing fat-%, as little food would not do the trick.

[dsoman]

I have the same suggestion, for different reasons. A majority of my workouts during the week are weightlifting and swimming, neither of which give me very many steps. It's demotivating to compete in a step challenge with my friend who is a nurse because she will always get more steps than me. For these challenges to serve the purpose of inspiring activity, it would be fun to see challenges based off of active minutes, heart rate zones, etc., rather than just simply getting steps.

One other note, I will go on walks with my friend and she will always come back with a few thousand more steps, even though we walked the same distance. Active minutes challenge FTW!

[Cbass5]

Add a calories challenge. As a swimmer, All my friends are always beating me out despite me burning 4K calories daily. I don’t feel steps should be the only measure for challenges. Some of us are swimmers, others runners, others body builders. Have more options for challenges. Steps are not the only form of working out. 

[VTedrow]

My whole extended family is in competition to see who can be the most active and we would LOVE to see different types of challenges, not just steps. An Active Minute challenge encompasses so much more and gives a better picture of who's really working than steps only. I see on these forums that people have been asking for this since 2014.  It can't be that hard to funnel the already gathered info into challenges for friends. Come on engineers, you can do it!! I'll run an extra mile for you!

[UdTrev]

I would love to see this, my primary exercise is on the bike, so calories and floors would give me a chance to catch up with the youngsters here 🙂

[NiffiN]

surf\Long\skateboard-friendly app would make my life perfect. I use Fitbit tracker when I am longboarding but do not know if it is best to use hike, run or walk.

[bcrissman]

I can’t believe they added a menstral cycle reminder before more challenges.

[burnt-barn-moon]

not to mention people who are differently abled where walking is not the primary way of getting activity. I'd love fitbit to add a activity challenge to help level the playing field in challenges. I feel that there are a quite a bit of  requests for this and fitbit is not being responsive. It's disappointing. 

[burnt-barn-moon]

Would love to see this added and so glad it's under consideration. It is long overdue, especially for the differently-abled population.

[Paulife]

I'm trying to get into shape and stay in shape, and the only method that works for me is, unfortunately watching calorie intake.

While Fitbit has a calorie burnt and consumed function I use my Samsung Health App to log my meals as it picks up local products easier and it easier to use (got a bit side tracked).

I would like a challenge where you have to aim for a specific calorie burnt, per week/day type challege, as some people cheat in their step count or others walk around a lot without actually getting their HR up, and a 30 min workout will burn more calories than 10 000 steps a day in some cases.

If this is possible, that would be great.

[NSsupportgroup]

I see that everyone is asking for the same things..I would love to see challenges with swimming! During the summer I'm not walking as much so my challenges I don't do well! I'm swimming not walking as much. I'd love to see challenges with swimming in mind...even if it's just hours.. calories...but swimmers would love to see more! 

[NSsupportgroup]

YES!! During the summer I swim more than walking. I need soetsomet for swimming!

[aduerfeldt]

We have the Aria scale in our office. Wish we could use it for an office weight loss challenge. Having the option to do it by lbs lost or by % lost over set time frames would be awesome!!

[HollySalsman]

I feel like Fitbit has really evolved from a simple step tracker to multi sport support... but the friends rankings and challenges just haven’t. 

I realize not everyone who is heavily into other activities like biking or sports participate or even care about the step count and ranking among friends. I do, however, because it’s a great motivator for me and I like the group challenges. 

I bike a lot. And I feel like I’m almost penalized for focusing on that activity because I could ride for two hours at high intensity and at the end of the day what seems to matter “globally” is how many steps I’ve taken. 

I would love to see Fitbit implement a points system for weekly rankings and challenges. Where higher intensity workouts (which can easily be measured by heart rate or even frequency of steps if you’re a runner) give you more points than basic walking. I think it would be a more accurate representation of activity levels. I know personally I have refrained from upgrading to the newer Fitbit models because multi sport doesn’t do anything for me other than my personal log. I would upgrade in a heartbeat if Fitbit converted, or at least incorporated, a points system similar to Misfit platform! 

[YojanaFitbit]

 Hi @HollySalsman, thanks for sharing this idea. 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.

[G-fit7777]

Why are we still waiting for these changes???? I would like challenges I can do based in my country ‘England’. 

Everything is based in the NYC, how can I do the challenge if I can’t pass the land marks?????

[spottiger]

I would love to see some challenges for meeting exercise goals rather then just steps.  I have found that some members of my circles have begun to "cheat" on their steps just to win challenges. 

[Paulife]

True, some people cheat with their steps.
I just want a calories burnt challenge and maybe a distance challenge.
My boyfriend runs and has long strides so he doesn't get as many steps in
as you when walking.

I need to walk since I can't run for health reasons, but I monitor my
calories burnt per day to keep me fit/active.

Don't understand why this is taking so long to implement (But I'm not a
programmer)
Also if there isn't a HR Charge 3 by next month, my current fitbit needs
replacing and I may look at the Garmin ...

[Walkster_101]

Hey there.
I agree with you and everyone else who has commented on this post.
However, I am not working as Fitbit Admin. I am just like you, another user of Fitbit. I would love to see some more challenges and what others have commented with their ideas also sounds fantastic.
How do I link this post to Fitbit Admin? Is there a way I can send this to the Administration team?
For them to see all of our ideas will hopefully get something done and give us more challenge options in the app.

Many thanks.

Get Outlook for Android

[NSsupportgroup]

I agree so much!! I swim and am always last in my challenges! My friends know that but keep inviting me so I just post how many mins and calories burned. 

[Stormfeather85]

I would love to see more versatile challenge options! My coworkers and I already do the step challenges, but it would be great to have water consumption, activity time, or distance added too. I ride my bike a lot, so my step count is usually among the lowest. Active minutes might even us all out!

[Warmog]

Dear Fitbit, 

Love your apps., would it be possible to add a sleep challenge among my friends?

I would love your apps even more!

[thockett]

I think this is one of the biggest things fitbit has dropped the ball on.  Everything is already tracked and put into totals for the dashboard, and we already have a leaderboard format for steps.  It would be really simple to edit the code from the previous leaderboard and add stairs climbed, calories, active minutes, etc.  It is something I figured would be added a long time ago, and I am still hopeful that we get an update for it.