Sense 2 does not record zone minutes

[sgbednar]

I just switched from Inspire 2 to Sense 2.  So many things do not seem to be working, I am not sure where to start.  Most critical, probably, is that it does not record any zone minutes.  None whatsoever!  Zone minutes abruptly stopped recording when I switched over to Sense 2.  Anybody?  

[t.parker · Accepted solution]

Zone minutes are based on HR so first see whether the HR readings are correct. Sense 2 isn't most accurate device when it comes to HR tracking.

[sgbednar]

The HR appears to be functioning adequately.  My activity in this past 24 hours has been very atypical for me, so it is hard to gauge accuracy, but it is recording, and the numbers seem reasonable in terms of what I am doing.  There just aren't any zone minutes appearing. Usually I rack those up just moving around the house.  Exercise is not necessary to earn the fat-burning minutes.  Everyday activity easily takes care of those.  I can't believe that I would get zero, even on an unusually sedentary day.  

[sgbednar]

Well, I gave the HR monitor a better check-up today, exercising until I reached my zone, then checking my own pulse and comparing to the device readings.  It does seem to be reasonably accurate, but if that is indeed the case, my Inspire 2 must have been WAY off!   It was giving me zone minutes for everyday activities like housework and barn chores (I have horses).  I had chalked that off to my being more active than the average 73 year old.  Guess I flattered myself!  Adjusting goals and expectations WAY downwards!  🥴

[JerryHam]

From what I remember, the Inspire was doing the old "active minutes" (just moving) and the newer devices do "Zone Minutes" which are based on heart rate zone and not just on steps. So the two aren't comparable measures at all. And, like t.parker mentioned, since the HR readings on the Sense 2 are so awfully bad it doesn't count Zone Minutes very well anyway. But the way it works is look at your heart rate zones in the app. From there for each minute of real time you spend in "fat burn" you get 1 zone minute. For each minute of real time you spend in cardio and peak zones you get two zone minutes. Much different than those "active minutes" from the older devices.

[sgbednar]

Just curious--what does the Sense do that makes it bad at heart rates?  Are the measurements off?  Or does it just not "notice?"  

[JerryHam]

Several threads here in this forum discuss the issues. Here's a couple:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Sense-2/How-is-Sense-2-heart-rate-accuracy-while-exercising/m-p/5250...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Sense-2/Heart-rate-accuracy-during-sitting-standing/td-p/5276395/jum...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Sense-2/Inaccurate-HR-during-weight-training-and-HIIT/td-p/5274573/j...

Also, the Quantified Scientist did a review of HR tracking here: https://youtu.be/L3pYPvdi1qE

Basically, you will find that the Sense 2 has no idea what your HR is much of the time. You might be sitting and it says 145, then 2 minutes later, with no change in what you are doing, it says 55. Or walking slowly and it says 150 when it should say 75 or 80. It is all over the place. For me, I get about three times the Zone Minutes that I should because I will be walking with a real HR of 80 (which is "below zones") but the Sense will say 125 which is in my Cardio Zone and gives me 2 Zone Minutes per clock minute. Anyway, read those other threads for details. And see the review I linked above - you'll see that the Sense 2 does extremely poorly when pitted against other devices.

[sgbednar]

Thanks.  I am not happy to hear that, since I just bought the thing!  Today I returned to my more typical activity level, and my zone minutes are still only about 1/3 of what they usually were on my Inspire 2.  I went out to do some barn chores, and was getting a bunch of minutes.  Came in for a couple minutes, then went out and resumed my work.  Never got another minute.  This is discouraging.  I will read through the strings.  I sincerely hope they are taking steps to correct the problem, because HR is a central feature, without which a fitness tracker is a piece of junk!