Charge HR Multiple Exercises

[almostvindiesel]

I'm using my Fitbit Charge HR primarily to estimate calories burned. I'm syncing it to MyFitnessPal, which I prefer for inputting calorie intake. I also use runkeeper to track my outside runs, but at the moment I don't sync anything.

I'm trying to better understand how to log exercises to ensure that Fitbit best estimates my calories.

So let's say I do a workout that totals 60 minutes:
a) 10 minute run outside
b) 40 minute weight lifting
c) 10 minutes stretching
------
60 mins exercise total

Should I:
- Start and stop my timer on my Fitbit Charge HR for each distinct exercise duration or for the total duration of all exercises? How should I categorize the exercises?
- Should I sync runkeeper at all? If so, just to Fitbit? Or just to myfitness pal?
- If I do exercises like calestenics, should I log them manually to Fitbit (w start Abe end times) or just let Fitbit determine them?

Thanks!

John

[RobertoME]

Hello @almostvindiesel, welcome aboard to our Fitbit Community.Let me share with you some ideas. Considering the exercise you described and the integration you are using this is what I recommend.

If you run for 10 minutes, your Charge HR will track your steps on this activity, so you don't need to do anything beyond wearing your tracker. Now if you want this portion of your routine be include along with the rest of your exercise you can use the Exercise mode too or use the SmartTrack feature.

Now about weight lifting, usually I start the exercise mode by pressing the side button with these activities. Since this is not an exercise that require steps, by using the timer, it will improve the accuracy of this activity's contribution to your caloric burn along with your heart rate.

For stretching you still can leave active the exercise mode on your tracker during the extra 10 minutes. Reagrd categorize you can choose the exercise you like. In my case I just leave this activities as "Workout" so I know it was weight lifting exercises.

Is better if you do all your exercise in one activity records, since exercise mode only count for your exercise after 5 minutes and your very active minutes, after 10 minutes. So if you use the timer for each portion of your routine, you run the risk it does not recognized your exercise for those activities with short time.

About syncing with other apps, keep in mind Runkeeper data doesn't sync to Fitbit, only your Fitbit data syncs with Runkeeper sharing calories and sleep. With MyFitnessPal its fine to sync, as long you don't log activities that cross with activities from your Fitbit account, that can duplicate your numbers. MyFitnessPal its great to track your food intake as you mentioned.

Finally if you are doing an exercise is not listed, you can manually log it or use the exercise mode and later on change the name to one custom activity. For additional details please visit: How do I track my exercise and activities with Fitbit?

There are different ways to track your exercise, so is just how you feel more comfortable using your tracker along with its features.

If you have more questions, I'll be around.

[almostvindiesel]

 Thanks a ton @RobertoME, this explaination and the links help a lot!

A couple of other questions

- Does categorizing your exercise do anything (such as train fitbit to recognize an exercise automatically or change caloric burn estimate)?

- Related to the above--the fitbit almost always underestimates my distance when I run (relatively to GPS in the runkeeper). Does categorizing a run as a run help fitbit better estimate my stride length / distance? I know I can use fitbit app to accomplish this, but I'd prefer not to have to launch both runkeeper and fitbit (as well as google maps and spotify =D) when I'm running.

Thanks!

John

[RobertoME · Accepted solution]

Hi @almostvindiesel, glad to hear my previous post help you with some of your questions. About categorizing, the straight answer is no . When you categorize an activity it may add some stats, like distance to give you an example; but it won't automatically recognize your exercise if the activity you are doing is not in the default list of activities of the SmartTrack feature.

The categorization works to label your activity record and for some exercises where is require to add the distance. However it wont improve the distance itself. When it comes about distance is a different subject. Note your trackers will calculate distance by multiplying your walking steps and walking stride length. Similarly, your running steps are multiplied by your running stride length. This will not necessarily match a pre-measured distance, nor will it show exactly what a GPS device will show. My recommendation for this is to enter your own Stride Length and Running Stride Length to improve the accuracy. Another user of the community explained the steps to do this in the following post. Please take a look, it may come handy ion case you need it.

Keep me psoted how it goes. Catch ya later my friend.