Tracking a workout on treadmill

[CoachP5]

Today I did an interval workout on a treadmill for about 35 minutes (3.1 miles) and it was pretty intense and I actually was really proud of my workout. Then I looked down at my Fitbit and it only gave me credit for .47 miles. I figured I could just manually log it so that the distance was accurate however when I log it all I am allowed to edit is the time I started and finished. Is their anyway for me to change this specific workout? Then get credit for other treadmill workouts I do throughout the winter? Thanks!

[MrMarv]

@CoachP5 -

About the only "workouts" I am currently participating in so close to surgery are walks around work and morning and evening treadmill work.

I make sure to N-E-V-E-R hold on to the treadmill handle at any time with the hands my Alta HR is on. Holding on with just your dominate hand, with your device hand swinging freely with no exaggeration will track near perfectly when compared with a belt worn tracker. I have tested using my Alta HR and my wife's Alta in a belt holder and I always get good step counts and, by extension, good mileage. I may actually get credit for a little more in the mileage department because if I don't really concentrate I seem to take just a little shorter steps while getting credit for my normal step length. This is especially so if the incline is increased.

Be cautious about manual entry of exercises if your Fitbit includes heart rate reporting. Heart rate is a critical component of the calorie burn calculation. From the Fitbit help article:

"For trackers that support heart rate monitoring, you would probably only want to log an activity manually if you forgot to wear your tracker or forgot to track the exercise. These trackers take heart rate into account when calculating calories burned, so even if an activity doesn't count steps, you still get calorie count information. "

Link to the article: http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1144

[Ffjohn2818]

I have the same problem, in addition to lousy HR readings, the distance is always off by a significant amount. There is no reason they could not add a manual edit to distance to the app. Running outdoors in 115 degree heat index here is just not safe for many people, frigid temps in other places are the same. Why not a manual adjustment for distances?!?!?!?

[Kris111]

i realize this is a old post but you could try a heart rate monitor and app to help when you manually enter it?

It definately never tracks treadmill right, you got that right. I have a garmin as well and if im using treadmill use that but i'm not even sure garmin tracks things accurately if you use incline or not, it's risky business.  Or alternatively there are calculators online where you can input data for treadmill, it's all still a bit risky but maybe analyzing everything will help get a estimate atleast through all these methods,lol. Some treadmills (atleast mine) don't even ask your age or weight either so not sure how accurate the calorie count is on them ...if thats the case maybe email manufacturer to get what that calorie count is based on? I know, a lot of work just to get the silly number.