Fitbit help? Especially ladies of a certain age!

[catlady]

I decided to try and get fit once lockdown started! I've lost 4 stone doing SW and although I have another stone to loose ideally, I hadn't really done any exercise apart from walking the dog every day! My 19 year old dd is into her fitness and was missing the gym so she has taken me on as a challenge 🤣! I'm 55 and in menopause so it's definitely a challenge lol!

She gave me her old Fitbit Alta HR and set me up with it on my phone which I'm enjoying using, but it keeps saying I've done loads of active minutes when I haven't, and shows my heart really high suddenly when I'm sitting or even alsleep? You can't seem to delete them either? I do have hot flushes regularly? Is it this? or is the fitbit not working properly? Just wondered if anyone else had this issue? Not sure whether to buy myself a new one? 🤔

Thanks

[malt1977]

Make sure that if fitted snugly on your wrist, if it’s lose and and the HR sensor moves about, that can cause erratic readings.

If it is secure, I’d go down the route of it being on its way out rather than an issue with you.

[Ellelledee]

A couple of things I’d say is
1. I really wanted a Fitbit after hearing people who used them but when I got mine I was disappointed because the first day I wore it I was sat down chatting to my daughter and it was saying I’d done all these steps when I was actually sat talking with my hands!
2. If it was your daughters which you now use it has to adjust to your rhythms. I don’t know the proper explanation but the fitter you are you resting heart rate is slower etc. I know I had one of those bands you wear around your chest and when I first used it it was giving very high readings sort of indicating I was doing massive workouts etc but it was just syncing to my body/heart rate etc. So I think maybe if your daughter is very fit she will probably have a lower resting heart rate so if it’s suddenly picking up a higher heart rate it thinks you are exerting yourself maybe? I don’t know but I think it’s something like that.

I wear mine all the time now and I am a lady of a certain age. Mine is the charge 3 though and it reads your sleep and everything - it’s having a field day with my restless nights and hot sweats etc

[catlady]

Thank you for replies 😁!

Ellelledee, I've been looking at the Charge 3 too? Do you find it reads extra active minutes at night? My sleep is so disrupted now!

[malt1977]

Have a look at the Garmin devices, in my opinion, they’re much better.

[Ellelledee]

Originally Posted by catlady

Thank you for replies 😁!

Ellelledee, I've been looking at the Charge 3 too? Do you find it reads extra active minutes at night? My sleep is so disrupted now!

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I don’t really take any notice of the active minutes to be honest. When you get your fit bit it asks you your goals and mine is set for steps, calories and weight loss - which is silly because obviously you have to enter that manually and I don’t enter it every time I weigh myself as that would be changing daily.
I have just looked at my dashboard and active minutes are there and clearly mine doesn’t record active minutes at night but I don’t know the settings as I have it set to pick up activity over 30 minutes etc - so I have taken a screenshot to show you mine. I’m working from home and sat at a desk all day so all it’s picked up is the walk yesterday - doesn’t appear to recognise me run up and downstairs to get a load for the washing machine. I’ve also taken a picture of my sleep from last night it shows you the different stages and explains what they mean.
I actually like mine and wear it all the time - never wear my “nice watch” because I’m really keep on knowing my calorie burn as I have become very obsessed with weight loss and getting fit. I like to know the end of the day calorie burn for me - that’s set with my weight/height etc - did you change that on yours cos I think that can affect readings if it’s still reading with your daughters vitals.

[WhereIBelong]

Would not be wearing one at the moment.

Interferes with the advice to be "naked from the elbow down" to ensure proper handwashing.

[catlady]

Originally Posted by Ellelledee

I don’t really take any notice of the active minutes to be honest. When you get your fit bit it asks you your goals and mine is set for steps, calories and weight loss - which is silly because obviously you have to enter that manually and I don’t enter it every time I weigh myself as that would be changing daily.
I have just looked at my dashboard and active minutes are there and clearly mine doesn’t record active minutes at night but I don’t know the settings as I have it set to pick up activity over 30 minutes etc - so I have taken a screenshot to show you mine. I’m working from home and sat at a desk all day so all it’s picked up is the walk yesterday - doesn’t appear to recognise me run up and downstairs to get a load for the washing machine. I’ve also taken a picture of my sleep from last night it shows you the different stages and explains what they mean.
I actually like mine and wear it all the time - never wear my “nice watch” because I’m really keep on knowing my calorie burn as I have become very obsessed with weight loss and getting fit. I like to know the end of the day calorie burn for me - that’s set with my weight/height etc - did you change that on yours cos I think that can affect readings if it’s still reading with your daughters vitals.

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Thanks for that info. I did change the settings on it for me rather then dd, so I think it's set ok? I'm interested in calorie burn and steps too so I'll check the set up again I may have done it wrong and it's recording stuff I don't want it too?

Thank you 😁

[catlady]

Originally Posted by malt1977

Have a look at the Garmin devices, in my opinion, they’re much better.

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I have read Garmin are meant to be better and I was looking at them last night online? Trouble is they just look so big and bulky and black lol! I personally think they are missing a trick with their design! 😏😂

[catlady]

Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

Would not be wearing one at the moment.

Interferes with the advice to be "naked from the elbow down" to ensure proper handwashing.

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I take mine off when I'm washing my hands and cooking or doing stuff in the kitchen, my watch too! Always have as neither are water proof?