Apple Watch Activity Ring too easy to fill

[chrisoldroyd]

I am looking for some guidance on an issue with my Apple Watch series 3.

I have had the original Apple Watch and a Series 2 Apple Watch before getting this one and the issue is how it fills the Exercise Ring. On my previous two watches, it wasn’t easy to fill unless I actually did some real exercise, my normal daily movement would fill about 10 minutes on the green ring and nothing more. This seemed to make perfect sense and would drive me on to do a workout and complete the ring.

Now with the Series 3 Watch, it completes the ring without doing anything, everyday the ring is complete even if I have sat on my backside in meetings all day long. My wife still has the second gen watch and we can have the exact same day and her watch shows 10-12 minutes and mine will show around 40 minutes of exercise.

I have tried restoring from a backup and setting up as a new watch and it is exactly the same. Anyone any ideas or should I make an appointment with Apple?

Thanks

Chris
[doublepost=1514885789][/doublepost]This is a comparison between my day and my wife's. We had pretty much identical days that day so you can see the differences between the two. I got up earlier but literally sat on the sofa and made a cup of coffee.

 

[HengenJL]

Have you checked your Health app, specifically the Height and Weight in the Body Measurements section? I've seen this happen before where the height and weight got change and it drastically affected how many calories / exercise minutes were recorded.

 

[chrisoldroyd]

Have you checked your Health app, specifically the Height and Weight in the Body Measurements section? I've seen this happen before where the height and weight got change and it drastically affected how many calories / exercise minutes were recorded.

I have checked that it’s correct in the Watch app and the health app. All spot on but thanks anyway.

 

[JackieInCo]

It does seem to be easier to fill the exercise ring. I'll walk in the morning for 60-90 minutes and then go to work and get another 30-45 exercise minutes credited when before I bough the series 3, there were times at work when I would never get an exercise minutes. Something has changed with the way the series 3 tracks. I've heard others on the watch reddit say the same thing.
[doublepost=1514919897][/doublepost]Since 6Pm last night, I have been wearing two watches just to compare the results. This morning at midnight, I walked for three miles and got credited 47 exercise minutes on both watches. When I woke up, I went and got a tire repaired on my car and my series 3 on my left hand rewarded me with three exercise minutes during the time I've been awake. The series 2 is still at 47 minutes where it should be. The series 3 is paired with my 7+ and the 2 is paired with my 6S+.

 

[ftaok]

By any chance, have you turned Italian since getting the S3? Maybe the AW is recording your hand movements while you talk. Nah, just kidding.

What you can do is check the exercise data and see exactly which minutes during the day you are registering exercise minute credits. If you're lying in bed at 8:52PM and you received an exercise credit for that minute, then something's probably off.

You might get some insight as to what you're doing the exact minute that you receive a credit.

EDIT - Maybe look at your HR chart during those times where you receive credit while presumably doing nothing.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Have you checked your Health app, specifically the Height and Weight in the Body Measurements section? I've seen this happen before where the height and weight got change and it drastically affected how many calories / exercise minutes were recorded.

Vey helpful tip! Especially when you upgrade watches. I’ve used the Nike+ S2 early last year, sold it (android mistake never again), and came back to iOS and got another with 1 month between. I use the MyFitnessPal app (phenomenal) and jus checked Health Data and it said I was 5’7. I haven’t been that tall in over 30yrs! Corrected in Helsth but had to in MyFitnessPal.

I’m hoping going forward that Apple HealthKit when profile data (name, age, height, weight, etc) it is entered for other apps using his API.

 

[BigMcGuire]

My AW3 requires 120bpm for it to count as exercise. I can walk as fast as I can and it won't get to 120bpm - thus requiring me actually to jog to get "exercise" or do something extremely strenuous. Only thing I can think of is your 120bpm to count for exercise is set to 80 or something.

 

[mk313]

I was Mader if it has to do with he altimeter being Added to the watch. Maybe you’re getting credit t for going up and down steps.

 

[mfa81]

My AW3 requires 120bpm for it to count as exercise. I can walk as fast as I can and it won't get to 120bpm - thus requiring me actually to jog to get "exercise" or do something extremely strenuous. Only thing I can think of is your 120bpm to count for exercise is set to 80 or something.

can you change this?

 

[0837990]

I totally agree. I complete my exercise ring just from walking to and from my commuter train to get to and from work... Walking isn't exercise. I wish I at least could adjust the amount of exercise minutes required to close the ring, cause as of right now it's completely pointless.

 

[webbga]

I have the opposite problem. My Series one will do just fine recording exercise when I walk on the treadmill at 5.1 mph. Recently my treadmill was down for 5 days and I would jog in place in the morning for about an hour and a half trying to compensate. Some mornings my jogging would only net me 15 to 20 minutes of exercise on my ring.

 

[BlankStar]

I had 21 minutes last night, so I went for a fast 10-minute walk without the workout app. Had 24 minutes then.

Series 0

 

[BigMcGuire]

can you change this?

I can’t find a way to do this! I could have sworn when setting with up as new it had an option to set this. :/

 

[Mlrollin91]

Sounds like you need to calibrate it to learn your stride and your walking BPM. Set up an outdoor walk and go for a 20 minute walk at your normal pace. After that, exercise credit won't be awarded as easily.
[doublepost=1519237056][/doublepost]

I had 21 minutes last night, so I went for a fast 10-minute walk without the workout app. Had 24 minutes then.

Series 0

If you are not running the workout app, it requires walking at 3.0MPH or faster rate. When you are not using the workout app, it is not tracking your heart rate, thus it can not determine if you are actually at an elevated heart rate. The only thing it can go by is your speed.

 

[kohlson]

For my S0, in the first year it seemed to undercount Exercise. I would run for 18 minutes, get 10 minutes credit. Walk for 40 minutes get 15 minutes credit. In the last year I've started wearing the standard sport band 1 notch tighter. Now, I seem to get very close to 1:1 for Exercise, and additional minutes throughout the day. In all cases I walk about 17min/mile, and run about 9 min/mile. My perception is that the AW0 is imperfect (and Apple has stated that it undercounts compared to a university tested pedometer) - but I don't care. It helps me get out and exercise.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I totally agree. I complete my exercise ring just from walking to and from my commuter train to get to and from work... Walking isn't exercise. I wish I at least could adjust the amount of exercise minutes required to close the ring, cause as of right now it's completely pointless.

On the contrary, walking IS exercise and is extremely beneficial for your heart and overall health. However, I agree that walking at a casual pace shouldn't be getting you exercise minutes. I have a desk job so I get up hourly and walk through the building which includes several flights of stairs so my ring is usually closed by the end of the work day. However, if it weren't for the stairs I don't think I would be getting credit for those minutes.

 

[BlankStar]

I just read about a recent study that walking at a decent pace is even better than running, because it doesn't stress the heart too much nor does it have the impact on the knees, etc.

Maybe when you've walked 5 minutes non-stop it should count as movement, to make sure the small walks around the office are excluded...

 

[DeepIn2U]

My AW3 requires 120bpm for it to count as exercise. I can walk as fast as I can and it won't get to 120bpm - thus requiring me actually to jog to get "exercise" or do something extremely strenuous. Only thing I can think of is your 120bpm to count for exercise is set to 80 or something.

I can’t find a way to do this! I could have sworn when setting with up as new it had an option to set this. :/

You’re mistaken you cannot. What you noticed and most likely meant is your elevated heart rate in BPM that you can change from default 120bpm in iOS > Watch App > Notifications > Elevated Heart Rate.

 

[Shirasaki]

My AW3 requires 120bpm for it to count as exercise. I can walk as fast as I can and it won't get to 120bpm - thus requiring me actually to jog to get "exercise" or do something extremely strenuous. Only thing I can think of is your 120bpm to count for exercise is set to 80 or something.

My resting bpm could easily reach 90-100 if I move a bit more intense. Walking average is 130 bpm. I guess if you change your elevated bpm setting, the “exercise bpm” would change as well. Or, it is calculated based on your weight, age, height and gender.
[doublepost=1519464579][/doublepost]

I just read about a recent study that walking at a decent pace is even better than running, because it doesn't stress the heart too much nor does it have the impact on the knees, etc.

Maybe when you've walked 5 minutes non-stop it should count as movement, to make sure the small walks around the office are excluded...

I can wave my arms and stand still to do “workout”. I can get standing hours by just raising my arm above my head or lower the arm but keep it straight and move a bit.

Interestingly, my “office walk” does not count as much exercise as I hope.

 

[JackieInCo]

I just read about a recent study that walking at a decent pace is even better than running, because it doesn't stress the heart too much nor does it have the impact on the knees, etc.

I walk every day and started doing so on December 4th. I started walking 2-3 miles that month and sometimes 4 miles. My miles would average about 17 minutes. Since then, I've gotten them down to the low 16s because I'm walking faster and now I'm walking 10 miles per day most days. I don't get out of breath and it feels amazing to walk daily.

As far as stress on the knees and walking, it's not as stressful but it's doing some amazing things to my legs especially around the knee area. My legs look so much different now then they did before I started walking back in early December.

It's just amazing the changes I've noticed from these past almost three months now from having so much energy to get me through long days at work to getting things done around the house that I simply didn't have the energy to do previously.

Whatever exercise you decide to do whether it's walking or running, the benefits that you will get out of it will far exceed what you got out of doing nothing before. I've gotten to much out of walking daily to not continue.

Keeping walking/running/working out everyone! I'm with you all the way!