Apple watch records exercises, even when I'm not excercising

[Defie22]

Hello.

My apple watch counts part of my walking as an excercise. I have to say It's not running, it is in normal pace. So the results are incorrect.

Do you know, how to fix it?

I have Apple Watch series 3 with 4.0 watch OS and I already tried setup as a new apple watch and also calibrating recommeded by Apple :/

 

[Zxxv]

Cause walking is exercise.

 

[andresandiego]

Hello.

My apple watch counts part of my walking as an excercise. I have to say It's not running, it is in normal pace. So the results are incorrect.

Do you know, how to fix it?

I have Apple Watch series 3 with 4.0 watch OS and I already tried setup as a new apple watch and also calibrating recommeded by Apple :/

It records anything that gets your heart rate above a certain level as exercise.

 

[Defie22]

Thanks that makes sense

 

[Julien]

Actually if not using the Workout app (or 3ed party) it uses the accelerometer and gyroscope to determine the amount of overall movement you are making. Above a certain threshold it starts counting as exercise. It is unknown but this threshold may be dynamic and related to your metrics. So make sure they are setup correctly.

When you walk you may have a lot of arm swing. You could probably lower this by reducing the amount of arm swing. Like carrying a package or briefcase in your left (if right handed) arm limiting arm swing.

 

[Defie22]

I understand it now.
I have to deal with fact that my watches evaluate my standard activites as excercising.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I understand it now.
I have to deal with fact that my watches evaluate my standard activites as excercising.

Yes, Apple makes these choices, not you.

What HR are you seeing while doing your "standard activities"?

 

[Defie22]

Yes, Apple makes these choices, not you.

What HR are you seeing while doing your "standard activities"?

70-80 bps. But almost everytime a have more than 80 steps per minute

 

[Newtons Apple]

70-80 bps. But almost everytime a have more than 80 steps per minute

These devices are programmed by the MFG and one program can not fit all.

I do not expect a lot of accuracy from my AW, the numbers, all of them, are really just for comparison day by day.

 

[Julien]

70-80 bps. But almost everytime a have more than 80 steps per minute

HR is irrelevant since the Watch will not know your HR unless you are using the Workout app (or take it manually). The Watch only takes periodical HR readings when you are very still trying to get the best Resting HR (RHR) readings. This is important in determining overall heart health.

This is part of the problem since it is determining exercise based only on movements and not actual (HR) exertion.

EDIT: A slight correction. it will 'periodically' take a HR reading while you are walking. However this would still not be enough to determine your cardio zone. Here is what Apple says.:

... In addition, Apple Watch measures your heart rate throughout the day when you’re still, and periodically when you’re walking (Apple Watch Series 1 or later). Since Apple Watch takes these background readings based on your activity, the time between these measurements will vary. Apple Watch also calculates a daily resting rate and walking average by correlating background heart rate readings with accelerometer data when sufficient background readings are available...

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204666

 

[Defie22]

That is

These devices are programmed by the MFG and one program can not fit all.

I do not expect a lot of accuracy from my AW, the numbers, all of them, are really just for comparison day by day.

That is reasonable attitude. I will try to use it that way.
[doublepost=1507898152][/doublepost]

HR is irrelevant since the Watch will not know your HR unless you are using the Workout app (or take it manually). The Watch only takes periodical HR readings when you are very still trying to get the best Resting HR (RHR) readings. This is important in determining overall heart health.

This is part of the problem since it is determining exercise based only on movements and not actual (HR) exertion.

EDIT: A slight correction. it will 'periodically' take a HR reading while you are walking. However this would still not be enough to determine your cardio zone. Here is what Apple says.:



https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204666

Yes, that is making sense. Steps per minute is always higher when AW are counting my walking as an exercise. So my age/weight/height and walking pace over 80 steps per minute makes me an exercise.

 

[Senfinger]

I would be pretty confident that your resting HR/BMR set is probably somewhere around 60 and you're getting your HR up to the 70/80. This is the reason some people have better/easier process of burning fat.

Give you an example I was a hardcore fitbit user... my resting hr is around 55-58 when I did Laundry, Dishes etc... my hr would be around 85 therefore I was burning higher than normal calories than just sitting, standing or walking (Not brisk walking) and it would show as active min/exercise... because I was actively burning- than doing nothing.

Hope that makes sense but I would say it was close/dead on. Also the Old AW use to only take hr every 15min horrible and algorithm it out. The new AW3 does it every 10 min and same thing.... so it's better but can't do all day active because of battery life. However- I have worn my Blaze on one wrist and the AW3 on the other and can tell you they are they are almost dead on with each other. The only difference is if you exercise and want those calories to show 100% on the AW you will need to select the fact you are exercising prior to.

For people who say they don't work- The Fitbits and AW3 placing them on and having the right stats for your BMR (Weight, Height, Age, Sex) etc... and keeping those up-to-date as they change and eating at a 500 cal deficit you will see a nice slow/steady fatloss that will help guide you quickly to your goal. I ran a 1 month test of eating at 500cal deficit and measuring food out and you can easily see a nice declining graph line on my BF% scale day to day...

 

[Defie22]

I would be pretty confident that your resting HR/BMR set is probably somewhere around 60 and you're getting your HR up to the 70/80. This is the reason some people have better/easier process of burning fat.
...

Yes, you are right. My resting HR is exactly 50. So it make sense - when I have 50% more (75bpm), than it could be counted as an exercise.

 

[Julien]

The difference between you RHR (resting) and MHR (max) is your HRR (heart rate reserve). Cardio effort is based off of your MHR (not RHR) and you will improve (lower) your RHR and therefore widen your HRR. Again the problem with the Watch is it can't monitor your HR continuously to determine if you entering a cardio zone (unless running the Workout app). It can only guess by movements. Here is a chart to tell what zone you are in with your current HR. Also a good rule of thumb to estimate your MHR is 220-age.

EDIT: 75BPM is not exercise (judging by your pic) or even that close.

 

[Defie22]

So it looks that Apple has wrong setup for an execise, because when I'm walking I'm far away from 90bpm

 

[Julien]

So it looks that Apple has wrong setup for an execise, because when I'm walking I'm far away from 90bpm

Its NOT a wrong setup, it is estimating off an incomplete data set. AGIAN it only sees your movement and estimates exercise minutes based on that.

 

[Zxxv]

So it looks that Apple has wrong setup for an execise, because when I'm walking I'm far away from 90bpm

Youre using it wrong. Stay still. Take watch off. That way it wont see movement and assume rightly that you are using energy from your body and wont call it exercise.