Outside walk vs Indoor walk differences.

[Mlrollin91]

[analogy]Everyone wears a size 9½ shoe. It may be average and it may work for you but it’s not universal.[/analogy]

The official Apple statement is “a brisk walk” and this IS a relative term. So while Apple could give 3.3 mph as a plausible average answer it still is not universal.

What does all this have anything to do with what is considered a brisk walk? The CDC states a brisk walk as someone moving 3.0mph or faster. So that is what Apple implemented into giving exercise credit. Apple uses all those metrics to determine proper calorie burn, but that has absolutely nothing to do with what counts as exercise minutes. Exercise is 3.3mph sustained for 60 seconds. Simple as that. You are overcomplicating it.

You brought up the heart rate zones earlier. We are not talking about that. I feel like you are missing the point of this thread. This thread is to literally compare outdoor walk and indoor walk and why one gives more calorie credit than the other and why it does that.

We have been able to deduce that indoor walk automatically gives you the 3.3mph credit, while outdoor walk, you have to physically earn it. Therefore, outdoor walk calorie count is lower because you might not be able to sustain that 3.3mph to get credit that is already given to you with an indoor walk. Such as stoping at street lights and so on.

 

[bcave098]

I don't agree with this 3.3 mph thing (I'm only 5'6"), but that's what Apple's chosen to go with.

 

[Mlrollin91]

I don't agree with this 3.3 mph thing (I'm only 5'6"), but that's what Apple's chosen to go with.

Well, it started with the CDC not Apple.

 

[Julien]

Well, it started with the CDC not Apple.

Sorry but your belief is based on anecdotal evidence and not published facts by Apple. Even your citing of a CDC recommendation isn't accurate. Here is the CDC published white paper that called 'brisk walking' 3 mph to 4.5 mph.

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/PA_Intensity_table_2_1.pdf

Again I respect beliefs and know that they are hard to change. I'm only pointing out that your 3.3 mph absolute exercise claim isn't conducive with the fitness industry standards and you can't offer any factual evidence that Apple uses such an unorthodox approach. However you keep posting it as if it was a published fact.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Sorry but your belief is based on anecdotal evidence and not published facts by Apple. Even your citing of a CDC recommendation isn't accurate. Here is the CDC published white paper that called 'brisk walking' 3 mph to 4.5 mph.

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/PA_Intensity_table_2_1.pdf

Again I respect beliefs and know that they are hard to change. I'm only pointing out that your 3.3 mph absolute exercise claim isn't conducive with the fitness industry standards and you can't offer any factual evidence that Apple uses such an unorthodox approach. However you keep posting it as if it was a published fact.

Apple has confirmed to me on multiple occasions that exercise is counted as 3.3mph. You can search other exercise threads that I have stated this claim multiple times. I have no reason to lie, it is exactly what Apple has told me.

Also, Google Brisk walk. Google tells you that the CDC state a brisk walk is considered 3.0mph. Yes the CDC states its 3mph or faster. Where have I claimed differently??

Here you go:
https://www.verywell.com/how-fast-is-brisk-walking-3436887

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines brisk walking as being at a pace of three miles per hour or more (but not racewalking) or roughly 20 minutes per mile."

 

[Julien]

Apple has confirmed to me on multiple occasions that exercise is counted as 3.3mph....

I'm not doubting this and I know YOU have stated it multiple times. However hearing it from an employee and stating it multiple times doesn't make it a fact. Apple is notorious for keeping 99.99% of it's employees on a 'need to know' bases. Also Apple is equally notorious for keeping specs and descriptions as simplistic and non technical as possible.

Apple officially and correctly states a 'brisk Walk' which is a relative term and unique to the individual. No where does Apple say 3.3 mph as an (inaccurate to many) Exercise threshold.

EDIT: Also did you fully read the CDC paper you quoted?

...However, fitter people still will not be in a moderately intense exercise zone at that pace....

Brisk walking actually refers to your exertion. For your walking pace to be brisk, you need to be breathing harder than usual. While you should still be able to speak in full sentences, you shouldn't be able to sing.

The moderate intensity zone is defined by the CDC as being from 50% to 70% of their maximum heart rate...

This varies by age. The best way to measure exertion is by pulse rate or heart rate and using a target heart rate calculator to see whether you are in a moderate intensity zone for your age...

If you find your usual walking pace doesn't reach the level of brisk walking and you want to speed up...

 

[Mlrollin91]

I'm not doubting this and I know YOU have stated it multiple times. However hearing it from an employee and stating it multiple times doesn't make it a fact. Apple is notorious for keeping 99.99% of it's employees on a 'need to know' bases. Also Apple is equally notorious for keeping specs and descriptions as simplistic and non technical as possible.

Apple officially and correctly states a 'brisk Walk' which is a relative term and unique to the individual. No where does Apple say 3.3 mph as an (inaccurate to many) Exercise threshold.

I understand why you are skeptical, but I have had T2 Support and Engineers tell me this, going back since the week the Apple Watch first launched because I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting exercise credit. I had a full force of top level employees trying to figure out what was wrong. They said, it doesn't kick in unless its a 3.3mph sustained pace for 60 seconds. I have tested this over the last 20 months as well. If I intentionally walk 3.3mph for 45 seconds then dropped to sub 3mph for 15 seconds and I did not get that minute of exercise.

Again, I'm not trying to argue with you or saying you are wrong, I'm just trying to relay the information that Apple Support/Engineers have told me.

 

[iloveyoutoodaddy]

I think the main difference input-wise is that if you are outside, the algorithm can factor in a GPS reading for velocity and can tell whether you slow down, speed up or stop.

If you are indoors, your walking velocity is set to a constant number. I'm guessing it is based on your average speed the last time you "calibrated" or took an Outside Walk and had workout tracking you with the GPS.

It is the best estimation you can really get. And in the overall scheme of things, everything is an estimation anyways especially calorie intake.

I just use it to see trends in my diet, workout and weight.

Weight = f(workout,diet)

I don't care what that exact function is. It's just there to give me a general idea of how much I need to work out and eat to see a positive or negative result to how I feel.

If you really want to geek out you can look at it as:

How I feel = f(weight, diet, workout)

I have noticed that it is much harder to get calories burned on outside walk and even for that matter exercise minutes. I also notice that when you reset the activity tracking and recalibrate it they are much closer in the beginning but the indoor always burns more calories after a few weeks again. Does anyone else notice this? I would love to know which one is more accurate? I would also state the intensity of my walks are the same at about 3-4 mph and I really get drastic differences.