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All about Fitbit + Paceline

  • Updated

Getting started and troubleshooting advice for your Fitbit

Table of contents

(1) How do I link my Fitbit wearable to Paceline?

(2) What counts for Paceline minutes?

(3) Why does my workout length not match my Paceline minutes?

(1) How do I link my Fitbit wearable to Paceline?

If you're creating a Paceline account for the first time:

      1. Select 'Fitbit' as your device
      2. Sign in to your Fitbit account
        • Don't see a prompt to sign in? Tap here
      3. Tap 'Allow All', then 'Allow' to grant access to:
        • Activity + Exercise
        • Heart Rate
        • Profile

After you've already created a Paceline account: 

      1. Tap the 'Profile' tab in the bottom right corner of the Paceline home screen
      2. Tap 'Linked Fitness Devices'
      3. Tap 'Fitbit'
      4. Sign in to your Fitbit account
        • Don't see a prompt to sign in? Tap here
      5. Tap 'Allow All', then 'Allow' to grant access to:
        • Activity + Exercise
        • Heart Rate
        • Profile

Did you get a new Fitbit wearable?

      • If you set your new Fitbit wearable up to the same Fitbit account you already linked to Paceline, you shouldn't need to do anything else

Do you not see a prompt to enter your Fitbit user name or password?

    1. On your iPhone, go to Settings
    2. Tap on Safari
    3. Tap on Advanced, at the bottom of the screen
    4. Go Website Data, then search for fitbit.com (or something with Fitbit in the name), swipe to the left, and hit Delete
    5. Repeat the link steps mentioned above


(2) What counts for Paceline minutes?

If you wear a Fitbit device, Paceline minutes are measured by Fitbit's "Active Zone Minutes", as that would indicate the time in which you had an elevated heart rate during your recorded workout activity. According to Fitbit:

Screenshot_2022-10-24_132128.png

In the Fitbit app, your Active zone Minutes would be depicted in the yellow or orange zones similar to the example below:

96DC427E-4A4B-4964-A554-53183C4229D8.png 

 

Update your Fitbit device's software by following the instructions here

Did you manually log a workout you expect to get minutes from?

      • We DO NOT support manually logged minutes entered via the Fitbit app or Fitbit website, only those generated directly by your device qualify for Paceline minutes. This is done to prevent cheating by forging activity that has not taken place. 
      • To properly log a workout that cannot be auto-detected from your Fitbit (ex: Yoga), please follow the steps listed here under 'How do I start and stop a workout?'

Ensure your Fitbit device has a heart rate monitor

      • Active Zone Minutes are determined using a heart rate monitor, so a Fitbit device without one will not report any Active Zone Minutes

Sync your Fitbit device to your Fitbit account (on your Fitbit app or website) by following the instructions here

      • On a related note, please look at the next question below to enable background syncing on your Fitbit
      • Please be aware that there may be up to a 10-minute delay for Fitbit to send this recently updated data to Paceline

Are you allowing your Fitbit to sync in the background?

      • Your Fitbit is able to sync every 6-15 minutes automatically, but only if you do the following:
        1. Keep the Fitbit app open and running in the background
          • Important: if you force close your Fitbit app (aka swipe up to close the app) or log out of the app, background sync WILL NOT work
        2. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone → General → Background App Refresh. Toggle the Fitbit setting to 'On'
        3. Ensure your Bluetooth is 'On' in the Settings app
        4. Place your Fitbit wearable and your phone near one another (the Bluetooth connection will only work within 20 feet of the Fitbit and phone)

Have you opened the Paceline app at least once a week, if not more often?

      • If you have not opened the Paceline app for more than a week, we can only reference Active Zone Minutes up to one week prior, so you may lose out on minutes. In that case, please contact us and we'll ask you for the Active Zone Minutes we need to get you back on track

Did you grant access for Paceline to read, at a minimum, your Fitbit activity, and heart rate? To check in the Fitbit app:

        1. Tap the Today tab, and tap your profile picture
        2. Tap 'Third Part Apps', then 'Manage 3rd Party Apps'
        3. View Paceline and confirm access has been granted, at a minimum, to activity and heart rate
            • Is Paceline not listed or are you missing access to activity and heart rate?
                1. Tap the 'Profile' tab or your initials in the bottom right corner of the Paceline home screen
                2. Tap 'Linked Fitness Devices'
                3. Tap 'Fitbit'
                  • Tap 'Disconnect' if prompted
                4. Sign in to your Fitbit account
                5. Tap 'Allow All', then 'Allow' to grant access to:
                  • Activity + Exercise
                  • Heart Rate
                  • Profile

A simple reminder: a Paceline week is from Monday at 00:00 - Sunday at 23:59 your time. Your Fitbit app may show the week as starting on Sunday by default but we do not honor that setting at this time. Want to have the week appear in sync with the Paceline app?

      • Using the Fitbit app:
          1. Tap the Today tab, and tap your profile picture
          2. Tap App Settings
          3. Tap Start Week On, and choose 'Monday'

(3) Why does my workout length not match my Paceline minutes?

Though you may have worked out for many minutes in duration, the length of your workout does not necessarily equal Fitbit 'Active Zone' or Paceline minutes (because during a workout there could be times you’re stretching, drinking water, etc. that do not contribute to a higher heart rate or workout intensity).

This is because your Fitbit measures Paceline minutes in a different manner that is based upon your heart rate (not the length of your workout): 'Active Zone Minutes'.

      • According to Fitbit, earn 'Active Zone Minutes' for time spent in the fat burn, cardio, or peak heart-rate zones.
      •  

For your weekly goal of 150 Paceline minutes, we rely on the Active Zone Minutes that your wearable tracks. There could be a few reasons why you find a mismatch of minutes you expect to see in the Paceline app:

      1. Your workout may not have created a high enough heart rate or you did not maintain the intensity over the whole time to register for Paceline minutes
        • Open the Fitbit app or website and confirm the "Active Zone Minutes" value displayed matches that as seen in the Paceline app
      2. When possible, be sure to start a workout on your wearable as the heart rate sensor will read more often for heart rate detail
        • Please note: you don't need to log a workout to earn Paceline minutes. Depending on your fitness level and wearable type, even one-off things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator could earn you Paceline minutes, though it's not guaranteed
      3. You may need to calibrate your wearable calibrate your watch to get more accurate readings for exercise minutes, which you can find directions for here
        • Specifically under: 'What are some tips to make sure my Fitbit daily activity is accurate?'
      4. You may have earned more than 50 Paceline minutes for a single day (way to crush it by the way!)
        • We currently allow a maximum of 50 daily Paceline minutes towards the weekly goal (so you need to work out at least 3 days a week to hit the 150 weekly minutes goal)
      5. You may need to sync your device with your app
        • Open your Fitbit app or website and sync your device
          • Please note: it may take up to 10 minutes for Fitbit to report the updated data to Paceline

If you still are unsure why something appears on your Fitbit and not in Paceline, please reach out to us using our Support page, attaching a screenshot of:

      1. Your Fitbit app (showing how many Active Zone Minutes you recorded)
      2. Your Paceline app home screen showing how many minutes you received credit for
 

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