Activity Converter Considerations

In choosing which other activities to make available, you should consider whether these options are encouraging activity in your users or providing a way to recognize their efforts.

Some activity converter options cover walking activities which can be tracked as steps through activity trackers, such as walking, hiking, and housework. Leaving these on will let members who can’t connect an automatic syncing option enter steps without using manual step entry, but users should be asked to not enter activity converter entries for activities that are being successfully tracked by a device or app. Some admins prefer to deactivate these options to help prevent unintentional double-counting of activities.

Because the activity converter relies on users entering their own data, it relies on user honesty and judgment. All activity converter entries are based on median estimations for typical examples of that exercise, and won’t perfectly reflect all examples of that exercise. Users should adjust their entries to account for only the time genuinely spent on the activity and adjust their entries if they feel they are getting too many steps.

Sample Language for Member Communications:

The Walker Tracker activity converter allows for manual entry of activities that are performed without using a tracking device.  This activity converter is a very important feature as it allows participation of those who can’t afford a tracking device or enjoy other activities rather than walking/running.

Please honor the integrity of the program by using the converter as it was intended. So, for example, if you are wearing your FitBit all day, tracking your steps, and you decide to hit a Zumba class on your way home and forget to take off your FitBit before class, you cannot allow your FitBit to collect steps while you are in Zumba and then go home and add an hour of Zumba to you day through the activity converter.  

Please remember that the goal of the challenge is to offer a fun way for everyone to be more active, improve their health and have a better quality life. We do not want the possibility of false results to prevent the challenge from being a positive one for everyone.

Thank you!