Get Walking! Pedometer-based Weight Loss Program

jmv7117

In early November of 2013 I bought my first pedometer as an aid to reach my fitness goals. I had read that walking 10,000 steps per day would improve fitness. I didn't need a scientific study to tell me that moving more would have a positive impact on my fitness. A couple of days later, I joined MFP to track both calories consumed and burned. I have long suspected that eating back the exercise calories is bad advise so during the weight loss part of my fitness journey, I only ate back some of the exercise calories earned if and only if I was hungry. I currently reach and/or exceed 10,000 steps per day every day in addition to cardio and strength training. During my weight loss period I averaged an exercise calorie burn per day of 1,200 calories. I'm currently averaging an exercise calorie burn of 750 calories. One third of those calories is from walking.

Although I was already eating clean, I did change my diet by reducing carbs and increasing protein. Here is recent supporting evidence that a pedometer-based weight loss program does work without changing your diet.
article - http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2014/05/21/why-10-000-steps-a-day-wont-make-you-thin?src=usn_fb
study - http://annfammed.org/content/6/1/69.full

Results: The meta-analysis study cohort was 307 individuals using a pedometer-based weight program. The results were the a moderate weight loss of on average 0.05 kg (1.76 oz) per week.

The study showed that you can lose weight simply by walking without diet modification. Granted it is not a large loss but if done consistently, you would lose a pound every 10 weeks. If you have your weight loss goal set at .5 lb (8 oz) per week, walking alone can account for burning one quarter of the calories needed to reach your goal. Without diet modification the calorie burn is low enough to not provide enough of a deficit to compensate for days when you eat slightly more so a pedometer-based weight loss program is more effective with diet modification. More importantly walking improves a number of health markers.

My experience: Folks on MFP are quick to stress using a kitchen scale to lose weight but I think the number one effective weight loss tool is a pedometer. Pedometers are inexpensive, are a visual reminder to get moving, provide a visual incentive to walk and are effective. They are low to mid-range in price depending on the desired features. Sporting goods stores often have them on sale so you can get a rather nice one without spending a lot of money. They calculate the number of steps, distance walked and calories burned. I have several pedometers thanks to upgrading based on features. My current pedometers are a watch style Mio (HRM/pedometer) and a clip on SyncElite (pedometer). The Mio has a useful reminder feature and data has to be entered into my fitness program of choice for tracking manually. I use the Mio for exercise based walking where I will be doing a large number of steps in a short period of time. I've used it for general walking as well by simply turning on and off as needed. The SyncElite is an auto-detect pedometer that I use for general walking. It syncs to Map My Walk on my iPhone 4 so there is no manual entry. It gives a bit more accurate picture of total walking in a day because there is no remembering to turn it on or off. As soon as my husband upgrades his phone I will have his old iPhone 4S so plan on upgrading my pedometer to a Fitbit (doesn't work with iPhone 4).

rekite2000

I have worn my fitbit for a year now- I have to count calories too or else it isn't helpful! I convince myself that since I did 15k I can eat whatever. Combining pedometer and counting has helped me.

BigT555

well your article is titled "Why 10,000 Steps a Day Won't Make You Thin" so i cant say that it supports what you are saying, and the study resulted in minimal weight loss (which you have said) with no attention to diet whatsoever. the participants walking may have been eating less without realizing it, many people (among myself) think that moderate exercise leads to a decrease in appetite. also in the study it states; "Such modest amounts of weight loss, no matter how clinically important, may be discouraging to participants whose primary motivation for starting a walking program is to shed pounds. Unrealistic expectations of dramatic weight loss from such a program may result in early dropout."

that being said, it does make sense. assuming that all the participants were eating at maintenance before the study, and throughout the study they had no change in eating habits then it is fair to say that the people who started walking would lose weight due to additional burned calories through said walking.

but you also cant forget just the health benefits of exercise in general. i agree with the statement that a pedometre-based wieght loss program can be effective, but not without at least some attention paid to proper diet

juggernaut1974

well your article is titled "Why 10,000 Steps a Day Won't Make You Thin" so i cant say that it supports what you are saying, and the study resulted in minimal weight loss (which you have said) with no attention to diet whatsoever.

Agree exactly. Your study and your OP itself contradicts your premise that MFP "folks" are wrong that a diet modification isn't important. You specifically state a lb per 2+ months is an average expected result for simply walking alone.

Now...if you had just said that it's possible to lose weight by eating exactly the same things as you previously have and add exercise (walking - whatever) I think most people here would have said DUH agreed.

But to say that it's the best or most effective way, I think you'll get plenty of disagreement, and deservedly so as your own study seems to dispute that.

I think the number one effective weight loss tool is a pedometer.

Again, your own study seems to imply otherwise.

ETA: In no way am I suggesting someone sedentary should not get up and start moving...of course it has many overall health benefits beyond simply weight loss.

jmv7117

well your article is titled "Why 10,000 Steps a Day Won't Make You Thin" so i cant say that it supports what you are saying, and the study resulted in minimal weight loss (which you have said) with no attention to diet whatsoever.

Agree exactly. Your study and your OP itself contradicts your premise that MFP "folks" are wrong that a diet modification isn't important. You specifically state a lb per 2+ months is an average expected result for simply walking alone.

Now...if you had just said that it's possible to lose weight by eating exactly the same things as you previously have and add exercise (walking - whatever) I think most people here would have said DUH agreed.

But to say that it's the best or most effective way, I think you'll get plenty of disagreement, and deservedly so as your own study seems to dispute that.

I think the number one effective weight loss tool is a pedometer.

Again, your own study seems to imply otherwise.

ETA: In no way am I suggesting someone sedentary should not get up and start moving...of course it has many overall health benefits beyond simply weight loss.

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

juggernaut1974

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

How do you figure a tool that helps one lose .1 lb per week is "more important" than a tool that can easily result in .5-2 lbs per week of safe weight loss? (especially when said tool is not required to get up and walk more).

Again, not disputing that exercise isn't important to overall fitness or even weight loss, but there is nothing logical to say it's "more important" than diet modification.

binibecca

I have a fitbit one and it syncs to the fitbit app on my iPhone 4.

jmv7117

I have a fitbit one and it syncs to the fitbit app on my iPhone 4.

Do you have iPhone 4 or 4S? I checked Fitbit site and it says supported devices 4S and higher http://www.fitbit.com/devices. It's the Bluetooth version in 4 that is the problem but if you got it syncing on iPhone 4 then I might try to see if I can get it to work.

Kegha

every change are important.

Reducing calories
Decreasing process food
Increasing activites
Increasing nutrient

Loosing weight is not only about fitting into a smaller pant size, it is choosing a healthier life style.

Reducing my calories will control my weight, walking will improve my general health, removing process food is a more natural way of eating and increasing the nutrient can only benefit my general health.


In order to achieve this healtier life style, I can use a scale to train my brain to what a reasonable serving is. Tracking on a calorie counter let s me see what nutrient I get and tell me the calories therefore allowing me to make different choices and most of the time better choices. The pedometer makes me realise that I might not move as much as I should and by looking at the numbers will push me a little further.

stuffing myself with junk food and staying under my calorie allotment for a day does not take care of the whole picture, the same apply if I eat junk and run on a threadmill 6 hours a day, there are still empty calories that are full of fat and sugar and will not reduce my risk of a heart attack or diabetes.

brower47

well your article is titled "Why 10,000 Steps a Day Won't Make You Thin" so i cant say that it supports what you are saying, and the study resulted in minimal weight loss (which you have said) with no attention to diet whatsoever.

Agree exactly. Your study and your OP itself contradicts your premise that MFP "folks" are wrong that a diet modification isn't important. You specifically state a lb per 2+ months is an average expected result for simply walking alone.

Now...if you had just said that it's possible to lose weight by eating exactly the same things as you previously have and add exercise (walking - whatever) I think most people here would have said DUH agreed.

But to say that it's the best or most effective way, I think you'll get plenty of disagreement, and deservedly so as your own study seems to dispute that.

I think the number one effective weight loss tool is a pedometer.

Again, your own study seems to imply otherwise.

ETA: In no way am I suggesting someone sedentary should not get up and start moving...of course it has many overall health benefits beyond simply weight loss.

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

I've always been highly active, running (before my hip injury many years ago), walking, hiking, horseback riding, usually getting in over 15k steps a day. I used to run >30 miles a week and would hover over the same 10 pound weight range. It wasn't until I started tracking and measuring my food that I really became successful at weight loss.

For me, the #1 weight loss tangible tool has been the food scale, not my fitbit, which I've had for less than 6 months.

jmv7117

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

How do you figure a tool that helps one lose .1 lb per week is "more important" than a tool that can easily result in .5-2 lbs per week of safe weight loss? (especially when said tool is not required to get up and walk more).

Again, not disputing that exercise isn't important to overall fitness or even weight loss, but there is nothing logical to say it's "more important" than diet modification.

A pedometer can be used anywhere and worn all day to serve as a visual reminder to move. It can be used 24/7. You don't even have to sync daily if you don't want to. A kitchen scale has a lot of drawbacks especially if you eat out a lot unless you want to take your kitchen scale to a restaurant with you. I'm not sure how TSA would treat it either but have no intentions of trying. I'm not saying that diet modification is not important. The study was on a group of folks who did not modify their diet, they only increased walking using a pedometer and they lost weight so take from that what you will.

juggernaut1974

A pedometer can be used anywhere and worn all day to serve as a visual reminder to move. It can be used 24/7. You don't even have to sync daily if you don't want to. A kitchen scale has a lot of drawbacks especially if you eat out a lot unless you want to take your kitchen scale to a restaurant with you. I'm not sure how TSA would treat it either but have no intentions of trying. I'm not saying that diet modification is not important. The study was on a group of folks who did not modify their diet, they only increased walking using a pedometer and they lost weight so take from that what you will.

But you don't NEED a pedometer - just get up and walk more.

If you want to accurately measure calories, you NEED a scale, measuring cups, etc (or be very very good at estimation)

And your examples are just silly...TSA being a reason not to use a scale?? Come on at least debate honestly.

Your study proved that all other things being equal, increasing exercise tends to cause you to lose weight (albeit very slowly). I doubt anyone would disagree with that conclusion. In no way did it prove (in fact it seems to DISPROVE) your conclusion that a pedometer is the most important tool in your arsenal for weight loss.

brower47

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

How do you figure a tool that helps one lose .1 lb per week is "more important" than a tool that can easily result in .5-2 lbs per week of safe weight loss? (especially when said tool is not required to get up and walk more).

Again, not disputing that exercise isn't important to overall fitness or even weight loss, but there is nothing logical to say it's "more important" than diet modification.

A pedometer can be used anywhere and worn all day to serve as a visual reminder to move. It can be used 24/7. You don't even have to sync daily if you don't want to. A kitchen scale has a lot of drawbacks especially if you eat out a lot unless you want to take your kitchen scale to a restaurant with you. I'm not sure how TSA would treat it either but have no intentions of trying. I'm not saying that diet modification is not important. The study was on a group of folks who did not modify their diet, they only increased walking using a pedometer and they lost weight so take from that what you will.

A watch can be used anywhere too. You don't have to count steps, you can just as easily count minutes. A kitchen scale can't go everywhere but it will do something that a pedometer will never has a hope of doing, teaching proper portions. After time, a person will better recognize what 3oz of meat looks like, what 100g of blueberries comprises of and how much peanut butter is actually in 2 T (32g).

It can be a useful tool but I would never place its potential usefulness over the potential usefulness of a kitchen scale.

jmv7117

A pedometer can be used anywhere and worn all day to serve as a visual reminder to move. It can be used 24/7. You don't even have to sync daily if you don't want to. A kitchen scale has a lot of drawbacks especially if you eat out a lot unless you want to take your kitchen scale to a restaurant with you. I'm not sure how TSA would treat it either but have no intentions of trying. I'm not saying that diet modification is not important. The study was on a group of folks who did not modify their diet, they only increased walking using a pedometer and they lost weight so take from that what you will.

But you don't NEED a pedometer - just get up and walk more.

If you want to accurately measure calories, you NEED a scale, measuring cups, etc (or be very very good at estimation)

And your examples are just silly...TSA being a reason not to use a scale?? Come on at least debate honestly.

Your study proved that all other things being equal, increasing exercise tends to cause you to lose weight (albeit very slowly). I doubt anyone would disagree with that conclusion. In no way did it prove (in fact it seems to DISPROVE) your conclusion that a pedometer is the most important tool in your arsenal for weight loss.

If you want to calculate your calorie burn from walking you will need to determine time and distance. A pedometer is one useful tool to do this.

jmv7117

I did not say that the MFP folk are wrong that a diet modification isn't important! I said the MFP folk push a kitchen scale when I feel a pedometer is a much more important weight loss tool. The study said there was no diet modification for the 0.05 kg average loss per week.

How do you figure a tool that helps one lose .1 lb per week is "more important" than a tool that can easily result in .5-2 lbs per week of safe weight loss? (especially when said tool is not required to get up and walk more).

Again, not disputing that exercise isn't important to overall fitness or even weight loss, but there is nothing logical to say it's "more important" than diet modification.

A pedometer can be used anywhere and worn all day to serve as a visual reminder to move. It can be used 24/7. You don't even have to sync daily if you don't want to. A kitchen scale has a lot of drawbacks especially if you eat out a lot unless you want to take your kitchen scale to a restaurant with you. I'm not sure how TSA would treat it either but have no intentions of trying. I'm not saying that diet modification is not important. The study was on a group of folks who did not modify their diet, they only increased walking using a pedometer and they lost weight so take from that what you will.

A watch can be used anywhere too. You don't have to count steps, you can just as easily count minutes. A kitchen scale can't go everywhere but it will do something that a pedometer will never has a hope of doing, teaching proper portions. After time, a person will better recognize what 3oz of meat looks like, what 100g of blueberries comprises of and how much peanut butter is actually in 2 T (32g).

It can be a useful tool but I would never place its potential usefulness over the potential usefulness of a kitchen scale.

In reality neither a kitchen scale or pedometer is needed for losing weight. I still think a pedometer is the more useful choice so we will agree to disagree.