Can I use my pedometer steps as exercise?

SuperSueg1

I recently started keeping track of how many steps I take in a day for a contest at work which is Walk 10,000 Steps. When I log my steps it converts it into miles for me. When I did Weight Watchers I was able to use those steps to earn back points. I am wondering if the same is true on here. Can I use the miles I walk throughout the day as exercise to earn back calories. Also when you exercise and earn back calories should you be eating those calories back too? I would think that would defeat the purpose of counting calories and exercising. I purposefully put myself on a low calorie day so I can loose weight.

What are your thoughts? Thanks!

seniorfaye

I've also wondered about the 10,000 steps. I try and get that many a lot of days. I'll be watching this post to see what people think.

clahut

Hi,

I personally only add walking as an exercise if it is in addition to what I do day in day out normally (i.e. before I started trying to lose weight). For me (according to my pedometer) this is about 6000 steps a day (house to train station, station to office, general walking round office, return trip home). I only log any walks longer than 10 mins I do on top of those steps and I know I walk around 2.5mph generally, so add it in on that basis.

C

carleycar1

i'd imagine you can, add it to your exercise and try to work out on average in time how much walking you have done... for example i work standing up but walking i would say in total would be 1 hr slow paced... this give me (-)calories so i can have that sneeky packet of malteasers!

ChrisBianchi

"Normal activity" is already included in the calorie calculations, so I'd only add it as exercise if it's "above and beyond" normal activity. Of course, "Normal activity" is relative - someone with a desk job will get much less exercise, typically, than an urban (foot) mail carrier. It's never an exact science.

Barelmy

If you're walking more, on a regular basis, then change your activity level.

lhague

If it's the walking you normally do, then sorry, no. The daily calories you burn are considered before the calorie intake is given.

Halochic

The answer is no, if you mean steps you take in your daily routine. When you enter in how active you are at work when you first sign up, they calculate how much calories you would burn not doing extra exercise. Your pedometer steps are already taken into account here. Any calories you gain by doing extra exercise are ones you probably shouldn't eat. It does kind of defeat the purpose, unless you are a super active athlete.

goron59

To be clear, when you set up your profile and goals, you state what your normal activity levels are like and MFP calculates your target calorie intake targets accordingly. This also takes into account the exercise you'd be doing as part of your normal activity.

Therefore, don't add these steps as exercise, unless you've gone out of your way to do some extra walking.

Eg, I just came back from a 3km walk at lunchtime, and I'd record that, but not all the other walking I'd do during the day.

fuzzymel

I count mine as I have a desk job, my daily walking (minimum 2 miles a day) is not part of the desk job.

octopusami

I have a pretty cool pedometer that I got for Christmas that keeps track of my regular steps and then my aerobic steps (those are steps that are at least 60 steps per minute for at least 10 min) I count my aerobic steps but not my regular steps.

SuperSueg1

thanks for the replys, I never even thought about the setup process. I havn't been adding them so I will continue not to, unless as stated it is above and beyond what I normally do.