Calories to Steps

eganita
eganita Posts: 501 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi!

Is there an easy way to convert calories burned (I have a heart rate monitor) to steps taken? I am more concerned with my calories burned; however, I'm doing a wellness challenge at work which is based upon steps taken.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • lilybug13
    lilybug13 Posts: 154
    It depends on the speed the steps are taken. So if you take 100 steps at a 6 mph pace your heart rate gets higher than if you do it at a 2 mph pace, and so you burn more calories. You could try different paces for one minute and see how many you do at each pace and then put it into mfp as walking or running at that speed.

    Hope this helps!
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    I would invest in a cheap pedometer, myself... I just got a fancy one for only 15 bucks.
  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
    Look in to a fitbit, absolutely love it and it motivates me.
  • Sheila_Ann
    Sheila_Ann Posts: 365 Member
    I got my fitbit on Saturday and love it. Took some time to get used to the adjustment it made on here. It's not cheap $99 but so worth it! It tracks calories, steps, sleep and stairs.

    Good luck!
    Sheila
  • jtakingcareofherself
    jtakingcareofherself Posts: 144 Member
    I have a pedometer too for about $25 that I got at a running store. It takes about a half hour to set up, but it's very easy to use. Alternatively, you could take the distance your treadmill has calculated, and divide by the average step length (you would have to estimate that with a tape measure). And your step length will change at different paces, so it won't as accurate as using the pedometer.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate it!!!

    I have a cheap pedometer, but I am worried it won't stay on my person when I'm playing hockey, and I thought it may not work for the elliptical machine at the gym, for example. I will give it a shot, though!

    I will try experimenting with the speed/calorie suggestion below.

    Thanks for the FitBit idea.. that is something I will have to look into. I just shelled out about $80 for a Polar FT7, so I may have to force myself to wait until Christmas to buy something like that, though :)
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    If the FitBit people happen to check back... how does that work exactly? From what I can tell, there's no chest strap? How does it determine calories burned/heart rate? I wonder if I could use a combo of my HRM and FitBit?

    Thanks for all of the help!
  • jessjpjb
    jessjpjb Posts: 38
    I too have a fitbit and love it, have had it since March, not sure what I did before it!

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