Which is more important: steps or miles?

rainbow_Moonbeam
rainbow_Moonbeam Posts: 16
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been walking recently in the field near to where I live. When I'm there I tend to take longer strides meaning that it takes between 5 and 7 miles to reach 10,000 steps. If I'm in an urban setting or just dawdling I take more steps in less miles. On the NHS website, it says to aim for 10,000 steps which is 4-5 miles on average. Should I aim for the steps primarily or the miles? I know that this probably sounds like a stupid question... I was just wondering if in order to be healthy/active, I had to go for the extra miles. Also, how do you negotiate this for running where I'll have a longer stride?

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Steps = Miles. If you are consistantly getting several miles/thousands of steps each day .... you would bump up your ACTIVITY level in MFP to something above sedentary. This would give you more calories ...... because active people need (burn) more.

    As for logging walking / running etc as exercise........ the SPEED is key. Walking at a liesurely pace does not get your heart rate up much.... so, it's not much of a cardio workout. However, if you are walking briskly (or running) and your heart rate is elevated .... that's a cardio workout. This is typically logged as EXERCISE..... in MFP exercise calories get added back. The higher the speed, typically the more fat calories burned.

    I'm not sure if this helps ..........
  • rainbow_Moonbeam
    rainbow_Moonbeam Posts: 16
    I use runkeeper to track my workouts and I've started the C25k plan. What I want to know is if I should ignore my step count in favour of tracking only miles. Also, which setting would you recommend instead of sedentary? Would I not include the walking as a workout after that?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    From a different thread about tracking "general" walking steps

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14715035

    <5000 steps/day may be used as a sedentary lifestyle
    5000-7499 steps/day is typical of daily activity might be considered low active
    7500-9999 likely includes some volitional activities (and/or elevated occupational activity demands) considered somewhat active
    10,000 steps/day indicates the point that should be used to classify individuals as active
    >12500 steps/day are likely to be classified as highly active

    If all your daily steps include C25K .... then you are at risk for "double counting" when adding C25K for a workout......while also increasing activity level due to steps. Don't get me wrong C25K is going to burn lots of calories .....perhaps you could write down your before & after C25K numbers.....that difference is the workout portion. That sounds like a pain.

    This thread may be more helpful..........http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1070544-c25k-how-can-i-add-it-to-my-exercise-diary?hl=c25K+runkeeper#posts-16680318
  • rainbow_Moonbeam
    rainbow_Moonbeam Posts: 16
    Thanks for the help! :)

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