Does pedometer count?

tjscott978
tjscott978 Posts: 7
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Occasionally I wear a pedometer during my workday. I have noticed that when I wear it I tend to get up and walk around more. I have heard that about 2,000 steps equals a mile and that about 10,000 5 miles. Over the last couple of days that I have worn my pedometer during my work day I have averaged about 1,500 steps and that's just toward the end of my day when I remember to put it on.
So my question is should I count my pedometer in my fitness? The main problem is that it makes my fitness is exaggerated. For instance my goal is to work out 4 days a week for 30 minutes. With my pedometer I have 4+ hours in one day, even though my calories burned is really small.

I like adding my pedometer because it gives me an extra cushion and even on my rest day it looks like I'm not a complete shlub.
So I was wondering does anyone else track their pedometer in their fitness and do they do something similar where they track the time and calories or do they alter the time?

Thanks for the help

Tiffany

Replies

  • megenglish
    megenglish Posts: 10
    I count my pedometer areobic steps.. not so much my steps for the day, if i walk 5 mile 9,000 steps +, the stuff in between does not matter, did I burn the calories in areobic exericise? that's just me.. but 12000 steps a day is a good thing, areobic or not.
  • kleavitt1992
    kleavitt1992 Posts: 592 Member
    no, because u probably set your mfp account to lightly active right? so it accounted for those steps already, but if u dont normally walk and are purposefully doing it lets say some days i walk 4miles i log that but not just walking around doing things i normally have to
  • luvmybentley
    luvmybentley Posts: 74 Member
    Exercise you normally get in your workday is counted for in your profile activity level (sedentary, light, moderate,heavy) You can change your activity level and MFP will use it to calculate your calorie requirements.

    I wouldn't count the pedometer unless you use it to track actual exercise efforts above what your normal work day usually is. It is unlikely that you are raising your heart rate at work unless you are doing the stairs every chance you get.
  • KnittingKat
    KnittingKat Posts: 12
    I don't count mine, but I never have that many steps.

    I walk to gently for the mechanical pedometers. A whole day of camping and I got 1048 steps. That is so far off since one hour was a walk on the sand dunes we were at, and it only registered 100 steps.

    I try to just aim for getting as many steps as I can anyway since I know being sedentary isn't a great way to lose weight.
  • tjscott978
    tjscott978 Posts: 7
    Thanks all for the advice. I didn't take into account the fact that MFP already counts that. Sigh. Well I'm still going to keep track just because I know that it helps me to be more active at work. If I can get more than 2,000 steps in a day then it will make me happy.
  • Squirkie
    Squirkie Posts: 135 Member
    If the pedometer makes you move more through out the day, I say its a good idea. As far as logging it as exercise (since I sit at desk all day), I usually reset mine for lunch - take a purposeful walk- then log those steps/calories as cardio - 'walking'. Then I reset it again when I return to work...
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