Counting Steps FAD

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koinflipper
koinflipper Posts: 45 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am a big disbeliever in the idea that counting steps taken under any circumstances during the day are actually has any meaning to becoming physically fit. My physiology classes in graduate school taught me that to contribute towards fitness, there must be sustained physical activity for at least 30 minutes at cardio training level.

A friend proudly showed me his fitbit today saying he had 10,000+ steps for the day. How many of those steps were from his office down the short hall to get cup of coffee and back to his office chair (drinks at least 10 cups of coffee a day) ? Do those steps matter in the overall fitness? What about meandering around WalMart avoiding cart collisions and frequent stops to select item and put in cart? Do those steps contribute anything? How about multiple trips from family room to kitchen to get snacks to watch TV? He finally admitted that only half of those steps were during his morning run.

Is it the hypothesis that to get in 10,000 steps per day, you had to have been pretty active during the day? If I walked slowly all day to get 10k steps, is that equivalent to random steps taken throughout the day of any duration and any pace?

Step-Counting gadgets have become big business. Can anyone point me to a single peer-reviewed scientific article that indicates that step counting is a proven method to improve fitness? I doubt it. It is just a FAD that may lull many into the illusion that they are getting physically fit merely because they logged a certain number of steps each day. Is 10k steps the "daily recommended" amount for physical fitness? What happened to cardio exercise as the gold standard?
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Replies

  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    Yes
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    While I don't own one and have no need for one, I do believe they serve a purpose.
    Here's an example - my aunt was becoming inactive and unmotivated. I got her a fitbit. She loved challenging herself to move more. It encouraged her to get up and move around. Walking to get a coffee might not be much but its sure better then nothing. For her, it increased her activity and made her more aware of how sedentary she really was.
    So it might be meaningless to you but for her it has a purpose. 10,000 steps is definitely better then laying on the couch all day.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I was not under the impression that anyone thought they were magically becoming the pantheon of prime fitness by hitting 10k a day, merely that 10k a day was the recommended level of physical activity. Very simply, anything that involves getting of your butt is an improvement.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Um...how much I move on a daily basis, determines how active I am and what my TDEE is. I don't understand your issue.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Walking 10,000 steps per day is definitely better than walking 1,000 steps per day, which is what I used to do. For many people, walking is the only form of exercise they're able to do, especially when starting out. Moving is always better than not moving. Is this even a question?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Bought one. The next day my back looked like that
    <~~~

    They are magic.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    Bought one. The next day my back looked like that
    <~~~

    They are magic.

    Shut-up-and-take-my-money-628.jpg
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    Bought one. The next day my back looked like that
    <~~~

    They are magic.

    Uh yeah! Likey
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,123 Member
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    As I understand it, steps are not a measure of fitness, but activity. They count, not toward Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, but toward increasing Non-Exercise Thermogenesis. Since often what happens with people is that as EAT goes up, NEAT goes down and somewhat counteracts the caloric effects of EAT, what a step tracker does is make a person conscious of their NEAT, and encourage them to not let it decrease, or better yet, increase it. I think you are missing the point of step trackers.
  • jtsher01
    jtsher01 Posts: 5 Member
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    You don't have to like the fad, but the math is simple.

    Pedometer makes you cognizant of your daily steps, and this usually results in increased step count post purchase. More steps = more distance. More distance = more calories burned (x amount of calories are required to move y distance of something that has a mass of z). Increase y, increase x.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    Bought one. The next day my back looked like that
    <~~~

    They are magic.

    OMG. Step trackers=gains. I've been doing it wrong!

  • fastfoodietofitcutie
    fastfoodietofitcutie Posts: 522 Member
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    I couldn't disagree with this post more.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Unlike you, some people like the motivation. They like seeing the data. Participating in challenges with fellow fitness trackers. Here's a cookie for doing it on your own. *slow clap of sarcasm*
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    I got one. I considered myself fairly active because I was chasing 3 kids around and working part-time. It opened my eyes to see how sedentary I really was.

    Now it's a tool I use to motivate me to be more active throughout the day. I exercise 6 days a week and walk on the 7th day to make sure I get my 10k steps.

    I love it and can't imagine not using one. It makes me accountable.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
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    The magic of step counters: MOTIVATION.
    Seriously, I just need a nudge (or blinky lights on my wrist) to make me think about getting up off my bums and MOVE.

    You'd have to pull my Fitbit off my dead body...that's how much I love it.

    Effective? For me, yes. For everyone? Who cares? I try not to concern myself with what works for others...they'll find their solution if they want it enough.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    I love mine...and haven't taken it off other than to charge it since Christmas. I've gone from being completely sedentary in my at home desk job, to being considered "active" in that short time. Believe me, seeing those numbers on a daily is very motivating, and constantly challenging.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Ask your physiology prof about NEAT: Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12468415

    10,000 steps matter, regardless if they are 1000 trips of 100 steps to get coffee, or 10,000 steps during a sustained 30 minute walk.
  • mgeshwilm
    mgeshwilm Posts: 23 Member
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    Tell me about it while I'm walking circles in my dining room at 11:30 at night to get my 10 K by midnight. Huge motivating factor, and as has been said before, any steps are better than no steps. I also heard the "30 minute continuous exercise, or don't bother" but then I have also heard, every little bit you move helps, even if you walk from the far end of the parking lot. I believe the 10K was recommended for heart health, not necessarily training for a marathon, and I think there is solid science behind it.
  • mgeshwilm
    mgeshwilm Posts: 23 Member
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    Once I get 10K for a consistent period of time (10 days?) I'm moving my goal to 12K, then possibly to 15K. Most of it is accomplished while walking the dog, 3-4 x a day, as I have a sedentery job. Really need a treadmill desk! :)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    I was not under the impression that anyone thought they were magically becoming the pantheon of prime fitness by hitting 10k a day, merely that 10k a day was the recommended level of physical activity. Very simply, anything that involves getting of your butt is an improvement.

    This...

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