Counting Steps FAD
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koinflipper wrote: »OP's doctor thinks we are all delusional. As she pointed out that he/she told her that many people are under the illusion they are getting physically fit based solely on steps and weight loss. Who in the world said that?
I would like to know under what context the actual discussion of 10k steps came up in a doctors office visit and are all doctors now supposed to be advising their patients to go out and buy a fitness tracker? Or just give suggestions on basic health benefits such as improving health by moving more.
/snip/
"I did not say my doctor said you "were all delusional". Go back and read original post. You are misreading what I wrote.
How did this come up with my doctor? I asked him if I should get one. (I really wanted one but couldn't find one that had numbers large enough I could read without constantly putting on and yanking off reading glasses during workout.)
My question was answered.
Most of my original post are the things he brought up. That is why I became a disbeliever at least for developing physical fitness with step-counting.
I fail to see or understand the choice words you used called Getting Physically Fit by using the device. Moving more, having more active movements in your day to day actives certainly will assist anyone and everyone that is sedentary, but becoming Physically Fit is a different thing to me all together. This requires exercising for a purpose, another discussion for another time not to derail the thread by going into this, except there are some people with 10k steps that also include physical exercise (cardio.. heart rate steady state cardiovascular exercise) and some that just do 10k (plus or even less) steps, but this is still plus or minue 4.5 to 5 miles a day.
But I see many of those protesting the most are using step counters in combination with dieting to lose weight. This makes a lot of sense to me for that purpose. Losing weight is great way to improve health (not same thing as improving physical fitness.)
I do not agree that computers and smartphones are a FAD (like saying the automobile or air travel is a fad.) They have totally changed how we live our lives. No longer tied to landlines at home or office, we can communicate with ease anytime and from most any place. Computers have opened a world of information and knowledge in unprecedented access and speed. And provided social contact for many people who would otherwise be isolated.
Listen to all the people here that posted, a lot of them said they don't leave home with out it, etc.. It is not a FAD it a working device available to people in which it does many things for data capture just like a computer. Heck I love the sleep monitor on mine, I also like that it does keep track of my calories I burn all day long, etc..
There are still work situations where an employee would be written up by their boss for leaving desk briefly every 45 minutes. 911 operators, for example. I am sure there are many others.
Did not mean that a 911 operator will fall into this category, or a police officer would stop duty to walk steps, this is nonsense. Even a customer support desk operator must sit at their station all day.. I said some companies and not all. AND... I HAVE TO MEET MY GOAL ON MY OWN TIME NOT WORK TIME!!!!
I have yet to find exactly what I need but am making do with HR chest strap and Endomondo app during workouts. Endomondo gives me audio information about progress during workouts so I don't need to read anything.
Cannot justify buying a $120+ device when I cannot read the small numbers on the display. Or a $400 wrist device for runners to get large numbers when I cannot run.
A person does not have to buy a 150.00 gadget to get steps in, as I see that you bought a basic band ,, shoot even copperfit has got a band for 25.00 that does not hook into to anything.
But I did splurge last night on a Xioamo Mi activity band for $20 from Amazon. It won't give me any real time data but useful data at the end of the day to help me with weight loss. But won't take the place of cardio exercise.
Your steps on your band can include (not exclude) your cardio exercise to make up the XXXX number of step goal you want in a day.0 -
pedometers and calorie counting have been around a long time. These apps, devices just make it much easier. I like my fitbit. I am encouraged to move more.0
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koinflipper wrote: »OP's doctor thinks we are all delusional. As she pointed out that he/she told her that many people are under the illusion they are getting physically fit based solely on steps and weight loss. Who in the world said that?
I would like to know under what context the actual discussion of 10k steps came up in a doctors office visit and are all doctors now supposed to be advising their patients to go out and buy a fitness tracker? Or just give suggestions on basic health benefits such as improving health by moving more.
/snip/
"I did not say my doctor said you "were all delusional". Go back and read original post. You are misreading what I wrote.
How did this come up with my doctor? I asked him if I should get one. (I really wanted one but couldn't find one that had numbers large enough I could read without constantly putting on and yanking off reading glasses during workout.)
Most of my original post are the things he brought up. That is why I became a disbeliever at least for developing physical fitness with step-counting.
But I see many of those protesting the most are using step counters in combination with dieting to lose weight. This makes a lot of sense to me for that purpose. Losing weight is great way to improve health (not same thing as improving physical fitness.)
I do not agree that computers and smartphones are a FAD (like saying the automobile or air travel is a fad.) They have totally changed how we live our lives. No longer tied to landlines at home or office, we can communicate with ease anytime and from most any place. Computers have opened a world of information and knowledge in unprecedented access and speed. And provided social contact for many people who would otherwise be isolated.
There are still work situations where an employee would be written up by their boss for leaving desk briefly every 45 minutes. 911 operators, for example. I am sure there are many others.
I have yet to find exactly what I need but am making do with HR chest strap and Endomondo app during workouts. Endomondo gives me audio information about progress during workouts so I don't need to read anything.
Cannot justify buying a $120+ device when I cannot read the small numbers on the display. Or a $400 wrist device for runners to get large numbers when I cannot run.
But I did splurge last night on a Xioamo Mi activity band for $20 from Amazon. It won't give me any real time data but useful data at the end of the day to help me with weight loss. But won't take the place of cardio exercise.
Your OP does not convey any of this, nor does it attribute it to your doctor. But whatever.
But yeah, you're 62 according to your profile. Are you "fit"? Will an activity monitor and 10,000 steps improve things? Probably.0 -
koinflipper wrote: »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?
If you are in physiology classes in grad school and have to ask the question, I'd go the to the administration and demand my tuition and fees back.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »koinflipper wrote: »OP's doctor thinks we are all delusional. As she pointed out that he/she told her that many people are under the illusion they are getting physically fit based solely on steps and weight loss. Who in the world said that?
I would like to know under what context the actual discussion of 10k steps came up in a doctors office visit and are all doctors now supposed to be advising their patients to go out and buy a fitness tracker? Or just give suggestions on basic health benefits such as improving health by moving more.
/snip/
"I did not say my doctor said you "were all delusional". Go back and read original post. You are misreading what I wrote.
How did this come up with my doctor? I asked him if I should get one. (I really wanted one but couldn't find one that had numbers large enough I could read without constantly putting on and yanking off reading glasses during workout.)
Most of my original post are the things he brought up. That is why I became a disbeliever at least for developing physical fitness with step-counting.
But I see many of those protesting the most are using step counters in combination with dieting to lose weight. This makes a lot of sense to me for that purpose. Losing weight is great way to improve health (not same thing as improving physical fitness.)
I do not agree that computers and smartphones are a FAD (like saying the automobile or air travel is a fad.) They have totally changed how we live our lives. No longer tied to landlines at home or office, we can communicate with ease anytime and from most any place. Computers have opened a world of information and knowledge in unprecedented access and speed. And provided social contact for many people who would otherwise be isolated.
There are still work situations where an employee would be written up by their boss for leaving desk briefly every 45 minutes. 911 operators, for example. I am sure there are many others.
I have yet to find exactly what I need but am making do with HR chest strap and Endomondo app during workouts. Endomondo gives me audio information about progress during workouts so I don't need to read anything.
Cannot justify buying a $120+ device when I cannot read the small numbers on the display. Or a $400 wrist device for runners to get large numbers when I cannot run.
But I did splurge last night on a Xioamo Mi activity band for $20 from Amazon. It won't give me any real time data but useful data at the end of the day to help me with weight loss. But won't take the place of cardio exercise.
Your OP does not convey any of this, nor does it attribute it to your doctor. But whatever.
But yeah, you're 62 according to your profile. Are you "fit"? Will an activity monitor and 10,000 steps improve things? Probably.
10,000 steps DOES NOT make somebody physically fit. That is the premise of this thread. All it does is motivate people to be more active. Active does NOT equal PHYSICALLY FIT.
The "illusion" my doctor spoke about is very apparent on this forum. There wouldn't be so much defensive and angry posts if you all understood that.0 -
10,000 steps is approx what an Amish woman walks a day, I thought. It isn't meant to be a straight walk, but random walking throughout the day. No, it doesn't make you fit but it does take some effort or activity to move that much. Some people have active jobs. I am not defensive. I don't think measuring steps is new or a fad. It certainly isn't necessary.0
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koinflipper wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »koinflipper wrote: »OP's doctor thinks we are all delusional. As she pointed out that he/she told her that many people are under the illusion they are getting physically fit based solely on steps and weight loss. Who in the world said that?
I would like to know under what context the actual discussion of 10k steps came up in a doctors office visit and are all doctors now supposed to be advising their patients to go out and buy a fitness tracker? Or just give suggestions on basic health benefits such as improving health by moving more.
/snip/
"I did not say my doctor said you "were all delusional". Go back and read original post. You are misreading what I wrote.
How did this come up with my doctor? I asked him if I should get one. (I really wanted one but couldn't find one that had numbers large enough I could read without constantly putting on and yanking off reading glasses during workout.)
Most of my original post are the things he brought up. That is why I became a disbeliever at least for developing physical fitness with step-counting.
But I see many of those protesting the most are using step counters in combination with dieting to lose weight. This makes a lot of sense to me for that purpose. Losing weight is great way to improve health (not same thing as improving physical fitness.)
I do not agree that computers and smartphones are a FAD (like saying the automobile or air travel is a fad.) They have totally changed how we live our lives. No longer tied to landlines at home or office, we can communicate with ease anytime and from most any place. Computers have opened a world of information and knowledge in unprecedented access and speed. And provided social contact for many people who would otherwise be isolated.
There are still work situations where an employee would be written up by their boss for leaving desk briefly every 45 minutes. 911 operators, for example. I am sure there are many others.
I have yet to find exactly what I need but am making do with HR chest strap and Endomondo app during workouts. Endomondo gives me audio information about progress during workouts so I don't need to read anything.
Cannot justify buying a $120+ device when I cannot read the small numbers on the display. Or a $400 wrist device for runners to get large numbers when I cannot run.
But I did splurge last night on a Xioamo Mi activity band for $20 from Amazon. It won't give me any real time data but useful data at the end of the day to help me with weight loss. But won't take the place of cardio exercise.
Your OP does not convey any of this, nor does it attribute it to your doctor. But whatever.
But yeah, you're 62 according to your profile. Are you "fit"? Will an activity monitor and 10,000 steps improve things? Probably.
10,000 steps DOES NOT make somebody physically fit. That is the premise of this thread. All it does is motivate people to be more active. Active does NOT equal PHYSICALLY FIT.
The "illusion" my doctor spoke about is very apparent on this forum. There wouldn't be so much defensive and angry posts if you all understood that.
"Fit" is nebulous in the sense you are trying to use it.
A marathon runner is fit in the endurance sense, but probably unfit in the power generation sense that a shot putter would be.
You train for a specific task and you become fit for that task. It's that simple.
If someone does 500 steps a day and builds to 10,000 steps a day, they have increased their fitness in performing a step endurance task and more efficient at dispelling the associated fatigue from that task.0 -
koinflipper wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »koinflipper wrote: »OP's doctor thinks we are all delusional. As she pointed out that he/she told her that many people are under the illusion they are getting physically fit based solely on steps and weight loss. Who in the world said that?
I would like to know under what context the actual discussion of 10k steps came up in a doctors office visit and are all doctors now supposed to be advising their patients to go out and buy a fitness tracker? Or just give suggestions on basic health benefits such as improving health by moving more.
/snip/
"I did not say my doctor said you "were all delusional". Go back and read original post. You are misreading what I wrote.
How did this come up with my doctor? I asked him if I should get one. (I really wanted one but couldn't find one that had numbers large enough I could read without constantly putting on and yanking off reading glasses during workout.)
Most of my original post are the things he brought up. That is why I became a disbeliever at least for developing physical fitness with step-counting.
But I see many of those protesting the most are using step counters in combination with dieting to lose weight. This makes a lot of sense to me for that purpose. Losing weight is great way to improve health (not same thing as improving physical fitness.)
I do not agree that computers and smartphones are a FAD (like saying the automobile or air travel is a fad.) They have totally changed how we live our lives. No longer tied to landlines at home or office, we can communicate with ease anytime and from most any place. Computers have opened a world of information and knowledge in unprecedented access and speed. And provided social contact for many people who would otherwise be isolated.
There are still work situations where an employee would be written up by their boss for leaving desk briefly every 45 minutes. 911 operators, for example. I am sure there are many others.
I have yet to find exactly what I need but am making do with HR chest strap and Endomondo app during workouts. Endomondo gives me audio information about progress during workouts so I don't need to read anything.
Cannot justify buying a $120+ device when I cannot read the small numbers on the display. Or a $400 wrist device for runners to get large numbers when I cannot run.
But I did splurge last night on a Xioamo Mi activity band for $20 from Amazon. It won't give me any real time data but useful data at the end of the day to help me with weight loss. But won't take the place of cardio exercise.
Your OP does not convey any of this, nor does it attribute it to your doctor. But whatever.
But yeah, you're 62 according to your profile. Are you "fit"? Will an activity monitor and 10,000 steps improve things? Probably.
10,000 steps DOES NOT make somebody physically fit. That is the premise of this thread. All it does is motivate people to be more active. Active does NOT equal PHYSICALLY FIT.
The "illusion" my doctor spoke about is very apparent on this forum. There wouldn't be so much defensive and angry posts if you all understood that.
None of those post, at least not as I have read through them over the past day or so, has said that it makes a person physically fit. For that matter, going back to my initial post, it is not for fitness, it is for activity. People tend to be too sedentary. Even getting 5000 steps for many people is difficult. Anything that gets people more active, raising their NEAT numbers, is a good thing in terms of health as it will decrease weight.0 -
The components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition.
So do your 10k steps per day accomplish this? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
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koinflipper wrote: »The components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition.
So do your 10k steps per day accomplish this? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
When 7000 of your steps are running 7 minute miles, they accomplish all of that. Wrong again, I'm afraid.0 -
koinflipper wrote: »The components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition.
So do your 10k steps per day accomplish this? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
Again to be fit is to be apt for a task. No more, no less.
If that task is walking more, then by increasing the total volume of steps take per day you have become fitter for that task.0 -
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koinflipper wrote: »The components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition.
So do your 10k steps per day accomplish this? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
When 7000 of your steps are running 7 minute miles, they accomplish all of that. Wrong again, I'm afraid.
My thoughts exactly.0 -
koinflipper wrote: »The components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and body composition.
So do your 10k steps per day accomplish this? NOT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
Getting to 10,000 steps is going to increase endurance, and it will affect body composition for people who usually only want 2000-3000, or for that matter even 5000 steps in a day. For a person walking 5000 steps who increases that to 10000, it will double the amount of steps they take. For a person who only does 2000-3000 steps, something quite common today judging by the posts above, that increase is even more. It will result in positive changes.
Unless you use a pedometer and know how difficult it is to get your steps up, you are speaking of something you really don't know about. Until mine broke, I would find getting to 7000 steps a challenge. The only times I got to 10000 plus were times I really worked at making sure I walked more, and I felt it.
Also, you continue to discount the amount this affect NEAT. There are plenty of studies that show that when people who are not used to exercising start doing intentional exercise, in a fairly short time they, without realizing it, reduce there NEAT. They take less steps, and sit more. As I said above, step trackers, especially ones that remind you you have been sitting too long, help to counter act that resulting in higher daily calorie burns.
Do you count your steps? If not, I challenge you to get an inexpensive pedometer and start doing so to see what it takes to get to 10,000 steps. It might surprise you.0 -
How does increasing overall activity ... sometimes to the point of doubling or tripling that level, even if only through low intensity activities, not increase one's endurance, body composition, and overall fitness?0
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Again, the 10,000 step recommendation is not focused on improving "fitness", as defined by increased VO2 max or muscle strength. I described that earlier. The recommendations to increase general activity have been developed because it has been obvious for years that only a small percentage of people engage in exercise that notably increases "fitness" and there seems to be a ceiling on that level of participation.
The goal is to get a larger number of people moving a little bit more. That may not do much to improve "fitness", but, when looking at the population as a whole, it would significantly improve overall morbidity and mortality and decrease health care costs. In terms of general health, the difference between "sedentary" and "moderately active" is much greater than between "moderately active" and "fit, active, exerciser".
It is a mistake to equate the 10,000 step goal with following a traditional fitness-centered workout program. Up to a certain limit (~2500 calories per week), there is a dose-response effect of exercise. Those who participate in a fitness/exercise program will get more health benefits than someone following an "activity" lifestyle.
However it is also a mistake to dismiss or belittle the 10,000 step goal because it doesn't provide the same direct fitness benefits as a traditional exercise program.
They are really two different things.0 -
Magical thinking is a thing and can really screw things up. It's very easy to convince yourself, "Oh, I move A LOT during the day....I don't eat THAT much...I get plenty of sleep."
Fitness trackers like the Fitbit and other apps and gadgets can be very useful by giving people an accurate summary of what they do. As Sherlock Holmes once said, "Data, Data, Data! I cannot make bricks without clay."
I own a Fitbit, a Polar Heart Rate Monitor, blood pressure cuff and a bunch of other gadgets. Believe me, I know exactly what my body needs to be healthy and those tools keep me on track.0 -
I got mine as a birthday present and only wear it as a symbol that I kinda workout lolololol0
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Look how many people sign up for MFP who are obese and sedentary ... moving only to get more food, go from car to chair, etc. For them, 10k steps is a massive change in activity level. Sadly, that is the new normal in America.
For those that are active already, 10k steps is a mere data point.
Context matters.0
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