Is step tracking beneficial?

Do you think that tracking your steps has helped with any weight loss?
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Replies

  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
    I find it fun to play with, but I don't know how useful it has been for me. I guess it does help me some. I found my baseline number of steps a day and now I have to make a plan to go up from there.

    I have a friend who is an ultra-marathon runner and she thinks step trackers are hilarious! She runs for six hours/day several days a week.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited May 2019
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I thought I was pretty active until I got my first Fitbit and found I was barely getting 4k steps per day. Over time I've worked up to 8k+ and hope to get to 10k fairly regularly eventually and those extra steps have increased my NEAT. I find it motivating, that's pretty much how it's beneficial to me :smile: I know it doesn't work like that for everyone though!

    Nice.

    I have recently joined the ranks of wearable technology wearers. I am gradually increasing my step goal in hopes of pushing my own NEAT higher. I do notice that I can be "stepping" while in a chair but I must be fidgeting enough to get it counted and that works for me too. I don't believe any of it is enough yet to change anything calorie-wise but progress is progress.

  • kmshover
    kmshover Posts: 41 Member
    I think it varies. My husband doesn't stop moving unless sleeping or sick. I am not that way. I need motivation. It keeps me moving, so for me, yes.
  • lindamtuck2018
    lindamtuck2018 Posts: 9,500 Member
    For me I think it has helped. I have a lot of weight to lose. By being aware of my step goals it encourages me to move more. This in turn gives me exercise calories, which allow me to indulge aliitle more while keeping my weight loss at around 2 pounds a week.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,593 Member
    It has motivated me to move more. So it’s definitely worth it for me. I find the social aspect of Fitbit challenges me to move more than my friends and relatives. So that’s fun. I recently got a new device with the heart rate monitor and find the data for cardio fitness and the sleep data fun to dig around in too.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,913 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I thought I was pretty active until I got my first Fitbit and found I was barely getting 4k steps per day. Over time I've worked up to 8k+ and hope to get to 10k fairly regularly eventually and those extra steps have increased my NEAT. I find it motivating, that's pretty much how it's beneficial to me :smile: I know it doesn't work like that for everyone though!

    this! me too!
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    edited May 2019
    In my opinion it can be helpful particularly if you're not sure of your activity level. We see it on the forums all the time here that people are hungry because they've set themselves to Sedentary and the highest rate of loss, but when digging deeper they'll say they are doing 8000 steps per day, which even if they are in an office job is far from sedentary.

    Also if your day-to-day non-exercise activity varies greatly then it can be useful to ensure you're fueling that activity correctly over time.

    If however you're doing the same activity pretty much day-in/day-out then I don't think it's really that beneficial unless you're a number geek like me, who just likes seeing the data.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited May 2019
    I used a Fitbit for 4 years, went through 3 of them in that time and then when the last one gave up I ditched it. Turns out I don't need a gadget to keep me active, it comes naturally to me even with a desk job. The last time I tracked my steps via mobile for a week I was still averaging 11k in normal day to day activity. Its a personal thing, if it motivates someone to move more then its a good idea.
    (I've been in maintenance almost 6 years)