Is step tracking beneficial?
Replies
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it is for me, but i'm a numbers geek. i find it motivational.2
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I track steps on my phone purely because I get rewards from my insurance for it, but it has zero motivating ability for me. It's sometimes interesting to see the variations in total counts based on what I'm doing in a day, but that's it. I personally prefer scheduled runs over step tracking for my exercise (currently training for a half marathon). I work a desk job, so most days I get between 3-6k steps, but on long run days, that number shoots up beyond 20k. There are other people in my office who also track for the rewards, and they find that it does convince them to get out and take a walk that they otherwise wouldn't take, so I agree with a lot of the previous poster's that it really comes down to personal preference. If it works for you, great. If not, no big deal.1
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If you do nothing all day and have the time to walk 5 miles daily...that's great...but most people will struggle with that...and the 10,000 steps has been proven to be an arbitrary figure plucked out of thin air for the purposes of marketing step counters in the first place...so I like others have gone through the motions of having a step tracker...because it was a thing...and I haven't used it in about a year...because constant use meant having to charge it every fortnight...and I very rarely achieved the golden goose of 10,000 steps! I think I did it once when we were at a rock festival walking from the campsite to the arena every day equated to about 5 miles! Dr Michael Moseley a proponent for reversing diabetes is against it also:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiy8Kne1p_iAhWbQxUIHZnoD40QFjANegQIAhAB&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42864061&usg=AOvVaw2uEES2c7whXn1fVHqjyFmG
The only useful function was the sleep analysis...I took notice of that more than the walking to be honest...
When/if you decide it is important to you, you will make the time.
You are awake, I would think, at least 16 hours a day.
3 minutes of brisk walking every hour will clock a good 4800 steps.
A 15 minute walk before work, at lunch, after work and after dinner gets you another 6000.
Nobody says that it is easy to change your activity level or outlook towards what's an acceptable amount of daily movement.
As with many things in life you get to choose and prioritize. And nobody says that your 10k steps cannot be very active and at a faster than moderate pace!
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I'm a couch potato and left to my own devices will lounge on the couch alllll day. I find my Fitbit very helpful in raising my NEAT levels.4
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I think if it's useful or not depends on the person.
For some it can be eye opening as to how inactive you actually are and a motivation to get in more steps. If those more steps help you with the calorie deficit, then it helps.
If it doesn't motivate you or doesn't help you achieve the calorie deficit, it doesn't help.
Even if doesn't help with weight loss, if you are somebody who likes the data and likes to see your daily steps, it's not hurting anything.3 -
Well I don't know what calorie budget y'all get, but mine is low, around 1420 before exercise. I'm 10 pounds away from goal and I have a sedentary job. So I use my step tracker to add calories back into my day so I can eat more than lettuce and cucumber. I work at a large office so I take lunchtime walks, and then I take the dog on a 35-45 minute walk in the evenings, so getting between 5000-8000 steps a day adds enough calories to keep me from going mad with hunger.9
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I found tracking steps very helpful when determining my activity level0
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Some people do it and say it really helps them lose. Some people (like my MIL) do it but don't use the information they get from it to do anything (like being more active or adjusting their eating to their energy output), so it's just a piece of jewelry they wear while they gain weight. Some people are like me and don't see the point. (I would definitely not use the information for anything but to feel proud of myself or bad about myself, depending on the day.) So, really, it depends on you. If you think you'll use the information to help you get more fit, buy a fitness band. But get a cheap one if it's possible you won't use it.0
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I track mine. But it’s mostly out of interest than necessity0 -
Maxematics wrote: »Whoa there, way to overgeneralize. It's almost like you're trying to shame people who get in a lot of steps.
Just saying that my life...I'm sure like a lot of other peoples doesn't allow me the time to walk 5 miles a day! No shame for people that do a lot of steps! If you can do it great! I just can't fit it into my day! I go to the gym 5 days a week first thing in the morning before work for a 50 minute work out and after work I have things to be done at home...so don't have time to walk that many steps...also I only get like 30 minutes for lunch...and can't really walk anywhere during that time because the location isn't appropriate for walking as there are cars flying by at 60-70mph every five minutes out the front...the road is very dangerous...so cycling isn't even an option!tinkerbellang83 wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
Also think the 10000 steps thing has been around long before step counters became such a big thing, my first step counter was a little clip on the waistband that cost £2 and that was 20 years ago
Just done a bit more research into it and the 10,000 steps recommendation came from Japanese research in the 1960s so definitely before FitBit became popular.
The Japanese research in the 60's was then used to sell a pedometer way back then!
http://10kstepsdaily.com/10000-steps-history-dr-yoshiro-hatano/
So it's not just about FitBits...trackers have existed long before those!
I mean I'm not trying to start any fights here...I'm just stating that it doesn't work for everyone...the point is you need to find something that works for you...and the problem inherent in the fitness industry is that the makers of these items need to sell them to you so they can make their money...but like weighing yourself constantly can become obsessive...so can walking X amount of steps...I mean how many people worry because they haven't done 10,000 steps a day? They don't need to worry because it's not a necessary requirement...but because they've read that it is a good idea somewhere...they now believe that not doing 10,000 steps a day is why they are not losing weight...the idea is good...the execution is somewhat questionable...
Sure get out and be as active as you can be...walking is a free activity and in good conditions is extremely enjoyable...but it's not something that you should rely on for weight loss...I mean you walk generally somewhere every day...and just walking to the shop and back isn't necessarily doing you any good (it depends what you are going to the shop for...).
On a personal level, I tried it...it didn't work for me...so I haven't bothered to track how many steps I take for a year or so and I'm losing weight without it...so it's not an essential item for weight loss...3 -
Maxematics wrote: »Whoa there, way to overgeneralize. It's almost like you're trying to shame people who get in a lot of steps.
Just saying that my life...I'm sure like a lot of other peoples doesn't allow me the time to walk 5 miles a day! No shame for people that do a lot of steps! If you can do it great! I just can't fit it into my day! I go to the gym 5 days a week first thing in the morning before work for a 50 minute work out and after work I have things to be done at home...so don't have time to walk that many steps...also I only get like 30 minutes for lunch...and can't really walk anywhere during that time because the location isn't appropriate for walking as there are cars flying by at 60-70mph every five minutes out the front...the road is very dangerous...so cycling isn't even an option!tinkerbellang83 wrote: »tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
Also think the 10000 steps thing has been around long before step counters became such a big thing, my first step counter was a little clip on the waistband that cost £2 and that was 20 years ago
Just done a bit more research into it and the 10,000 steps recommendation came from Japanese research in the 1960s so definitely before FitBit became popular.
The Japanese research in the 60's was then used to sell a pedometer way back then!
http://10kstepsdaily.com/10000-steps-history-dr-yoshiro-hatano/
So it's not just about FitBits...trackers have existed long before those!
I mean I'm not trying to start any fights here...I'm just stating that it doesn't work for everyone...the point is you need to find something that works for you...and the problem inherent in the fitness industry is that the makers of these items need to sell them to you so they can make their money...but like weighing yourself constantly can become obsessive...so can walking X amount of steps...I mean how many people worry because they haven't done 10,000 steps a day? They don't need to worry because it's not a necessary requirement...but because they've read that it is a good idea somewhere...they now believe that not doing 10,000 steps a day is why they are not losing weight...the idea is good...the execution is somewhat questionable...
Sure get out and be as active as you can be...walking is a free activity and in good conditions is extremely enjoyable...but it's not something that you should rely on for weight loss...I mean you walk generally somewhere every day...and just walking to the shop and back isn't necessarily doing you any good (it depends what you are going to the shop for...).
On a personal level, I tried it...it didn't work for me...so I haven't bothered to track how many steps I take for a year or so and I'm losing weight without it...so it's not an essential item for weight loss...
Are you sure about that? I mean, I don't count my steps but I still lost 120 lbs and all my exercise was walking. Just because you're walking doesn't mean you're not expending energy.
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Tracking steps was really helpful for me in the early days of my new life, when I was still exceedingly sedentary. It gave me a challenge, and when I was feeling tired-and-lazy knowing that I hadn't reached my target and would lose my streak got me up and out (and I felt better for it).
Nowadays I'm a lot more active and don't really care. I reach over 13,000 steps most days just from my commute and a lunchtime walk. I still wear the step counter, but I only check it on occasion (for example, after hiking 18 miles I was kind of curious as to how many steps that worked out to!) and I don't care about my streak, because on days I don't walk much I'm either doing something else (helloooo, BodyPump class) or badly in need of the rest.2 -
I mean you walk generally somewhere every day...and just walking to the shop and back isn't necessarily doing you any good (it depends what you are going to the shop for...).
On a personal level, I tried it...it didn't work for me...so I haven't bothered to track how many steps I take for a year or so and I'm losing weight without it...so it's not an essential item for weight loss...
Are you sure about that? I mean, I don't count my steps but I still lost 120 lbs and all my exercise was walking. Just because you're walking doesn't mean you're not expending energy.
I'm not saying you don't expend energy...I wrote about walking generally every day...the point is if you're walking to the shop to buy snacks for later...it's not necessarily beneficial...I mean I could walk from my house to the local Fish and Chip shop every day...well not at the moment because it's recently had a fryer fire...but the point being I doubt that the mile walk would counteract the portion of Fish and Chips...
I reiterate...It's about what works for YOU...personally...and yes as other people have stated it's a good place to start...but I do know people that obsess about it and that isn't healthy! I have a friend that last year ran 5K every day for charity...again where he found the time for that I don't know...my life doesn't allow that...but he did it and got to the end of the year...and then he stopped running for about 4 months! Didn't even bother with the weekly Park Run...he did it...and then needed to not do it...
I've already said...if it helps you great! Keep it up...but for me like I said in my original post...it didn't float my boat...and I actually found the sleep analysis more useful for me as I am a somewhat light sleeper and seeing the visual representation of the periods of deep sleep was interesting. Good sleep is as important as walking for a healthy, happy body!
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It's beneficial to me. One of the biggest revelations was that even when I thought my activity level was consistent, it clearly wasn't. When I tried high-intensity interval training, my daily activity dropped by so much it canceled out all the calories I burned during my intervals. I wouldn't have guessed. Yes, I felt tired, but I felt I was back to normal after resting. It was an eye-opener for me. I also notice I move less when I sleep less and I move more when I'm stressed among other observations.
Seeing these patterns helped me personalize my weight loss even more. I eat more when I'm stressed, but that's nothing to feel bad about because I usually move more too. I don't enjoy HIIT, and it doesn't contribute much to my daily calories, so I decided to stop doing it without a second thought.8 -
I mean you walk generally somewhere every day...and just walking to the shop and back isn't necessarily doing you any good (it depends what you are going to the shop for...).
On a personal level, I tried it...it didn't work for me...so I haven't bothered to track how many steps I take for a year or so and I'm losing weight without it...so it's not an essential item for weight loss...
Are you sure about that? I mean, I don't count my steps but I still lost 120 lbs and all my exercise was walking. Just because you're walking doesn't mean you're not expending energy.
I'm not saying you don't expend energy...I wrote about walking generally every day...the point is if you're walking to the shop to buy snacks for later...it's not necessarily beneficial...I mean I could walk from my house to the local Fish and Chip shop every day...well not at the moment because it's recently had a fryer fire...but the point being I doubt that the mile walk would counteract the portion of Fish and Chips...
I reiterate...It's about what works for YOU...personally...and yes as other people have stated it's a good place to start...but I do know people that obsess about it and that isn't healthy! I have a friend that last year ran 5K every day for charity...again where he found the time for that I don't know...my life doesn't allow that...but he did it and got to the end of the year...and then he stopped running for about 4 months! Didn't even bother with the weekly Park Run...he did it...and then needed to not do it...
I've already said...if it helps you great! Keep it up...but for me like I said in my original post...it didn't float my boat...and I actually found the sleep analysis more useful for me as I am a somewhat light sleeper and seeing the visual representation of the periods of deep sleep was interesting. Good sleep is as important as walking for a healthy, happy body!
But if that's the argument surely walking 1 mile (there and back) would be better for someone than getting it delivered? No it's not going to counteract it, but it could be the difference between someone being over their TDEE for the day, or not.
Fish & Chips is typically around 1200 -1500 calories, my TDEE for an inactive day is around 2200-2400 calories, depending on how fidgety I am around the house. If I have a normal sized breakfast/lunch that's probably 800-900 calories so I'd be around Maintenance if I had the fish & chips without the walk. If I go for the walk I'm in a small deficit. So yes it would be beneficial and lead to weight loss instead of maintenance.
People can obsess about anything and everything, that doesn't make it a bad thing to do for the majority of people.
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well now i want fish & chips.2
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I have had a pedometer (Now a Fitbit) for years. It does help me be more active, but I don't obsess over getting my 10,000 steps. It is a goal, but if I don't..oh well..I usually have been doing something else that I wanted to do. I do know people, tho, that really obsess over their steps..and feel like they have failed if they don't make their goal. That is not healthy. I also find the sleep analysis interesting...I don't get enough deep sleep!0
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I keep an eye on it, but don't really obsess about it. I find it really cool to see what i nail on my long-run days, but that's about it...
I worry more about total exercise calorie burn in a day (and yes, I know, most trackers aren't accurate -- but TDEE/weight loss tracking with my Watch shows it to be very accurate for me). I swim and spin and lift, none of which involve *steps*, but do compose a lot of my exercise -- so I may rarely hit 10,000 steps -- which is really a pulled-out-of-thin-air number to begin with, from a scientific perspective -- but I'm certainly not inactive. My regular walking mileage during the week is about 3 miles a day, so...1 -
psychod787 wrote: »
That may not end well... half the fish and chips would turn to dust.5 -
tinkerbellang83 wrote: »But if that's the argument surely walking 1 mile (there and back) would be better for someone than getting it delivered? No it's not going to counteract it, but it could be the difference between someone being over their TDEE for the day, or not.
Fish & Chips is typically around 1200 -1500 calories, my TDEE for an inactive day is around 2200-2400 calories, depending on how fidgety I am around the house. If I have a normal sized breakfast/lunch that's probably 800-900 calories so I'd be around Maintenance if I had the fish & chips without the walk. If I go for the walk I'm in a small deficit. So yes it would be beneficial and lead to weight loss instead of maintenance.
People can obsess about anything and everything, that doesn't make it a bad thing to do for the majority of people.
People do obsess about anything and everything...it depends on the level of obsession...and some of my friends and myself included over the years have taken things to unhealthy levels...so my concern is real...I have my own issues that are my cross to bear...years ago I became obsessed with building muscle before thinking about the consequences of transference from it being fat for example...I have since come to the decision that I need to hit a target weight before I put some back on in muscle form...and when I first got my step tracker, I did get pissed off in the early days that I wasn't anywhere near the 'Holy Grail'...but then I read a wider variety of literature and realised it's not just about stepping 1000's of steps per day that is necessarily important (for everyone)...but the whole picture that requires work...and it is the danger of getting caught up in the "exceeding the goal" game that causes me concern...for myself and others
I mean on another fitness app I dipped into...you are awarded 'achievement' medals for reaching so many steps, reps, miles, calories burned...it gets a bit silly...again for me that trivializes the process...but others may take it as motivation...it just depends where you're at in your development...and yes recently I'd taken a few dives into uncertainty myself...but decided to venture into this community to open up to the possibilities...and a few people who responded to my initial posts inspired me to be and do better...and here I was only offering my take on things...and I seem to have caused a ruckus with the pedometer users...I meant no harm!
Let's take a walk down the Chippy!
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tinkerbellang83 wrote: »But if that's the argument surely walking 1 mile (there and back) would be better for someone than getting it delivered? No it's not going to counteract it, but it could be the difference between someone being over their TDEE for the day, or not.
Fish & Chips is typically around 1200 -1500 calories, my TDEE for an inactive day is around 2200-2400 calories, depending on how fidgety I am around the house. If I have a normal sized breakfast/lunch that's probably 800-900 calories so I'd be around Maintenance if I had the fish & chips without the walk. If I go for the walk I'm in a small deficit. So yes it would be beneficial and lead to weight loss instead of maintenance.
People can obsess about anything and everything, that doesn't make it a bad thing to do for the majority of people.
People do obsess about anything and everything...it depends on the level of obsession...and some of my friends and myself included over the years have taken things to unhealthy levels...so my concern is real...I have my own issues that are my cross to bear...years ago I became obsessed with building muscle before thinking about the consequences of transference from it being fat for example...I have since come to the decision that I need to hit a target weight before I put some back on in muscle form...and when I first got my step tracker, I did get pissed off in the early days that I wasn't anywhere near the 'Holy Grail'...but then I read a wider variety of literature and realised it's not just about stepping 1000's of steps per day that is necessarily important (for everyone)...but the whole picture that requires work...and it is the danger of getting caught up in the "exceeding the goal" game that causes me concern...for myself and others
I mean on another fitness app I dipped into...you are awarded 'achievement' medals for reaching so many steps, reps, miles, calories burned...it gets a bit silly...again for me that trivializes the process...but others may take it as motivation...it just depends where you're at in your development...and yes recently I'd taken a few dives into uncertainty myself...but decided to venture into this community to open up to the possibilities...and a few people who responded to my initial posts inspired me to be and do better...and here I was only offering my take on things...and I seem to have caused a ruckus with the pedometer users...I meant no harm!
Let's take a walk down the Chippy!
No ruckus caused at all, the joy of the interwebs is that it can be hard to articulate exactly what you mean and equally hard for others to discern your meaning without the benefit of body language, tone, etc.
The world is becoming more and more sedentary, kids spend more time in front of a computer/phone/tablet than they do outside. Adults get into routines of work/couch/sleep. So I'm for anything that will encourage people to be more active.
People who become unhealthily obsessed with step tracking would likey become obsessed with something else if it wasn't stepcounts. It's like Calorie Counting - fine and helpful for the majority but it can trigger eating disorders in a few. That's no fault of the tool and shouldn't render it dangerous to the majority.
Make mine a chip butty!
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