So, who else counts steps? (A pedometer thread)

I’ve been hooked up to one of these gadgets for about 6 years. For most of those my minimum goal was 10k, five days a week, but since I was diagnosed with osteoporosis, I’ve doubled it and walk every day, mostly outside (no treadmill). I listen to a LOT of audiobooks. :slight_smile:

I’m interested in finding out if other Dopers use a pedometer and how they like it. Do you count steps every day? Do you have a daily/weekly goal? Do you increase it? Indoor or outdoor? Treadmill? Have you noticed improvement in any health issues? Blood pressure? Cholesterol? Whateveritis?

Tell me every little thing.

Got a FitBit for 2013 Christmas. 10k+ per day, 7 days a week. Lost 25+ pounds first year with no other change and went off BP meds.

I have a FitBit HR. I haven’t made it 10,000 steps a day, but I work out almost five hours a week, so I figure that makes up for my desk job.

I got a vivofit nearly a year ago. I got it because my job involves sitting in front of a computer all day and my vivofit reminds me to get up and walk around if I’ve been sitting for more than an hour. The longer I sit, the longer I have to walk to get the alert to disappear.

I run 3 days a week (4-6 miles) and I don’t have step target on those days. On the other days, I try to get to 8k, preferably 10k. I usually walk/run outdoors as the climate here is mild year-round. I probably average about 85k/week.

I like my vivofit a lot, I find that it gets me off my butt and walking when I would have been sitting at my desk. Today I didn’t run so I walked 1/2 mile to the supermarket and back to get some steps in.

I haven’t really noticed any physical changes (I was running regularly long before I got the pedometer) but it makes me feel better to know that I maintain at least a minimum amount of activity each day. I like to listen to podcasts when I walk, and music when I run.

Those Fitbit dealies look neat. I started out with one of these but it was kind of big and clunky, so when it broke I got this. It’s cheap, acuurate and comfortable.

Since I’ve been walking my osteoporosis has improved in all areas but one. I’m taking meds for it though, so I assume I have those to thank. Still, the walking can’t hurt, right?

I got a FitBit for my wife a couple of years ago. She often gets 8K steps just at work. Last Sunday she went over 30K steps for one day when we walked a 1/2 marathon together. She finds the FitBit very motivating.

I have a Garmin Forerunner GPS watch for walking and a Garmin Edge GPS bike computer. I like to track miles. Of course the GPS watch doesn’t work very well indoors but I wore in walking in a gym where one mile was 13 laps. The output looked like one of those old Spirograph drawings.

I got a FitBit HR in June, I like to be able to see my heartrate as well as steps (and somehow it can tell how many stories of steps I have climbed). Rubber watch straps and the like usually irritate my skin, but so far this hasn’t bothered me at all, for which I am grateful.

I like being able to link up the data via my smartphone, and they then send me a weekly summary. My average steps per day runs between 7K-8K, without really trying (i.e. I don’t do much walking for the sake of walking). I’ve lost 25 pounds or so since I got it, but that is mostly due to cutting calories quite a bit, plus cardio at the gym. I’m giving myself 2 years to lose a total of 100 pounds, so I’m a little ahead of schedule but I expect it to get harder as I go along.

We started a step program about a year ago at work. It was kind of eye opening, how few steps I managed on non-gym days (approx 3 days a week). Started trying to walk more and get to 10K steps every day. “Luckily” the el-cheapo pedometer they gave me broke, and I went out a bought a FitBit to take its place. This motivated me to also start counting (and modifying) my calorie intake along with FitBit’s estimate of my calories burned. Went from about 180 lbs to 150 lbs (my goal) in about 3 months - then decided to lose another 10. I’ve been maintaing 140lbs for about 5 months. I don’t obsess as much about the steps anymore - just the calories burned.

There are potential issues with Firbit step counting, as explained here by David Sedaris :smiley:

SWMBO and I have Jawbone UPs. We started with level 2, but I upgraded her to 3 for her birthday. 2 counts steps and tells us deep sleep vs. light sleep. 3 takes it a step farther (:D) and adds in the heart rate as well as breaking the sleep into light vs. deep vs. REM.

Pretty nifty little gadgets. I especially like the fact that they sync with Weight Watchers and if I exceed my step goal, I get WW exercise points.

I walk five times a week. The pedometer I use is about six years old and is pretty basic but serves its purpose. Mostly I walk to time (an hour to hour and a half most days) and then glance at the steps. I usually do 3 1/2 to 4 miles.

I started with Jawbone UP. I progressed through to their “3”. All have broken. The company has been great about replacing, but I got tired of it.

I’m using the FitBit HR now and like it quite a bit. The only thing I don’t like is how long it holds a charge (3 days-ish versus a week) and how much notice you get before battery death (none - my phone will alert me it’s dead and to charge immediately).

What I like about having a device like the Jawbone UP 3 or the FitBit HR: I do track my exercise. It does get me up and moving more. I also link it to a diet tracker, which has been helpful. Finally, both track sleep patterns, which I also find helpful. Neither is perfect, but anything that reminds me to get up and move more often is a good thing.

OP how did you want to use this thread?

Bolding mine

The HR actually has an altimeter sensor. It actually goes by elevation, not floors (10 feet = 1 floor). I get 6 floors from one of my normal walks, and it’s all sidewalk with some hills.

I have a FitBit One, which I seldom use but am thinking about getting a Jawbone Up3 for the sleep analysis aspect. How accurate do you think it is? I’ve used a sleep app on my iPhone, which I think is absolute rubbish, so I would be interested to read your opinion of the Up3.

I have an app for the Android. Probably not too accurate. It counts steps, but doesn’t know my stride length.

But, I like it. I can compare the daily steps and know when I’m slacking. Lot of fun these pedometers.

No way in particular. I’m just passing the time of day, ddsun. :slight_smile:

I don’t follow any kind of program or guidelines and was curious to hear about what others do and what benefits they’ve noticed. FWIW, I’ve noticed two things since I increased my steps. The first is that I have far less insomnia. The second is that old fart aches and pains and creakiness [presumably arthritis] are not as bothersome.

I hvae a Fitbit Zip, the cheapest and smallest of them all. I wear it clipped to my bra. It has completely transformed my exercise. My husband and I now get up at 6.15 to go for a 4,500 step walk, then as soon as I get home late afternoon, we’re out again for another walk. Then sometimes we’ll head out again after dinner for a shorter walk. I average about 12,000 steps, often up to 15,000 but only get to 20,000+ on weekends when there is time for more walking.

It hasn’t affected my weight, but I believe it’s had a very positive impact on my health. A year ago, my blood pressure was 135/90. I went to the doctor two weeks ago and it was 122/65.