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No I don't mind, I am 35. I was about 170 lb before I got into Fitbit about 3 years ago. I gained 15 lb chasing 10k steps. It might be metabolic change. But last year I stopped using Fitbit and switched to Polar watch with HRM. I am down to 177 lb now. My RHR has always been around 55bpm, it didn't really change when I cut out gym.

The thing is that I really believed in 10K steps being enough to stay healthy. So I gave up weights & running which I did not do out of joy but as something that you do. If they invent once a month toothpaste, I will switch to it. If I don't have to run and get sweaty, then I am all for it.

10K steps was easy for me. Before Fitbit, I might get 4-5K steps without any effort. After Fitbit I started going on longer dog walks (3-4K steps). Started doing house chores in the most inefficient manners (1-2K). I would walk around office a lot (3-5K). If I was still short at the end of day, I will watch TV while stepping in a place. On weekends, I preferred hiking to swimming.

I can see how extra 5K steps a day didn't require any significant effort for me. So it would have made no difference for me. I can see from this thread that many people struggle with that so it makes sense for them to hit 10K steps goal.

discuss

aytekin|10 years ago

The original article is saying that 5K steps is enough and additional steps are not required to get health benefits. So, it sounds like you were already doing 5K and plus the running/weight lifting. When you replaced running+weights with the additional 5K steps, you did not get any benefits but gave up an important workout. The original article also mentions the importance of 45 minutes of high-intensity exercise. Everything you say matches the results they found.

brlewis|10 years ago

OK, that doesn't actually sound like metabolic change to me. I think it's just that 3 days a week at gym, lifting and cardio/running burns more calories than the 5K walking steps you substituted for those activities. The default Fitbit goal was not for you...maybe a weekly exercise goal instead, which you can also do on Fitbit.