Best way to track steps on daily walk

Posted by dj12 @dj12, Jun 12 9:44am

I walk every day except the week I have chemo, usually a half hour. I am guessing I walk a mile? I have been doing my walks for 4 years since my cancer diagnosis. They are now part of my day.
I would like to count my steps but would like to know how other people do this. Is a pedometer, watch, phone or other device the most accurate? Thanks!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

@oliviaflickamay

I walk every day unless the temperature is in the 90's which occurs infrequently, (or snowing, pouring rain etc. etc..). I'm an 89 year old solo woman!!! While walking I listen to talks on various subjects on my Iphone. (Without it I would not have the desire to do this daily.). Therefore I am never bored with my daily ritual. I also stop to pet neighborhood dogs who respond joyfully. (Their owners less joyfully as it interrupts their own walks) Hee Hee Hee!!!!!

Jump to this post

Good for you and your walking. My Mom complained about doing her rehab after knee surgery and now she is confined to a wheelchair.
By the way, that is the best part about walking, seeing all the animals. And the owners who I enjoy talking to.

REPLY
@dj12

Does the Fitbit need a phone to sync to? I guess I prefer a simple standalone watch?

Jump to this post

Yes, it does. You read the results on your phone.

REPLY
@sharnie

Yes, it does. You read the results on your phone.

Jump to this post

My Fitbit doesn't require a phone to show my daily activity, you can read it on the device screen -you only need the app on your phone if I want to track activity over time.
This is my 4th different Fitbit, and all have been that way. If you don't have a phone, you can put the app on your tablet or computer - when I got my first one, I didn't have a smart phone, so tracked via my laptop.

REPLY
@imallears

@dj12

I have an Android..Samsung Galaxy and bought a Samsung watch a few years ago. It is synced to my phone so any calls or text messages will vibrate. I have set a minimum of 5000 steps daily ( little over 2 miles) and prompts to get up and move if you have been sitting too long. It tracks other activities such as running or swimming but I am only interested in steps. You get a blue sneaker award when you reach your goal. Believe me, you get to the point where you want that blue sneaker award every day and don’t want to break the streak. It’s a great motivator. I put my watch on when I get up and go out trekking at 6:30 daily. No matter what the day is like I “have” to get those steps in even if I walk around my house in circles.
I got mine on Amazon…basic…both the watch and phone are Samsung. But a basic Fitbit is good too. I have a small wrist so that was a factor in buying and it is feminine looking with interchangeable bands.

FL Mary

Jump to this post

I have an Apple Watch and it does the same thing. Good motivator!

REPLY

I have a simple pedometer that I got on Amazon.
I wear it around my neck and it is very accurate.
I’ve tried Fitbit and phone and concluded that
they were challenging to use.

REPLY
@barjar

I have a simple pedometer that I got on Amazon.
I wear it around my neck and it is very accurate.
I’ve tried Fitbit and phone and concluded that
they were challenging to use.

Jump to this post

Didn't know if they still sold just pedometers anymore. Around the neck might be nice.
I don't always have my phone with me so I'm sure I would miss steps around the house and outside.

REPLY

I walk every day except the week I have chemo, usually a half hour. I am guessing I walk a mile? I have been doing my walks for 4 years since my cancer diagnosis. They are now part of my day.
I would like to count my steps but would like to know how other people do this. Is a pedometer, watch, phone or other device the most accurate? Thanks!

Most adults can walk a mile in under 20 minutes easily, so you are probably doing closer to a mile and a half if you don't pause.

Your smart phone will have a health app, or your app store will have all sorts of health apps that include step counting. My own Galaxy phones come with the Samsung 'Health' app which counts steps. When I enable the Bluetooth connection to my Galaxy smart watch, the watch becomes the de facto counter since it is on me constantly and actually counts my steps based on my arm movement. The phone only uses GPS to guess how many steps you are taking.

As mentioned, there are a great many cheaper alternatives available at all drug stores, department stores, and on line. The Fitbits are popular and have been on the market for many years now.

REPLY
@gloaming

I walk every day except the week I have chemo, usually a half hour. I am guessing I walk a mile? I have been doing my walks for 4 years since my cancer diagnosis. They are now part of my day.
I would like to count my steps but would like to know how other people do this. Is a pedometer, watch, phone or other device the most accurate? Thanks!

Most adults can walk a mile in under 20 minutes easily, so you are probably doing closer to a mile and a half if you don't pause.

Your smart phone will have a health app, or your app store will have all sorts of health apps that include step counting. My own Galaxy phones come with the Samsung 'Health' app which counts steps. When I enable the Bluetooth connection to my Galaxy smart watch, the watch becomes the de facto counter since it is on me constantly and actually counts my steps based on my arm movement. The phone only uses GPS to guess how many steps you are taking.

As mentioned, there are a great many cheaper alternatives available at all drug stores, department stores, and on line. The Fitbits are popular and have been on the market for many years now.

Jump to this post

I have a Fitbit band that not only tells me the time, alerts me to phone notifications, and counts steps, but reminds me every hour by vibrating if I haven't walked 150 steps. That motivates me to get up from the computer and walk around. The step information then appears on my email. I have measured my steps and the Fitbit is very accurate. The only problem is that at about 2 years old now it shuts off without warning and I have to charge it up a couple of times a day to keep it from shutting off.

REPLY

I have a Fitbit & an Apple Watch. Both have ways to record steps walked. The Fitbit was given to me by Vanderbilt Hospital (in TN) Cancer Causal Study Team that I am on. It records more than steps. I started wearing it for the study but have continued to wear it because it also helps me to track what I am eating on a daily basis and how much water I am drinking.

REPLY

I have 2 apps i use for walking and the other has a pedometer that you can count steps and it measures the miles also. based on comparing both and knowing some of the distances I walk on a regular basis. Samsung Health i have for steps and if I want to track a walk I use is Map my walk which has maps and other things like lets you know avg speed.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.