To think my Fitbit step count must be wrong

[FurElise]

I've been using my Fitbit Versa for just under a year now and I've been feeling quite smug since getting it as I consistently exceed the 10k steps per day count.

But here's the thing, I consider myself pretty lazy and sedentary. I work a desk job (2 days in office, 3 WFH). I don't do any intentional exercise. I take my two elderly and arthritic dogs for a short and gentle stroll most days. My energetic 3yo dog also comes with us but she runs ahead, runs back, repeats for the whole 10/15 mins to get her exercise in (we walk on our own private land before the "off-lead dogs are the bane of society" people come for me).

The only days I don't hit the 10k step count are my in office days (usually around 8-9k on those days) and my odd hangover days where I stay in bed and watch Netflix.

Our house has quite a large footprint/odd and quite long single storey layout so when I'm at home walking from the utility to the bedroom for example is a bit farther than an average house might be. This is the only reason I can think of why I hit/exceed the 10k count most days.

Right now, I'm trying to lose a few pounds and get fitter/healthier but I'm concerned that my step count can't possibly be right when everything I read online tells me I'm active and doing enough moving (if not enough real exercise).

YABU - of course the Fitbit is correct: you're doing a great job getting moving

YANBU - sounds sus, don't believe the Fitbit!

This!

When I've a day with lots of meetings, my steps shoot up! Because I use my hands a lot.

Trouble with Fitbit it tracks arm movement, whether that is walking, exercising, petting your dog/cat or as a poster said above knitting. I do like them though as it encourages me to be more active but you can clock up steps by swinging your arms about unfortunately.

I clock up 300 steps during a completely inactive day in my miniscule flat - it's really surprising, and it is right as I alternate between three different counting gadgets. My very effective friend,, with a normal-sized house and garden, gets her 10,000 in without leaving home - she's always up & down stairs, moving stuff around, gardening & kitchening.

From what you've said about your house, it seems quite likely!

It's a good point, though, that the exact number matters less than the change over last week/month.

Have you also set up your stride length?

DH has a 27" inside leg, mine is 33" 😂. On a dog walk, he always hits 10k steps WAY before me even though we're walking the same distance.

I have a Garmin (got rid of the shitbit) currently on 2116 steps from pottering.
I usually end up on 8-10000 that's with pottering and taking the dog for 2 walks a day (usually around 5km total).

My Fitbit counts hair twiddling as steps.... however, "10000 steps" isn't just one kind of animal...
10000 steps at a pace which raises your heart rate may have a positive impact on your health. 10000 steps ambling around at snail's pace, less so.
For me, I do about 7k around the house and a short walk to the local shops is probably 3k steps. You don't need to be going on long countryside rambles to get10k steps.... but on its own, it's a fairly meaningless metric anyway.

Thanks everyone for the replies and ideas - I do "talk with my hands" a bit so that could be squewing my count a little.

I have to really try to get 10k steps. Usually a gym session and an hours dog walk after work.

I went to the gym the other day and ran for 20 mins, did a gym session and walked for 20 mins and only got 8 thousand.

I defo don't have long legs either.

Putting make up on, changing the beds, folding laundry -anything movement wise with your hand is counted as steps.