How important is step count?

[Youngatheart00]

Have piled on a lot of weight in lockdown, and I was already bordering on overweight. My BMI is now 27 and I want to get back down within the healthy range.

I’ve been much less active than I would usually be pre covid and my step count has dropped from around 8-11k a day down to 2-3k. How much of a difference will it make if I consistently aim for say 7.5k steps a day for several weeks? I hear mixed messages about the impact it will make.

I have had several abdo surgeries (fully healed) which have given me scar tissue and adhesions which make high intensity exercise uncomfortable (that and unfitness!) hence my Q re steps.

[SamanthaStripyPants]

If it helps, I have just walked 3.16 miles and burnt 355 calories. It was a slow walk in the end as I cut my toe on my slider and it hurt 😂 I am 85kg and 5ft5.

[Youngatheart00]

That’s a very detailed workout report!

I made it out for a walk, roundabout 6000 steps at a fairly brisk pace. It’s a start. Listening to a podcast on habit forming!

[SamanthaStripyPants]

It's my Apple Watch. Records everything. Shit battery life tho. Not sure i would recommend. Definitely makes you more active tho as it sets you challenges. Mine is to walk loads this month. I think I had 3.5k steps before I left and 11 something at the end.

[carrottopper]

This baffles me. So I may burn similar calories walking as running? And a lower heart rate burns more fat than a raised heart rate? I'm sure my friend said to aim around 140 hr but mine is 150 when I run. Is that right?

[Shedtheload]

Exercise makes a big difference to weight loss despite lots of people saying it’s all diet. The key to keeping weight lost off is to adopt an active lifestyle forever. If you just do the food bit, you’ll be one of the 95% who regain all the weight lost and more. Exercise is also essential to staying healthy so it’s a no-brainer.

[Purplesndteal]

It's all about raising your HR. Just normal walking won't do much for burning calories, it will make you fitter (as in building endurance) but that's about it. If you want to burn calories you have to jog/run/brisk walk. Running 10k burns around 600-700 calories. 3500 calories equal 1lb of weight loss. These are gross numbers though.

[BasinHaircut]

Eat less move more.

If you are currently doing 1k steps per day just around the house when before lockdown you would have done 13k just on your day to day, then of course increasing your steps will help hey you back to an even keel. You don’t need to get into the technicalities of whether running or walking is better for fat loss you literally need to become less sedentary. Don’t think of it as exercise in the sense that it will improve your fitness, that’s not the goal here is it? It’s just about energy balance.

If you want to get fitter then do some resistance training, but don’t do it to burn calories, do it to achieve a fitness goal.

Weight loss is mostly achieved in the kitchen by reducing calories consumed so along with getting out for a walk each day (or just finding ways to fit more general activity in) download MyFitnessPal and see what you are eating every day. Cut by 20% and see what happens.

[bluefoxmug]

do you 'only' walk as exercise?
then 2k steps really isn't enough for health and well being.
aim for 30 min everyday, joe wicks or other exercise video or going for walks. ideally you get your heart rate up a bit (slightly out of breath and sweating).

and yes to diet.
veg is your friend. whatever you eat, imagine a toddler plate: large compartment for salad/veg, small compartments for meat/sauce and carbs.

[SamanthaStripyPants]

@carrottopper it's a sliding scale depending on age. Max heart rate is 220 minus your age, give or rake 10%. From there, it moves to the different elements.

[carrottopper]

I've tried to stick to 3 main meals (porridge, salad and a normal family meal with a normal portion size as I think I was overdoing it with the portion!) and I've been doing 5k run/walk every other day and a hiit exercise on the other day. I've been clocking up anywhere between 700-1000 calories on my watch. My hr has always hit an average of 150 throughout the workout according to my watch. I think I might have lost 1lb but not checked for a few days but my clothes fit better and I feel better for it. Any suggestions?

[girlsyearapart]

Op- do you have earphones ?
At the beginning of the lockdown I said I was determined to keep up with my 10k plus a day steps and it’s really helped listening to audible books on my way

[SamanthaStripyPants]

They say you must have a deficit but everything is an estimate. If you're not losing, you're simply not in a deficit. I recommend weighing your porridge because it's easy to estimate a portion and be way over what you thought. If you can afford it, buy the pots as it's all designated. I live on meat and salad or meat and veg. Apart from my cheat days or meals which are a terrible idea, don't do them.

Get your TDEE from TDEE.co.uk or com and take off 500 calories to cut.

Do you feel healthier? Which watch is it?

I exercise a lot but eat a lot. I gain muscle but never lose weight. I compare myself to Eddie hall, the strong man. It's not how I want to be but I just can't stop eating. I'll do really well for the day and have a sandwich to congratulate myself. 🤦‍♀️

I've just seen a recommendation for a book called is butter a carb. Lots of fantastic nutritional advice. I'm going to buy that.