Do workout steps count?
Hi! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day. I taught my third barre class today! Almost every time I’m about to teach a class, chances are that I’m SUPER nervous beforehand. It’s definitely been the case with barre here since I’ve had to learn a new format + choreographed stretching series. It’s been fun to shake things up (literally) and force myself to do something new; but, I’ve been a super Nervous Nellie for every class. Today was the first time that I started to feel comfortable with the new-to-me stuff 🙂
It’s also Liv’s half birthday, so we’ve been celebrating!
How do we celebrate a half birthday? Pack up old toys to donate
and eat cupcakes.
Not a bad combo. 🙂
For half birthdays, we’ve been emphasizing giving since receiving is customarily a part of actual birthdays. Liv got a kick out of telling me which toys she no longer wants and tossing them into the bag. Let’s see if she’s asking for them tomorrow haha.
While we decluttered around the house, it was a nice surprise to see the steps tracker go up on my Loop, especially since I’ve been making an attempt to be more active throughout the day. I’ve been wanting to ask you guys if you count the steps you take during a workout towards your 10,000. When I teach Zumba or go to an Orangetheory class, it’s SO easy to get to my goal since I’ll hit around 6-7k in that one hour.
(What happens when you wear the Loop for a 9-miler + everyday activity)
Otherwise, getting to 10,000 is challenging for me, even though we live in a city that’s much more walking-friendly. I’ve been trying to add in little walks or bursts of activity throughout the day, whether it’s with the dogs around the neighborhood,
or to pick up some forgotten essentials at the grocery store.
I’ve been trying to get to 10,000 steps without wearing my tracker for workouts because I really want to be more active during the entire day, not just the hour or less I’ve designated to sweat.
Do you wear a fitness tracker? What kind do you have? Do you count workouts as steps?
Hope you have a great night! See ya in the morning with a barre strength workout 🙂
xoxo
Gina
Check out my review of the Fitbit Flex and of the Polar Loop here! A fun post: the Fitbit life.
Don’t forget to get in today’s check in and giveaway entry, too. xo
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I would count my steps in my workout towards my 10,000 steps. My question is always can I count my 10,000 steps (or however many I take) in my calories burned for the day?
Which barre studio have you started teaching at? I’m in San Diego too and LOVE barre workouts, so I’m curious.
i’ll send you an email!
absolutely counts, but if you are trying to get your “outside of workouts” number up your method is great. Take it off for workouts, but I wouldn’t expect to get 10k unless you work at a bakery or some other very step-heavy job.
that’s good to know. 10k always feels like a difficult goal without a workout in there
Thats one of the things I like about the fitbit, since it lets you block out whatever time frame and sub it with whatever exercise you did through myfitnesspal… comes in handy for cycling.
when i would cycle with my fitbit, i’d swing my arm a little to count the steps haha
strap it onto your laces!
Im not sure i understand! How do you block out a time frame? i have fitbit/myfitnesspal but i dont like how it adds soo many calories do your total for the day if you have them connected. Literally giving me an extra 1,000 calories a day sometimes. I would be gaining weight at that rate!
I only enter my food through myfitnesspal. All my activity, I enter through the fitbit app. That way it doesn’t double count the calories burned.
I count my workout as part of my steps. I need to! I have a lot of behind-a-desk type of work, so I don’t get to walk around as often as I’d like. We also live in a very small community, so whenever I try to walk somewhere, I often get the: “Hey, do you need a ride? Are you sure? Did your car break down?” LOL
haha that’s how tucson was! everything is so spread out, there’s no way you can walk from place to place unless you live downtown or by campus
I need an inexpensive tracker. Any recommendations? Apps are also welcome! I work at a bakery and want to put an app or tracker on and see how many steps I take in one shift.
I use the app Argus and love it!!!
For what it’s worth, I work in a kitchen and easily get my 10,000 steps in a typical 8-hour shift. I’m sure you do too! 🙂
I got a FitBit for Christmas and love it – and you can wash your hands a million times a day without worrying about water wrecking it. But, not inexpensive at $100. 🙁
I have the FitBit Zip, which I wear on my bra and, at under $50 it’s great alternative to the bracelets. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095PZHRC/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_.8qVtb18VHWQ695N
Runtastic offers a pedometer app I’ve been using [out of curiosity more than anything] every now and then lately.
I’ve noticed that when I wear my jawbone up24 to a barre method class, pilates, or yoga (my 3 go-to classes), my jawbone actually vibrates to indicate that I’m not walking at all. I’ve never done zumba, but I would count the steps, since it’s exercise!
I definitely would count the steps toward your overall goal! It is movement after all.
Here’s my question though.. I have a very active job and consistently walk 12,000 to 19,000 steps a day… I’ve even gotten as high as 24,000! So would you ever count “double” your goal as a workout?
I wouldnt! I would just increase your goal to a number that you know is semi-difficult to get on a day without any additional planned exercise.
I don’t wear a fitness tracker, but I’ve been making a conscious effort the past few months to be more ACTIVE rather than trying to work out more, and it makes a big difference when I’m on my feet and up and down all day. I recently picked up a part time job at Starbucks, and it’s amazing to me how tiring a 6 hour shift can be…you are in constant motion, even though it doesn’t always seem that way because you’re only moving short distances (back and forth between bar and window, back stock room and front, reaching everywhere, picking things up, etc.).
I have a FitBit Flex and I wear it all day, every day! I’m two months postpartum and every step counts when it comes to losing the rest of the baby weight (although I kept it on all day prior, too).
I try to get to about 13,000 steps on days I do cardio workouts, but if I only get to 10,000, I still consider that a success
I say count them. so I just wear a pedometer. I’d love a fancy tracker but I haven’t justified the expense yet. and the only reason I wear the pedometer is because it adds money to our healthcare account for medical expenses for our family. so the more active my husband and I are the more money that is put into our account. you get a certain number of points for 7k a day and then you get a certain number for 12k. so 12k is always my goal on a running day (which is typically every other day). but on non running days, I’m happy to go over the 7k mark. even jumping on the trampoline with my kids doesn’t pick up steps….that shocked me. jumping on a trampoline is quite a leg burner! I feel like it should earn me some steps! 😉
I wear the Garmin Forerunner 15 to track my steps/miles. It beeps at me to “move!” if I haven’t in a while. I like that I can scroll through and see exactly how many steps I’ve taken and how that translates into miles. I still get nervous to teach new Group Centergy releases. We have the launch for all new classes this Saturday, so I’m sure I’ll have some nerves!
I love the idea of recycling toys!!!! And that cupcake, wowerz! Yum!
I work in a hospital that makes it mandatory to wear a pedometer/activity monitor that clips onto our shoe or belt line in order to get the lower health care premium. It’s called a pebble. I think the brand is fitlinx. They mail it to the workers for free and it’s syncs up to the network every time I step into the hospital. We have to get 100,000 steps or 400 hours of activity a month to qualify for the lower healthcare premium. They make it fun with challenges and teams that you join on their fitness network.
I’m a nurse so I’m constantly on my feet. I average about 12,000 steps per 12 hour shift. On my days off I average about 7,000 and I definitely wear my pebble during workouts:)
As someone who works a desk job for 10+ hours every day, I have to count workout steps. I try to take a walk during both of my 15-minute breaks and on my lunch, but those are the only options I have as my company would not entertain the idea of even a sit-stand desk, let alone a treadmill desk.
I don’t count my workout – it makes it too easy to get to 10k and be lazy the rest of the day. But, I’m okay if on a workout day I only get 7500 + work out. Then I aim for 10k on days I don’t work out. That balance works for me.
I think that workout steps count, they are active and as long as you keep with the 10,000 I think you are good! All my love <3 C
So I registered me and Austin for Fitbits for our wedding. So I haven’t been tracking my steps at all, but I’m interested to see how the days I teach stack up against the days I don’t!
I love my Loop! How awesome you teach barre classes. They’re some of my favorite workouts.
Yes ma’am. I wear a JAWBONE UP24 band and I definitely count the steps in my workouts. I walk to the gym, where I’m a trainer, so I have no problem beating the 10,000 a day, and when I get in a good workout, sometimes I’m over 17,000 a day. Every step counts! It’s all about moving as much as you can during the day.
I wear my Fitbit for all my fitness activities. It’s a measurement of how much you move so I believe my workouts should be included in that.
I wear the Nike Fuel band and get about 7-10k per day including my workout. I usually focas more on fuel points then steps though. The goal based on height weight and exercise level is 3k points per day
I don’t track my steps but def don’t get my steps in without workingout :/ My desk job KILLS me with all the sitting I do. I try to take walk breaks and stand with my computer but it’s difficult sometimes to switch it up. Maybe if I had a tracker I’d have more motivation?
have you thought about using a ball as a chair? that helps me to move around more when i know i’ll be sitting for a while 🙂
I used to have a fitbit one (I got it free from a coworker who switched to the flex) but I left it in our hotel in NOLA after Mardi Gras and it was never seen again. Womp womp. To be honest, I found it entertaining, but not super useful. I also walk a lot already, it’s my main mode of transport and favorite way to de-stress. It was nifty to see what my activity level actually is, but then it was kind of like, “okay, I’m pretty active, did I really need an electronic device to tell me that?” If I were more sedentary I might consider getting another one, but honestly it seems like a waste of money to me.
I had a Jawbone band for a while, but it died after 3 months. Since I cycle so much every day I always wore it around my ankle – got in quite a good number of steps like that!
I have a FitBit and it’s awesome. I think that all steps/movements you make during the day count towards your goal. Just because you got them because you worked out doesn’t mean you didn’t do them.
I don’t have an activity tracker but I have been looking at them. I work at a desk so I am fairly inactive during the day…I try to get our during my lunch break but sometimes lunch is eaten at my desk 🙁 Maybe a tracker would push me to be more active?
On a side note…what type of sock/shoes are those in the top picture? They look like they might be barre shoes?
it’s great motivation for me to move around more during the day!
they’re barre socks from lucy 🙂
I don’t count those steps, because I don’t want to double count anything on the calories burned. It’s hard to get 10K because I have a desk job with long hours, but I try to at least make a lap or two around the building 2x a day as many days as possible.
Love the idea for a half birthday! Is that a Trader Joe’s chocolate peanut butter cupcake? Those are so good!
Movement outside of formal exercise seems to have such a bigger effect on overall health that I love these health trackers! I have used the nike fuel band but would also love to try the fitbit.
I count mine! I have a Fitbit One. I love it and they have EXCELLENT customer service.
It’s probably impossible for me to hit 10K steps without counting workouts because I work in an office and a desk job doesn’t give me many steps 🙁 I do try to walk when I can and usually walk for a little bit during lunch just to get a few more steps in!
I wear my fitbit during my workouts, but I definitely try to stay conscious of that! I don’t want my steps all coming from my workout! Walking to and from my research lab (~.8 miles) every morning really helps and I am lucky to get a lot of movement during the day because of running around and working on things in the lab!
I don’t have a fit bit or something similar, though I wish I did all of last year! My parking spot was 20 minutes away from my classes and 20 minutes to work in a different direction. I spent at least an hour a day just walking to and from my car to classes to work! That wasn’t so much fun in the winter with snow and those two weeks when it was below 0!
I have a fitbit and walk to work, so with that commute and daily normal activity I hit the 10k. I don’t wear it for classes (barre type classes) which is my main ‘real’ exercise, mainly b/c I don’t like having it clipped on to my sports bra or leggings (I have clip on, not bracelet.) I like to get my steps without the classes but if that’s the only way you are getting to your goal then I would definitely wear it to exercise classes! I live in a city, so walking is ‘easy’ and certainly no one is pulling over to offer rides when I walk for exercise or to get to work 😉
I mostly do strength workouts now and just walk, so my tracker is great for me! I walk sometimes in the morning, always during lunch and sometimes at night too. I also walk a lot in general since I live in Chicago and don’t have a car. It’s really easy for me to hit 10,000, my average right now is 18K! Haha I might have gotten a little competitive with my walking… but come winter I have a feeling it will be impossible to hit 10K!
I would love a fitbit, or something similar, but to be honest i worry about wearing a wireless device 24/7…much like a cell phone i imagine, but it just freaks me out to wear on my body. Anybody else worry about this, or am i just a freak, ha ha!
That cupcake looks awesome!!!!
I count ’em. I also put it on my fitbit flex on my laces or ankle when doing a spin class or barre. I shoot for 12000 steps a day and on cardio days I shoot for 15K (but I live in NYC!).
We have a few walking-work stations at my office, treadmills (that only go 2 mph) with a desk, that anyone can use for 30 mins a day. So I do that most days, walk to the further restroom in my wing, and do a walking/jogging cardio warm-up to get some more steps. Usually between those things I’m almost at 10k steps. All it takes is a few errands or a short walk with the dog to hit 10k. I did just get a standing desk last month, and WOW so much more energy with standing most of the day!!
I use the fitbit to count my steps, although I used the GoWear Fit (Body Media Fit now) for a long time. I include all my steps for my day total. I have to walk across a city university campus, about 3/4 of a mile one way, every day so it definitely is exercise for me. I’ll strap the fitbit to my shoes when I go biking in the evening.
I don’t count my steps during my workout toward my daily activity. I completely agree with you. A workout is bonus activity and shouldn’t be a way to cheat as a means to pretend like you are getting up and walking around. If I don’t count my workout otherwise it appears like I’m the average American with a sedentary life style. Not counting my workout has benefited my whole family, because I take my son for more small walks and he gets more “mommy time.” Same with hubby. I run 3-5 miles a day… and that’s “my” time… Not counting my workout and taking steps with my son and hubby has benefited us all around. The goal is to get up and move around more than I was previously. It’s worked!
I always count my workout steps in with my everyday steps. When I don’t I only get about half of the 10,000 I plan to get in a day. I have the Pacer app on my iPhone. I don’t totally love it, mainly because it shows me how inactive I am after I get my hour+ workout in 😛 But it tracks my steps and it lets me import workouts and adds those steps in too. I just hate having my phone on me all day. I’m too tempted to play on it if it’s attached to me.
How many steps on average are you getting for doing an Orangetheory workout? I hold on to the treadmill so always get a good reading. Anyone else get a true step count while at Orangetheory?
i would get 3000-4000ish with orangetheory