How do people average 50000 steps per day?

[Emmeli]

Who has the time to average 50,000 steps a day!? How can this be possible?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[walktobefit]

I was making a lot of fruit leather last night and forgot to take off my surge. The vigourous stirring added 2000 steps to my total ! oops.

[Baltoscott]

@walktobefit -- heh, I'm thinking 2000 steps probably isn't near enough credit for all that stirring.

[katedavis89]

When I jog, I get less steps than when I walk! Strange but true...

[Ozzie65]

Hi All, I'm late to this party! I've never gotten more than 30,000 steps and that was on the day I ran a 1/2 marathon. Logically, 50K is very attainable for folks to run/walk very long distances. As I increase my running distance, I can see myself hitting that threshold at some point. 

I've seen people mention cheating. What does that mean in this context?

[walktobefit]

I think when people talk about cheating it either happens on purpose - like sitting on the couch and shaking your arm- or without realizing they are adding steps by doing things like me : stirring the fruit puree vigourously added 2000 steps ! Normally I take my Surge off during such activities but forgot. :S   In my opinion, if one cheats on purpose - one only cheats oneself.

[katedavis89]

I have no idea how people cheat. I assume there must be some way, though the only person you cheat is yourself! Since the FitBit records movement, I suppose you could put it on something that moves rapidly? The most steps I’ve ever done in a day is about 30,000 and that was walking around New York City for an entire day. Considering a 1/2 marathon is 13 miles, I guess you would have to do a full marathon to get the 50,000 mile marker!

[Datsundriver87]

I work for a moving company and I can hit 30-35k steps in a day pretty often, most I've hit was 47k and that was a 12 hour nonstop day, I do have days where I'm packing for 12 hours and my Fitbit reads 30,000 steps even thou I prolly barely hit 10-15, but keeping it off seems like cheating myself because I do keep my heart rate up all day and continue moving quickly for 12 hours nonstop so I just choose to only eat back half (if that) of the calories on my packing days

[sttvigal]

I average 5,600 during my morning workouts at a gym - takes about an hour.   Registers approx

400 + calories.

[Aikhme]

I don't know but I have been wearing my surge for 3 full days now and have recorded 60,000 steps. I did 30,000 steps yesterday and feel I could easily do 50,000 steps if I wanted to. But I also use it to track more srenuous activity such as eliptical, yoga, running, treadmill and bike. The surge has been fantasic in getting me to exercise with more strenuous activity than before, and for that I can only praise fitbit because it truly is improving my way of life to be healtheir and happier. And it helps me stay focused and motivated. 

In certain occasions, I feel that the step counter is not that accurate. It generally over calculates my steps around the home. But when I go for a brisk walk it under estimates. I tend to believe that it generally evens out in the long run. Also, I tend to like using it as a tool to see my current trends such as increasing activity and also using it as a motivator and a tool that drives ambition and competitiveness against the tracker which in effect is competition against myself. 

I completely think it is a great tool, and a lot of fun at the same time. 

[ClonedWhyMe]

As a reference I got under 53,000 steps on the day I did a marathon

[Bbeliever215]

Right, first type of person or activity came to mind is the avid runner/running. Some ppl can easily run for an hour or more at a time coupled with their daily activity/work it is possible.

[kens33]

  that is equivalent of 23 miles, almost a marathon a day and then off to work, no body can do that several days in a row, not possible.

[PinkRayneDrop]

Well I have a job that involves walking a lot...plus I walk to work & back..... so for me I can easily get 50,000 a day without trying.

I work 5 days a week & then I do it on the weekends cause I want to do it.

Not possible? almost 4 years now is very possible

[PinkRayneDrop]

Katedavis I do start walking from the moment I get out of bed till the moment I get back in at night. An injury to my back means I can't sit down & HAVE to keep moving constantly. I even eat standing up & moving. 30,000 a day for me is nothing. I'll get that before 10am.

[Onmiwei]

Before fit bit I did that..Nurse in a Long Term Care facility. From room to room to room to room, back to that first room, then that far room needs you..then to the med room, then to the other wing that has the fax machine..wait DON needs to see you..then room to room to room..then to across the facility to get the keys for the supply room..then room to room..Need I go on?  I was shocked how much I would actually walk every day once I kept track. I know work at a dr office so I won't be walking as much for work. Also I might be very obese but walking is something I love. When I go to our city's green way it is nothing for me to do the entire 9 miles and want to go for another walk later in the day...I have even biked it twice in one day and then biked some extra after that as well as walked the path that day as well. I just saw that you said they get that everyday..that would be more difficutl I would think. It wasn't every day I could get high step numbers..depended on shift length, which shift..evening shift with no med tech got me fair higher numbers than day shift with a med tech and depending on if I had enough energy to take the dogs for a walk afterwards. on days off did I wan to go for a long walk bright and early then head back to bike the trail later in the day..things like that. 

[lukedga]

Bumping this topic just because I find it interesting. Whether people are actually getting this many steps in or somehow flubbing their numbers, it's fascinating either way. FWIW, running a marathon takes ~30,000 steps for me. 

I've been averaging close to 20k lately and I'm sure I could push myself to double it, but it would be a full time job. It would be a trip to be a fly on the wall in the home of the hardcore competitors who pace around constantly.

Do the people who 'easily' hit 50k a day find that they are often hungry? I get most of my steps through exercise, and if I were to up my total that drastically, I'd imagine I'd have to be consuming at least 7500 calories a day.

[katedavis89]

I think the most in a day I've ever gotten is 30,000.  Some people are way more active and I assume wouldn't cheat.  I know a couple people who are a lot less active than me and somehow manage to get more steps than me.  I did notice, however, that when I'm out on my motorcycle, the twisting of the throttle and the bumps and vibrations actually hike up my steps when I wear the HR.  It doesn't do that when I wear the One.  I know that if I run, I get less steps than when I walk!  Go figure.  I don't do this for competition but rather for my own health.  I think that if you are cheating (though I'm still not sure how or why) then, the only one you're cheating is yourself.  This would rather defeat the purpose of wearing the thing at all!.  I walk 3 miles daily, do a weight training exercise 2-3 times a week, and martial arts 3-4 times a week.  I get my 10,000 or better most days and as long as I keep moving, then that's all that matters!  P.S. I have arthritis due to a very bad round of Lyme Disease which was treated intravenously for 6 weeks.  It left quite a bit of damage and there are days I don't want to get out of bed.  The Fitbit has helped me to force myself to move and at the end of the day, that's all that matters!

[lukedga]

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@katedavis89 wrote:
When I jog, I get less steps than when I walk! Strange but true...

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It's not strange. Most people have a considerably longer running stride length than walking, so it requires fewer steps. 

[Corney]

I think people should stop worrying about how many steps someone else is reporting and be concerned about themselves.  My only competition is my self.  When I was a runner I used upcoming races to keep me motivated to train everyday.  When non-runners would ask me why I ran in races I never won, I would ask them to go to the finish line after a race and try to point out the winner.  After a race, everyone who finished felt like a winner!

[katedavis89]

I think there were some people wondering because there are some really high numbers of steps!  I don't really care how many steps someone else has, I just commented on a post that was here.  I guess if you are in constant motion, then good for you.  I also think there were some comments made because when people do some of the challenges, there are unbelievable amounts of steps, which is why I don't respond to challenges.  I know a guy who's a drummer and he gets a lot of steps on his HR.  I think it's all in how you conduct your day and the activities you do.  I believe that the reason this thread was started had something to do with the challenges and how many steps is "average."  Frankly, it should be a discussion and not a "mind your own business" approach.  That's why these forums are open.  There really is no need to be rude!