Is it cheating to walk in place while watching TV?

[JulieInMadison]

Walking in place seems to be my preferred way of exercising. It's painless and keeps me moving instead of sitting. But it seems lots easier than actually walking or running. Do the steps still count?

[ajoyrenewed]

Yes, indeed.  A step is a step.   Well, that's my two sense!

[Odyssey13]

My FitBit Flex tells me to get moving. How I move is up to me. Making more steps around the house, even in front of the tv or microwave, it's all good.

The end result is we're moving and we're getting healthier because we're looking at our FitBits and paying better attention to our bodies.

[Ambug]

I walk in place a lot! Plus side steps. It does count the steps, but when it shows miles walked, it shows less, because when I walk in place, I am not going forward. It's still ok though. Because if I didn't walk in place as much as I do, I would not be getting enough steps. I like to walk through the commercials. I also find when I am hand washing dishes, I can walk in place there too. And brushing my teeth, etc.

[KSS2]

I see no difference between walking on the spot or walking on the treadmill. The important thing is to move and move you are. Go for it 😉

[gerrymcd]

Walking in place is pretty much the same as walking.....a bit lower intensity, but who cares! 

[Cybertekkno]

I do side-to-side stepping while watching TV, it is exercise and I am up and moving around instead of sitting on the couch.  It's definitely exercise, as it walking in place.

[PhatTxDiva]

I certainly hope that walking in place isn't cheating! Every once in a while, I'll throw on a "Walk Away The Pounds" dvd. These indoor workout dvds are useful when it's 100 degrees in the shade here in TX.

Angie

[slysam]

It certainly isn't "cheating", who would it be cheating? It is a way to turn a normally sedentary activity into a lightly active one (or more depending how fast you step). Would someone who uses a treadmill desk at work as if they were "cheating"? Maybe, but again it is just a way to exchange some of your sedentary time for some form of activity. Will it improve your fitness? That is another question, maybe but maybe not. It depends how active you were to start. In the long run it can be wise to gradually increase activity as it becomes easier. For improving fitness, well, in my experience it has to actually be challenging activity. If I want to improve my aerobic fitness, it has to involve activity that causes my heart to pump faster and causes me to be a little breathy. If I want to improve my muscles, it has to use enough resistance that it is a little difficult and those muscles feel tired afterwards and might be sore the next day (at first). I've been active long enough that walking briskly to run an errand does not improve my fitness level--it will help maintain it, burns calories and is good for me, but I won't improve. I have to do something more vigorous to see fitness results and actually to burn more calories too (if that is even that important). So whether stepping in from of the tv is "cheating", well, it depends on your goal at that moment. If you want to get or stay fit, it may not be enough. If you want to supplement your activity so you are less sedentary and burn more calories--great idea! If you need to ease into regular activity, it is a great start--any healthy activity is better than no activity.

[Jabrat]

A step is a step - especially if you make it a quick step - on the Fitbit One you can see it counting either quickly or not so quickly - it's up to you

[Jabrat]

There's a big difference walking on the treadmill versus walking in place or stepping from side to side - it's called your Active Minutes - that is where you will notice the difference - and speaking from a big time treadmill user - there is a big difference because the speed of the treadmill at 4.0 to 4.5 is a little rougher and jarring on the old body parts - I believe its a good way too to give your body a rest

[Gershon]

Yes, they count, but they don't count the same as actually taking a step while walking. 

There is a relatively new field called "sedentary physiology" which measures the effects of being virtually motionless while sitting at a desk on a computer. People who spend too much time being sedentary, even if they have a good exercise program, are at high risk for disease. The 10,000 step program is largely to let a person avoid being sedentary. The reason being sedentary is so bad is circulation in our lymphatic system is only created by motion. The lymphatic system is our body's garbage dump, and if there is no circulation, it is like a toilet backing up.

Now to revisit my statement that a step in front of the TV doesn't count the same as walking. I think they serve two different purposes for health, and both are equally important. I also don't think a person should focus on getting steps around the house, as there is an easier way. In the premium version, you can download the number of sedentary minutes during the day. It's very hard to get this below 1,000 minutes or 16 hours and 36 minutes. This is rather embarrassing for me, as I get over 20,000 steps a day mostly from walking. (I only sleep about 5 or 5 1/2 hours.) I feel activities around the house such as cleaning, gardening, taking out the trash, cooking food, etc. are just as important as walking steps. These will show up as periods of low activity on Fitbit even though they don't generate the large numbers of steps. Therefore, a person would probably benefit as much from cleaning a bathroom as they would from taking steps in place in front of a TV.  The steps will be lower, but the activity will be the same.

Rather than make it too complicated, I think it's good to look at the chart for activity during the day, and try to get as many positive periods as possible. It doesn't have the neat solution of a number of steps, but it will include low level activities around the house. In addition to this, people should strive for at least 20 minutes of highly active minutes for runners and 60 minutes for walkers. These times have about an equal benefit to the cardiovascular system. I prefer the walking because I'm old and I don't want the injuries that can come with running. Besides, I enjoy walking.

[fitandfifty]

i would suggest if you are worried about cheating the only person you are cheating on is yourself so if you feel like stepping in place is cheating for what you want to achieve then i would say yes. other than that i think slysam has great advice.  : ))))

[dory949]

It definitely counts but is lower intensity.  You are still walking and moving so that is great.  I use the in home walking programs of Leslie Sansone-she walks in place, uses side step walks, forward kicks and backward kick ups and then gets the arms in motion so I am working a bunch of other muscles too.  I also have an in home Elliptical I use while watching TV.  I just can't get to the gym so this works for me.  

[emili]

you're moving- that's the important part. whether it counts or doesn't count is secondary to you are moving. keep moving- your body loves you for it.

[Stephen1227]

I say walking in place while watching TV is great!  Don't feel like it's cheating.  You are moving and that is healthy! 

[Shauna1980]

I love to run and step in place as well. I don't consider it cheating as you are still stepping and being active.

[Tumbleina]

My suggestion, @JulieInMadison, would be to strap on some ankle weights and hold a couple of dumbbells/water bottles/cans to add some resistance to your routine. You could mix it up by doing some jumping jacks or using a skipping rope - that will get your blood pumping!

[swampmom]

I run in place all the time during the winter when it's too cold to go outside. Been losing weight just fine!

[Farica]

I hope they count. Seem to.  On an ordinary day I get about 6000-7000 steps doing my normal work then I bring it to 10000 in the evening by walking in place while I'm watching TV. I will run in place, dance, or side step if I have the pep, but in any case I'm getting fitter and when I go for a 'real' walk I'm finding the walking easier and I'm more limber so I assume the extra moving is doing something.