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?

[Dwimble]

Just to keep it simple...I researched this amount a month ago when I greatly increased my step count. I wondered how calorie burn compares between walking in place and using a treadmill. I came across an article that referenced a study that dealt with exactly that question. The result was that walking on a treadmill burns about 20% more than walking in place.

So, my 30,000 steps in place is equivalent to about 25,000 on a treadmill. That's plenty good enough for me, and much easier on my feet and ankles.

[SebringDon]

I wanted something with a little resistance built in and lower impact than walking in place, but neither my budget or my house has room for an elliptical, so I just sprung for one of these for $45. So far I'm very pleased with it; it seems to be well built, has enough resistance that I can really feel it in my calves and thighs, and is low-impact as long as you don't bottom-out your steps.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/28132535?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227019609641&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=4...

[SunsetRunner]

For a serious workout turn off the TV.  There is nothing on TV that's going to get you moving like music can. Listening to the right music is everything to having a great workout.   I listed a couple of songs in another thread that would make you want to run from Florida to Maine!   It may not be the type of music you normally listen to, but it certianly would help you reach your weight goals.   

[joella]

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@PhatTxDiva wrote:

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

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Or when there is snow flying and the sidewalks are covered with it in the Rockies :).  Movement is the important thing. Move it, move it, move it. Fast or slow either is better than just sitting still. Which we do way too much of any way.

[dory949]

Walking in place is not cheating.  Any exercise is good and will help your overall health.  Keep going.  I think I will walk in place while watching TV too! : )

[DanielleinDC]

Weekday mornings, I'll turn on the TV to watch the news and play (and work to) two 15-minute Leslie Sansone videos. I think it counts.

[Healthstartbit]

I do this all the time especially when it is snow or really cold outside. 

[LillyBritches]

*cents 🙂

[LillyBritches]

Hi, Julie - this is something with which I'm dealing right now. 🙂 I realize that this thread is two years old; however, I feel it's still important to comment. 

I can tell you this: I gained a ton of weight in 2016 due to my mom's passing and being depressed for most of the year. 😞  We took a very short trip to Philly (we're in DC) over Christmas, and, because I had been walking in place and had been averaging around 3,000-4,000 steps per day by walking in place (I know it's dreadfully low - however - that was all I could handle), I thought that I'd be somewhat okay and fit enough to do some mild walking in the city.

WRONG. On so many levels.

Whereas I could do circa 500 steps very easily walking in place in the comfort of my home in front of the TV, when it came to actually propelling myself forward to get from point A to point B, I was a MESS and had to rest every 100-200 steps. Every muscle in my lower back and upper calves screamed out in agony and felt as if they would collapse. It was a major wakeup call, and I realized that the muscles used for "gait-walking" are far more intense and complex than for walking in place. And, if you think about it, there's so much more going on when you're actually walking: many more major muscle groups are in play and, then, there's all the balancing and eye-to-muscle coordination at which your body must work to keep you moving forward.

So, whereas you are absolutely NOT cheating when you walk in place (and I still do a tad), you are most definitely not getting the same workout and conditioning you would if you were  moving your body forward through space. 🙂

[Callie33021]

I still count that as exercise. Whether I am walking outside or I am walking inside, I am being active, and that's what matters most.  Yes, I engage in organized group fitness activities, but sometimes, I fall short of the daily steps goal. So when my Fitbit nudges me to walk extra steps on the hour, I will walk through the house, run in place, etc.

[betpchem]

I do that too, @Callie33021. It's the middle of winter in New England - some days I just cannot walk outside. So I jog in place or jog around the room or pace around the living room. I'm sure it's not as many calories burned as walking up and down hills outside, but it's better than nothing.

[Mayko]

No it's not! 

[kaelarenee7]

The steps definitely still count! With it being snowy and icy where I'm at, the only way I've been able to get more than a couple thousand steps in is by walking around my couch while watching TV. I haven't been leaving the house if I don't have to to avoid all the snow and ice so all my workouts the last couple weeks have been at home only.

[Reinhartz]

i dont think its cheating to walk in place while watching your tv show programme , step count is step count , however you do it , even you do it lazilly or with 1.0 km/h pace , as i said step count is step count.

However if you want to improve your cardio level , you must increase the intensity of your walking in the home training , i tried 3 mile walk by leslie sansone walk at home ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYuw4f1c4xs ) This is intense enough for you whom doesn't have time to do any training outside your home )

It Burned 400-600 Calories for me for 45 min walk with her 🙂

[Gandhi]

No way its cheating . I walk in my doctors room clinic i mean whenever between patients otherwise i would be sitting 8 hours with 20-50 steps

[MBfitness]

Not at all - Fitbit is all about getting you moving, in any way at all, and the best way to make long term changes to a healthy lifestyle is through finding the kind of movement you enjoy! If you worry you aren't getting your heart pumping enough, you could try mixing up what you do in front of the tv a bit e.g. 5 mins walking, 1 min squats, 5 mins walking, 1 min lunges etc.

[SunsetRunner]

Steps are still steps, but the fact that your concerned if it's cheating or not might mean you're finding it too easy. If it were working you enough you wouldn't doubt its effectiveness. Maybe try and find a way to vary it a little bit to keep yourself challenged. You want to finish exercise feeling accomplished and good about yourself, not knowing you took the easiest option and left wondering if it counted or not.

Depending on what you're able to do, try high knees, light jogging or skipping in place, or even get a low step and do some steps on and off in front of the TV. I think it's better to spend 10 minutes doing something a little more challenging that gets your heart going a little more, than something easier for 20 minutes. 

If it's to reach your step count specifically, find somewhere in your town to walk to that is a set number of steps, then before too late in the day, if you know you won't hit your count, go there and back. For me it's Morrisons - There's always something I'll need to pick up, so if it gets to 5pm and I'm behind where I should be to likely get them all in, I go pick up some milk or even just some fruit. I prefer doing that to frantically walking around my house at 10pm trying to hit my step count!

But then when it comes down it, I think taking 8,000 steps doing something that gets your heart going is better than 10,000 of just walking.

Exercise is still exercise and steps are still steps, but if you know what you're doing is east, then it's a sign that it's time to do a little more!

[CRSunrise]

It better no be because I've been doing that when I wasn't able to get outside to walk there. lol I think as long as you're moving to some degree, it doesn't matter what you're doing to get your exercise. At least that's my own opnion.

I also find that I get more steps when I walk in place than when I'm actually out walking. Of course, I walk fast when I walk in place. When it shows up in the activity tracker, it comes out as that I did elliptical exercise, sport, or running.

[Malme84]

I don't think it's cheating at all. The whole point of getting in X steps a day is to get a person off their butt and moving, and walking in place does just that. A step is a step in my book, and there are plenty of ways to make walking in place more difficult if a person is concerned that it is too easy (e.g. weights, raising knees higher).

[BigPhatGerk]

Of course it is good for your health.