Lazy Way to Reaching Stepping Goal

[GosportNancy]

My fitbit kept vibrating to tell me that I had been adding steps to my tally.

Since I am housebound and rarely step outside I wondered where the steps were coming from.

Turns out most of my steps were recorded while sitting down while rubbing arnica into my sore knee 🙂

There was I thinking I was being rushed off my feet all day at home.

[Dominique]

Once in a while, I make my own meat balls that I bake in the oven. Last time was one week ago, and I started making them at 9.30pm, because my electricity gets a lot cheaper after 10pm (yes, I’m a cheap guy!):

The meat ball prepping got me 441 steps in 15 minutes, even though I was mostly standing still in the kitchen during that time. So, yes, any activity that involves rapid hand movements will boost your step count. In the grand scheme of things, it won’t have any major impact, especially if you’re getting enough "real" steps (like the green bars on my chart during day time) otherwise.

I remember a while ago someone reported a lot of "fake" steps during her work: she was a hairdresser. Given her line of work, she would be better served by a Fitbit clipped to her waist, rather than one on her wrist.

[emili]

I tend to get a few steps while shaking salt on my popcorn or clapping.  But the amount is so minimal I look at it as payback for steps that were not recorded.. 🙂

[AnneTa]

I know that doing the dishes adds some fake steps to my tally.  But since my fitbit (Charge2) underestimates my real steps by about 20% (I have a rather 'light' step), I don't mind.

Last week I have been pollarding the willows in my garden with a handsaw.  Although I'm wearing my fitbit on my left arm, and I'm right handed, my fitbit added quite some steps.  But this pollarding was quite a job, and I guess that the calorie-expenditure might have been at least that of those 'fake' steps, so again, I didn't mind...

[Lonerose]

I get extra steps from crocheting. I was making a blanket and got a extra 2000 steps. I was very surprised when I made my step goal that day. lol

[missnotsofit]

I thought I noticed more steps while making bread....I better walk more to make up for these false steps!

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

Personally I wouldn't really worry too much about a few extra steps when making dinner or doing the dishes etc. While you might not be expending as much energy as you would while walking (although if you kneed bread by hand or have a tough pot to scrub, you're probably doing twice the work of walking) you are at least still exercising and depending on what the activity is you may well be using multiple muscle groups.  Hell you can even get fit raising a tankard of beer to your lips if you do it 100 times, just don't drink it 😉

I often activate the workout setting when I mow the lawns which takes over 40 mins. Since my arms aren't really moving my steps don't really register, so if I get a few extra steps from doing the dishes or making dinner etc then it kinda evens out as far as I am concerned.

Just my 2 cents worth 😉

[DanielleinDC]

I got a lot of steps in when I was working on my organization's mailing. Whether it's folding cards or reaching for envelopes, stuffing them, and sealing them, my arm movements were enough to trigger steps.