fitbit - You don't ned so many steps - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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fitbit - You don't ned so many steps

Ianc2 profile image
18 Replies

You don't have to do 10,000 steps. A new report says that 7,500 steps will give you all the benefits you need. However if you are knocking out the previously advised 10,000 steps to keep your weight down you will still burn 500 calories.

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Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2
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18 Replies
gilreid1 profile image
gilreid1

Google been busy again. You set your own goals regarding steps. I don’t use a fit bit prefer I watch and target 15000 steps. Walking my dog twice takes care of that. Playing golf 3 times a week exceeds that no problem. So I think the amount of steps is up to you and can be part of many parts of exercising

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2 in reply togilreid1

Thanks for the reply. The information came from studies carried out by Dr I-Min lee, Medical professor at the Harvard school of Medicine. She looked at 17,000 women between the ages 62 and 101 and concluded that 'the more you do the more benefit you get, but the curve tapers off at 7,500 steps'.

Another study of 4,000 Americans aged 40 and over showed the benefit of walking up to 12,000 steps, but the curve still levels off at 7.500 steps, after that you are still burning calories and getting the benefits of that, but most of the other benefits can be achieved at the 7.5k level. For older patients who may be beginning to experience mobility problems this will come as very good news.

Dj1962 profile image
Dj1962 in reply toIanc2

Hi. The problem with the American study is the steps counted are to and from fast food restaurants..🤣

Smitty1956 profile image
Smitty1956 in reply toDj1962

That was rather cruel. Personally, I haven’t eaten anything from a fast food restaurant in a long time. After my HA, this American made several lifestyle changes.

gilreid1 profile image
gilreid1

Yes I am sure that is great news in the USA where they are so health conscious 🤷‍♂️

gilreid1 profile image
gilreid1

You may find this if helpful

bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help...

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

This mythical 10,000 steps dates back to 1964. In the run up up to the Toyko Olympics the politicians wanted to do something to get the nation fitter. At the same time the Japanese introduced the first pedometers. A Japanese sports scientist or doctor then plucked 10, 000 out of thin air! This figure has just stuck!

I have seen reports that 6,000 is just as beneficial and even one that said 4,000. The one thing they all said that the exercise must be regular, i.e. at least five times per week...

Cricket23 profile image
Cricket23 in reply toMichaelJH

Legend has it that the display counter went up to 9,999 and so was just rounded off to 10,000

Stanley18 profile image
Stanley18

Thanks for sharing. My wife mentioned the same report to me. I’m doing 10-20,000 steps each day dog walking, on my bike and simply gardening and I’ll keep that up because I’m still carrying too much weight. Every little helps. It’s all the wine and the cakes! 😊😂

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

If you can keep up that level of activity you will be burning plenty of calories, so the energy out will be well taken care of. If you can get your sugar consumption down by nibbling nuts and celery , etc, instead of cakes and biscuits you should be able to consistently lose about 2 lbs a week. Takes about a week for the sugar cravings to be shoved back in the jar.

The fun and games start when you get close to your target. A little voice from your sugar devil who lurks in the back of your head will come up with all sorts of plausible suggestions along the lines of 'Your weight is about right, just one cake won't hurt...' , and the boomerang effect starts up straight away.

All good fun.

hf54 profile image
hf54

This is all very interesting advice.As someone prior to my heart problems was vey fit/ate a good diet (Apart from the cake and chocolate!)I know that walking ,(Or steps as they like to call it these days)Is probably the best exercise you can do. All this about getting the heart working at a very high rate, Which I would imagine many here wouldn't want to do Is to do with the extreme aerobic fitness-Something that not only needs dedicationThat must be maintained as well.I would describe my father until his very later years as extremely active and healthy and the thing he loved doing most was walking. Apart from this he did almost no other exercise but was very active.He died at 93 my grandmother at 105.I would dearly love to follow in their footsteps-Let's hope so........

benjijen profile image
benjijen

Steps are one factor but wandering around the shop (when we can of course) will add steps, but it's the intensity of the exercise that makes most difference to your fitness. Although every little helps.

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2

I think it is the act of getting moving and staying moving, no stop /start. It takes about 20 minutes to get synovial fluid working in your joints. Bit like car engines needing to used to get all the condensation out of the oil . It; chucking it down with rain here and I have been painting. Grand total of 395 steps so far. Getting very itchy feet.

Hi

After my op I set my daily goal at 5000 steps a day and started walking for 30mins. I think if you keep setting goals and challenge yourself to do more it doesn’t really matter how many you do as long as you are moving more and feeling good

gsw5700 profile image
gsw5700

I've had exactly the same, 3 stents in April, general ache/discomfort where heart is and where I had severe MI pains

Been to A&E, bloods show normal troponin so no MI. ECG normal, I don't get breathless from exercise so not angina, chest x-ray ok. They think it's acid reflux. Gave me peptac and have increased esomprazole to 40mg/day.

Said that aspirin and ticagrelor are the likely cause.

Strange that I had nothing for 10 weeks before I got this. Wonder if it takes that long to develop GERD?

Unless you are awaiting an operation and a trip up the stairs can leave you wiped out - then that figure gets reduced to a few hundred each day if you're lucky ;-)

Ianc2 profile image
Ianc2 in reply to

Yes, I remember that feeling well. I could only walk on flat level paths and pavements , which progressed to only being able to walk 6 steps and stop for breath, then another 6 steps, etc. Fortunately I got my valves fixed and followed the rehab/ recovery plan , I can do about 10,000 steps a day , eat good food well and enjoy life.

It is horrible waiting , but the NHS seems to be moving back to sorting out 'routine' operations. Hopefully things will improve for you shortly.

in reply toIanc2

You are so talking AVR Porn :-D

Upstairs AND down stairs - and even to the garden...

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