My little dog is the motivation and I average 15,000 steps a day. I don't bother with the calorie count, safe in the knowledge that a stop off for an ice cream and a flake has been countered by the activity, or am I fooling myself? In any case, dog walkers are a sociable bunch and mileage is hardly noticeable with someone to chat with.

. How many steps does your little dog do?!

I've always been a great walker, and 12 miles was a stroll to me. Unfortunately, arthritic feet have ended my distance walking, and I'm lucky if I can hobble around the local shops. I do as much static exercise as I can, adopting strange postures and clenching my muscles - I gather it's called 'Isometrics' but DD refers to it as 'jiggling'. I might follow the advice of another GNetter and have my feet removed and wheels fitted!

Not a tyranny - a pleasure.
I average 10000 steps a day. I feel really good after a long walk, full of enthusiasm for whatever is coming next. Since being widowed I get very miserable and sorry for myself and walking is the answer, either alone or with a friend - gets the brain going, not to mention the heart, and I meet so many people on the way. Apparently walking helps delay the onset of dementia so I shall try to up my daily total
I wear Skechers Go-Walk which are like walking on air - heartily recommend them

I love to walk, but don't measure my steps - just one more thing to strain the brain

Oh Jing you did make me laugh. I love animal jokes. I can just see a pedometer attached to the dog's collar.

Been feeling a bit off/grotty recently and have not walked so much, this thread has encouraged to get moving again.

Thank you for that, auntie, A reasonably active life should do it for most of us. That and the odd glass of wine, of course.

I tried to ask about Fitbit-type step and calorie counters elsewhere but now I can't find the post at all - seems to have disappeared! However, I'm pleased to read this thread.
A friend showed me his Fitbit which seems to be an expensive model, whereas the Fitbit Zip is cheaper and isn't worn on the wrist. I worry it wouldn't be secure and fall off, or alternatively not be as useful as the fitbit charge. Any thoughts on these, Fitbit users? I am tempted, and Which? seemed to favour the Zip. I have a smartphone but I'm not that good at working things out - is it easy to set up and sync with the phone?

I feel that having one would motivate me to walk more, but I don't need it to monitor sleep, sing, dance or do the ironing!

Any advice?

My son bought me a Garmin Vivofit for Christmas last year.
It's easy to use, and I do more walking than I used to. It's just like wearing a watch - in fact it is a watch as well.
If you do not want it to monitor your sleep, just take it off at night.
Garmin realised that there was a problem with people losing them, and gave an extra loop to put over the clasp so it cannot be pulled off accidentally.

How do you set it up, durham? Is it easy to understand? I'm a bit dim...
And does it count calories and heart rate too? My friend's one monitors climbing stairs, but I'm not sure I can see the point!

Haven't got any stairs, so my count on that would be low.
Yes, it's easy to set up.
You just go on their website and follow the instructions. There is a USB stick that you plug in and you have to pair the USB with the Vivofit.
That's just pressing a button. There's only one button on the Vivofit. You just have to keep pressing the button to get steps, time, calories used up, miles walked.
You can buy a more expensive one which gives you heartrate as well, I think. Since I had my problem with the aorta, I feel my heart rate all the time anyway because of the medication I am on. I do not want to frighten myself even more!
My sister has the more expensive one, but she never talks about it, so I assume she has not caught up with my 10,000 steps yet. Either that or she's doing far more and doesn't want to embarrass me.

My son's just phoned up and suggested going to Gibside this afternoon, so I will get my extra steps done there. Lots of uphill, too.

Forgot to say, it shows a red bar when you have sat down for two hours at your computer.

I'me really pleased to hear that you get on with your Vicodin because I have ordered one and it is waiting for me as I write to 'click and collect'! ( but I felt too lazy to do it today....bodes well doesn't it!

Just bought a Fitbit Surge and managed to sync it to my iphone - so I am at the first stage of committing to my goals and watching my progress. I don't shy away from daily workouts or spin classes, but have never had the ability to monitor my output, heart rate, steps etc., till now. I find it fascinating and at the same time it is teaching me how to live with technology - which I have resisted for the longest time! But this technology age is never going away so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and get to grips with it using fitness as my main motivator. I have splurged on both the iphone and the Fitbit watch to celebrate my seventy third birthday!

Do you mean Vivofit, Nandalot?
Never touch Vicodin.

Of course I mean Vivovfit ..must be the gremlin autocorrect . Isn't Vicodin the painkiller House was addicted too?

I am one of life's fortunate people ( if you want to use that expression) I have a very active job as a housekeeper in a hospital and walk on average in the 8.5 hrs I work 19 miles...yes you read it right....up and down corridors making beds, hoovering, washing floors, pushing trolleys, cleaning sinks etc etc. Constant on the go and have done for 12 years now.
Cant say as I look like Twiggy but feel that side of life is grossly unfair.

Are you saying pooohbear you look more like your user name then?

To those who use Fitbit Zip: Is there a risk of it getting lost?

And to all who use similar devices - which is better and more accurate, a wrist-device or one you clip onto clothing?

I'm an idiot who needs simple devices. DH isn't keen on me getting one: he thinks it's a waste of money which will languish unused in my underwear drawer. I'd like to prove him wrong and tell him it's worth the money I'm spending on it, but I'm reluctant to spend £90+ on one unless the features are worth the money - so which are the must-have features?

If you get one you can wear on your wrist and use it as a watch, it will not languish, although I must admit I wear a watch as well, as it's the one my husband bought me. You have to wear a Fitbit or Vivofit on the wrist you do not use to brush your teeth. Otherwise you could add hundreds!
When we were walking on the North York Moors last month, my Vivofit was as accurate as my son's Garmin that he uses for timing his runs of 8-10 miles.
Does accuracy matter when all you are doing is testing against yourself?

What I mean is that my ten thousand steps will be different from your ten thousand steps, depending on who has the longer legs.

My legs are short and very fat and wobbly, durhamjen. Not a pretty sight. Would it be otherwise! I'm so embarrased by them that I haven't worn a skirt or a dress for years
I understand what you're saying, though!

Which model is yours, durhamjen? I'm keen to know whether the cheapest one would be OK. It says it doesn't automatically sync to the computer, whereas the more expensive ones do, but I don't know whether it's worth paying nearly double the price.

I'm sure mine is the cheapest. My son bought it for me before the other one came out, I think. Anyway, he knows I'm not one for gadgets.

All I have to do is sit in front of the computer and press a button until the letters sync come up on the screen on the Vivofit. Then the screen comes up on your computer to embarrass you about how few steps you have done, like I've done just now!

It can also sync to your phone or ipad or whatever device you use, but I do not have a mobile to put it on.

Yes, mine's the cheapest one, £45 from Argos.