how do pedometers work

I know I had to measure my stride and then put that info into the pedometer not sure how it counts the steps though

I didn't realise you had to measure your stride, that makes sense.

It has a motion sensor inside that senses the rise and fall of your body when walking/running. We bought some cheap ones at first, wildly inaccurate. Bought some much more expensive ones (£20ish each) they are quite accurate and we trust them. You only need to measure your stride if you are concerned about the distance you walk. The usual guide is 10,000 paces / day, for that you do not need to measure your stride.

I like to know the distance I've walked as well as amount of steps which is why I measured my pace.. thanks for that info pompa..

As pompa says they use an accelerometer to count the number of steps, so it's worth bearing in mind that even if the step count is accurate, the distance measurement will only be as good as your ability to maintain the accuracy of your stride length. I had a mechanical pedometer donkeys years ago, and it was hopeless.

Which have just tested them last month, with mixed results. Accuracy depends on what it is you want to measure, as well as which one you buy. They were best at counting steps whilst walking and running, with an average accuracy of within 3%, but the accuracy measuring calories burnt was out by 65% walking, and 19% running, on average. Accuracy of the step counter was much poorer during daily routines, at 12%. Note that they are averages, some brands will be worse.

The Fitbit Zip was the best, and the cheapest at £35, but it's not a wristband. Runner up was the Sony Smartband SWR10 for twice the price. The Epson Pulsense PS-100 was the worst, and second most expensive.

"The usual guide is 10,000 paces / day, for that you do not need to measure your stride."

The exercise benefit that you get from each step will depend on stride length though, longer strides require more effort.

Regardless of stride length, I am knackered after 10,000 paces .

I found measuring stride length quite difficult, I found it difficult to measure my average walking stride in a static situation. I worked it out by walking a distance measured using google maps then dividing that by the number of strides recorded.

CariGN, that reminds me, there is a free phone app that measures the distance you walk based on your GPS position, so if it is distance that you are interested in, this is a cheap option (assuming you have a smart phone of course)

I use a £15 pedometer, set the my stride. I'd had very painful feet and was advised to walk less. The pedometer is helping me get back in my stride. 9500 today, aching feet but feeling the benefit of exercise

Talking fitness aids - my daughter put me on to "My Fitness Pal" app and I am hooked. It's brilliant.

My goodness, I am never going to understand all that.

Crun
"Which have just tested them last month, with mixed results. Accuracy depends on what it is you want to measure, as well as which one you buy. They were best at counting steps whilst walking and running, with an average accuracy of within 3%, but the accuracy measuring calories burnt was out by 65% walking, and 19% running, on average. Accuracy of the step counter was much poorer during daily routines, at 12%. Note that they are averages, some brands will be worse."

Not sure what the above means!!but I'll have a go.
So if I am walking and using a pedometer for calorie information it is only 35% accurate, is that what you are saying.

What is this 10,000 steps a day, it sounds a lot for one day.

DH and I both have a fitbit, very addictive. We can compare our stats on our phones and currently I'm beating him hands down. It does make me get off the sofa when I'm not being very active

Fitbit does more than I probably need ie you can log sleep etc, but like Cari, I love checking my stats on an evening, also you get congratulatory e-mails when you exceed targets and virtual badges etc.

My best Christmas present!!

I have an app in my phone that counts steps and distance and gives you a calorie count too, I just stick in a pocket in the morning and it does its job all day. It does also give you weekly/monthly stats too and its free. I kept forgetting to put my pedometer on but I don't forget my phone especially if I'm walking alone.

You have opened a whole new world to me which I never knew existed.

No idea what a fitbit is

My son bought me a I phone for Christmas , what is the name of the app that counts steps and how does that work?

jeanie there are lots I'm using Walklogger at the moment... just go into the app store and put into search 'step counter' a list of apps will come up and you can choose which one to try, if one doesn't suit you just delete and find another that you like better...

Excuse my ignorance. When you download a fitness app like a pedometer, do you wear the phone, carry it in your pocket or your handbag? In my case it would probably be on my bedside table.

The phone app I used was not a pedometer, it did not count steps. It tracked your movements via GPS and showed your progress on a street map, it showed distance travelled etc. This does of course mean that you need it on your person.

I've just invested in a Fitbit flex. I can't work out the calorie input bit. Does anyone else know how to do it?

Well I think I've got most of it sassed!
I can't do many steps a day as its too painful, so I thought I'd see how many I do round the house normally, then try and build it up.
I didn't start until 4 pm and I've done 500 just pottering getting supper.
I'm aiming at 2000 to start with. 10000 sounds impossible to me, but we will see!
Wish me luck?

You don't have to aim for 10,000 Galen if you can average 5,000 that's fine.

Good luck Galen - mine encourages me to do a bit more and that can't be bad