I live in Canada and have found that the most accurate pedometer for me is the el-cheapo Life brand, made by Shopper’s Drug Mart. However, I know that its accuracy depends on my wearing pants that fit nicely (not too snug, not too loose) right around the waist. Tight pants, loose pants, pants that sit lower than my waist all tend to not record every step.

If I’m lowering or pulling up my pants, a few phantom steps will be added to the total, but if I spend some time in my PJs before getting dressed, these “steps” make up for real steps not counted.

Body shape also has an effect on the pedometer’s accuracy. My husband, who eats well and reasonably, and walks every day still has a bit of a “beer belly” (yes, that’s with drinking 1-2 beers a week, max; sometimes none at all). The pedometer doesn’t register all his steps. Go figure.

I find the pedometer does encourage me to walk more and this is important since arthritis and long-term back problems make walking the only exercise that I can do without incurring further pain (no, not even swimming works for me and biking is impossible). I don’t always reach the magic 10K per day, but I try my best.

As far as NEAT having some effect on my weight, ha! At best, it perhaps keeps me from gaining, but I’d love to have real proof of that. I just have to laugh when I hear about slim people like you losing weight by adding a 5-minute walk per day. Would that it were so easy…

what I would really to love to have is a device that would accurately measure how many calories I burn in an average day, a high-step day, etc. I know these devices exist, but they aren’t available to the general public. My pedometer calculates calories burned but I have no faith in what it tells me. Virtually all devices and machines are calibrated for the “average” person, who is usually defined as male, 5’10″ish and 150 pounds or so. When an exercise machine tells me I’ve burned 100 calories, I cut it in half and even then I’m not convinced that I’ve burned that much.

Thanks for the help!

Travis