How to Use Counting Steps to Get Lean

Exercisers the world over want to lose fat and get lean. They follow strict diets and do exhaustive workouts in their quests for better body composition. And while restrictive eating plans and intense training programs can work, they’re often unsustainable.

As a result, while the latest fat-loss diet and workout may help you lose weight quickly, you’ll probably regain whatever fat you lost when you return to a more relaxed diet or cut your workouts back to a more sustainable level.

This is often referred to as the rebound effect.  

Because of this, most exercisers would do better adopting long-term eating and exercise programs that they can maintain for many months or even years. Rapid weight loss is rarely sustainable.

Tracking the number of steps you do per day is one way to ensure that you are getting enough physical activity to lose weight and stay lean. Combined with a sensible diet and sustainable workout plan, manipulating your step count is an easy way to achieve your body composition goals.

What Is Step Counting, And How Do You Do It?

Step counting refers to tracking the number of steps you take per day. This was traditionally done using a device called a pedometer but is now something you can do using a phone app, smartwatch, or fitness wristband.

Step counters use sensors called accelerometers to detect movement. When the movements are sufficiently energetic, the device interprets that movement as a step. While step counters measure walking steps, other movements are also registered. This includes jumping rope, doing chores, going up or downstairs, or using a stair climber, air bike, or elliptical.

As such, you can use a step counter to measure general physical activity. Increasing your daily step count could help you lose fat and get leaner without resorting to strict diets or exercising more.

The Basics of Energy Expenditure

To understand how manipulating your step count can help you lose weight and get lean, it’s first necessary to explain the basics of energy expenditure and how that relates to fat burning and weight loss.

Body fat is stored energy, and to get leaner and lose weight, you need to “burn off” that fat. This can only be achieved with a caloric deficit, which is when your energy expenditure exceeds your intake.

Your body uses energy in four ways…

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR is the number of calories you burn at rest and in a fasted or unfed state. It’s the amount of energy your body needs to maintain its basic tasks, including things like brain function, temperature regulation, respiration, and circulation.

BMR accounts for roughly 70% of your daily calorie expenditure and is primarily determined by your body size and weight, especially muscle mass. While you can do a few things to increase your BMR, any interventions will only have a small impact on your total daily calorie expenditure.

Thermic Effect of Exercise (TEE)

TEE refers to calories burned during intentional exercise, e.g., during a gym workout or run. The harder and longer you exercise, the greater your TEE will be. But, because of time and energy constraints, you can only work out so often. Long, intense workouts can leave you tired and unable to exercise again for several days.

As such, while exercise burns calories, it may not actually contribute all that much to your weekly energy expenditure. As a result, you may be unable to do enough to burn significant amounts of fat.

This is especially true if, other than your workouts, you are mostly inactive. For example, even if you exercise for five hours per week, that leaves 163 hours during which you could be sedentary. Because of mechanization and labor saving devices, physical activity outside of exercise can be hard to come by.

Thermal Effect of Food (TEF)

Consuming, digesting and utilizing food uses energy, albeit in very small amounts. The thermal effect of food varies between food groups, with protein being the highest and fats being the lowest. Because of this, high-protein diets are often favored for fat loss.

However, it’s worth noting that TEF only makes up about ten percent percentage of your total daily energy expenditure, and even an all-protein diet won’t help you lose weight if you are consuming more calories than your body needs.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)  

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis refers to calories burned during physical activity that is NOT a workout. Examples of NEAT include walking, fidgeting, and doing chores. If you are mostly sedentary, your NEAT caloric expenditure will be very low.

However, purposely increasing NEAT can have a significant impact on your total daily energy expenditure without resorting to more exercise. NEAT activities require no specialist equipment, are non-tiring, and can be slotted into your daily schedule whenever it’s convenient. NEAT can be measured using a step counter.

Steps, NEAT, and Caloric Expenditure  

Many people who struggle with weight loss and getting lean are physically inactive, and that includes those who exercise regularly. Remember, there are 168 hours in a week, and it’s entirely possible to be sedentary, even if you work out regularly.

For example, you might have an office job, meaning your workouts are the only significant physical activity you do.

Step trackers register many different types of movements, which means you can use one to quantify the amount of physical activity you do per day. Once you know how many steps you do per day, you can manipulate that number to increase your energy expenditure. 

More steps per day mean a higher value for NEAT, which can help contribute to that all-important calorie deficit. For many people, increasing NEAT is the difference between successful weight loss and a demoralizing plateau.

How Many Steps Per Day for Fat Loss?

You may have heard of the 10,000-per-day step rule, but this number is largely arbitrary. In fact, this guideline comes from the Japanese word for pedometer and is not based on any known scientific research. That said, it’s now a widely accepted target that many people strive to reach.

However, rather than blindly prescribe a specific number of steps per day, it’s probably better to make individual recommendations based on your current activity levels and weight loss goals.

For example, if you currently accumulate 5,000 steps per day and your weight loss has stalled, increasing to 7,500 steps per day could be enough to get things moving again. So, track your weight over the coming weeks, and if you want to lose weight faster, consider increasing your step count by another 1-2k.

Alternatively, if you currently accumulate 12,000 steps per day and want to lose weight, you may need to increase your step count to 15,000.

It’s generally best NOT to exceed 20,000 steps per day simply because doing so will require a significant time commitment and may be unsustainable. Also, if you feel you need to do 20,000 or more steps per day to get lean, you’ll probably find it easier and more time efficient to eat a little less.

Tips for Making Step Counting More Effective

Get more from counting steps for leanness and weight loss with these tried-and-tested tips!

Be consistent

There is no point doing 15,000 steps one day and only 5,000 the next. Instead, you should accumulate roughly the same number of steps each day. A good daily average will be far more potent than the occasional high step count.

So, set a step target and do your utmost to hit it every day, even at weekends.

Increase your steps gradually

If you have an office job and enjoy passive pastimes, you may currently only do 3,000-5,000 steps. Don’t be tempted to increase your step count too fast, as doing so could be unsustainable.

Instead, increase your step count gradually so you won’t feel overwhelmed and are more likely to make your increased NEAT habitual and sustainable.

For example, if you currently do 6,000 steps and want to work up to 10,000:

• Week 1 – 6,000 steps per day
• Week 2 – 7,000 steps per day
• Week 3 – 8,000 steps per day
• Week 4 – 9,000 steps per day
• Week 5 – 10,000 steps per day

Spread your steps out throughout the day

While you could do all your steps in a single session, you’ll probably find it more enjoyable and sustainable to spread them throughout the day. This will make your steps feel less like a workout.

Look for opportunities to walk more and sit less. For example:

• Park further from your destination and walk the remaining distance
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Take a 5 to 10-minute walk after meals
• Have walking meetings at work
• Walk when you are talking on your phone
• Walk your dog around the yard before breakfast and before bed
• Play with your kids more
• Break up long periods of sitting with a quick walk around the office
• Warm up on a treadmill before lifting weights

Remember, too, that other physical activities count toward your step total. Cleaning, gardening, and taking out the trash will all contribute to your step goal.  

Monitor your progress and adjust your step count accordingly

Depending on your diet, you may need to adjust your step count to maintain your progress. For example, if your weight loss has stalled, you may benefit from doing an additional 1,000-2,000 steps per day. Conversely, if you have reached your target body composition, you may be able to dial your step count down by a few thousand.

So, don’t just adopt a step target and stick to it indefinitely. Adjust your goal to reflect your results.

Don’t forget your diet

While manipulating your step count will affect your caloric expenditure, you may also need to lower your food intake to achieve the necessary deficit for fat loss. For example, if you are walking 10,000 steps or more per day without losing weight, it’s a safe bet that you are eating too much.

Learn more about how to create the ultimate healthy eating plan here.

Counting Steps – FAQs

Do you have a question about counting to get lean? No problem – we’ve got the answers!

1. How many steps do I need to do to lose weight and get lean?

The answer to this question depends on several variables, including your calorie intake, your rate of weight loss, and how much physical activity you usually do. However, most people should accumulate between 7,000 to 15,000 steps per day, with 10,00 being a good average.

If you are doing more steps than this and aren’t seeing the results you want, you should reduce your food intake rather than do more steps.

2. How can I track my step count?

The best way to count steps is with a smartwatch, phone app, or dedicated pedometer. Most phones have built-in fitness features, including a step counter. Use the easiest, most convenient method so that you can track your steps consistently.  

Related: Fitness Volt Steps to Distance Calculator

3. Are step counters 100% accurate?

While the technology has come a long way since the earliest mechanical pedometers, electronic step counters are still not 100% accurate and may not record every step and movement you make. However, they’re accurate enough to monitor trends in general physical activity.

4. Do I still need to diet to lose weight?

The answer to his question is a resounding – maybe! Why so? We have no way of knowing how many calories you are consuming and how much additional physical activity you do per day.

For example, if your calorie intake is equal to your expenditure, adding 10,000 steps-worth of additional physical activity may be sufficient for weight loss. However, even 20,000 steps a day may be too little if you are currently in a caloric surplus.

Because of this, you must adjust your step count and diet based on your individual progress.

5. Does it matter when I do my steps?

While it probably doesn’t matter all that much for weight loss, from a practical perspective, spreading your steps out though the day will make it easier to hit your goals. Doing 10,000 steps in one go means an hour or more of walking. However, doing a few “sets” of 2,000 means that you won’t have to commit a large chunk of time to hit your goal.

Spread your steps out in whatever way works best for you.

6. Is step counting enough to lose weight?

Walking and step counting is just one way to increase your daily energy expenditure. Combined with a sensible diet, it could be enough to help you lose weight. However, you’ll probably get better results by combining it with regular cardio and strength training workouts.

Step counting is best viewed as a helpful addition to your workouts and not a replacement for regular, structured strength and cardio training.

Counting Steps – Closing Thoughts

When it comes to losing weight and getting lean, many people make the mistake of putting all their eggs in one basket and relying solely on their diet or exercise program.

This is seldom effective!

Instead, it’s usually better to use a combination of approaches to save you from starving yourself with an ultra-strict diet or exercising yourself to exhaustion.

Counting steps to increase NEAT is another effective weight loss tool. And while it won’t do much on its own, combined with a sensible workout plan and sustainable diet, step counting should enhance your progress.

So, if you are struggling to lose weight, despite your diet and exercise program, start counting steps and striving to do more. Believe it or not, such a simple strategy can have a significant impact on your long-term progress.

---