Another vote for FitBit! And to answer your original question, yes, it helped me lose weight. I lost about 40 pounds over the course of a year and have kept off 35 (need to get back on the wagon).

As the saying goes though you can't outrun your fork -- i.e. you can't compensate for a bad diet/too much food through exercise, particularly walking. Walking is super-healthy and we should all be a lot more active all the time, but for most of us to lose weight we have to revamp our diet paying attention to both quantity and quality. For me, I tracked calories and macros with the LoseIt! app/website. It syncs to FitBit, so I would get credit for steps taken/exercise done which was nice as a cushion of extra calories, but I had to be pretty strict about what I ate (and will need to get strict again to get back down to where I want to be).

Diet-wise, I went pretty low-carb eventually transitioning to paleo. That helped a lot in terms of being able to cut calories but not be hungry (fat and protein are much more satiating than carbs).

Also I started working out with kettlebells, and a running training program. FitBit works great for latter but you have to add other types of exercise manually and it really is only about the tracking. Even on days when I'm not working out I still am religious about my FitBit use though!

I will echo the FitBit comments. Not only is the device great, but their support is amazing. I actually left mine on my bra, washed it and FitBit replaced it, free of charge. That was last fall. The one I have now has a slight crack in the stop (I think partially due to how I clip it on and off my bra) and I emailed some pics to support. They're sending me a new one, with Bluetooth sync, free of charge.

If you want to go one step further, you can sync FitBit with MyFitnessPal. MFP has a huge database for tracking what you eat. It will calculate what you consume, FitBit will calculate what you burn, and you will get reports.

Anonymous wrote:Day three with the pedometer. It is motivating, I have to say.

Good going! Keep it up.

Anonymous wrote:Day three with the pedometer. It is motivating, I have to say.

18:32 here. Congrats and keep it up--sounds like you'll meet your goals! I agree that it's very motivating to wear one. I've worn one for years--even the older models that weren't as accurate but still helpful. On vacation at the beach, I love wearing it for long walks on the beach or when touring a city.

Anonymous wrote:I have a fitbit. It is super easy and you can see your progress on the computer or smartphone. If you use the LoseIt app it will give you extra calories if you exceed your daily goal for exercise.
I also started with the Omron and found the Fitbit easier to wear with work outfits. Then I switched to a fitbit zip and its easier still because it is so small I wear it everywhere and I never have to charge or sync it

Thanks for this very helpful info! I'm the poster who has the Omron, which I've really liked--but this one does seem better!

I have a fitbit. It is super easy and you can see your progress on the computer or smartphone. If you use the LoseIt app it will give you extra calories if you exceed your daily goal for exercise.
I also started with the Omron and found the Fitbit easier to wear with work outfits. Then I switched to a fitbit zip and its easier still because it is so small I wear it everywhere and I never have to charge or sync it

Day three with the pedometer. It is motivating, I have to say.

I've work pedometers for years. I walk everywhere, and I've used them to help me calculate steps for health, distance for traveling (I don't drive) and for motivation. Sadly, I break a lot of them.

The best one of all is the FitBit. More expensive than others, but really great. It does stairs and steps and calories and would even monitor sleep, if my cat would stop trying to take it off my wrist in my sleep. One time, it malfunctioned and I contacted customer service and they immediately sent me a new one. Cheerfully. It is awesome.

http://www.amazon.com/FitBit-Wireless-Activity-Sleep-Tracker/dp/B0096NXKAE/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1372905136&sr=8-12&keywords=fit+bit

OP here. I bought the pedometer yesterday, set it up for my stride length and started. It did motivate me to take the dog for an extra walk because I wanted to get in a certain number of steps before the day was over.

I will report back!

I think it's a great idea!

If you're not in shape, start slowly:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/SM00060

Also, this might be helpful:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-step-diet?page=2

http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HJ-720ITFFP-Pedometer-Advanced-Management/dp/B003U3HMN2/ref=sr_1_3/185-3873343-4924402?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1372630782&sr=1-3&keywords=omron+pedometer

I bought this style two summers ago and have loved it! I work in several schools and keep it on my waist, so it counts the miles as I walk across parking lots and within the halls of schools. It's very motivating to see how much walking I've done. I also work out at a gym, but I think walking really helps keep my weight under control. Although I haven't done it, you can keep a more comprehensive track of your progress if you hook it up to your computer regularly. One thing different from some pedometers is that it automatically recalculates your mileage every 24 hours, but you can review it. Best to you!

Anyone use a pedometer to get in shape and lose weight? Did it help?