I just started back on WW after a bit of a hiatus. Since I went back, one of the "routines" I've chosen to implement is to wear my WW pedometer all day, every day. I try to reach at least 10,000 steps a day, because I work at a fairly sedentary job -- I work reception at the local YMCA. Mind you, I only work part time, and even when I *am* working, I'm not completely chained to my desk. *L* As a matter of fact, one of the other routines I'm trying to implement is to walk at least five minutes each hour.

Anyway, I've been having fun making sure I get in my 10,000 steps each day, and seeing how many APs I earn as a result. Which leads to my question!

Is there anyone here who counts all their daily movements as APs? (I don't actually use my APs, but I still track them, and when I actually work out, I tend to calculate my APs from that by RPE rather than the pedometer itself, since it doesn't always track my workouts accurately anyway.)

I'm finding that on days when all I do is go to work and go about my usual daily routine, I usually earn 3 points by the end of the day. On days when I actually work out, I'll usually earn 6 or 7.

But I am curious. Who else counts their overall daily activity as APs? (Hoping I'm not the only one! *L*)

I do. I wear a Fitbit and I record my steps as all day. As you know, I'm sure, there is a baseline you have to meet before you get points. I don't eat my points either, but I enjoy recording them.

It is, BTW, very important to have your stride accurate. The shorter your stride the fewer the points you earn. My stride is shorter than average, so I had to change the stride down from the default so I earn fewer points.

I would only count in addition to what I normally do, but that's just what works for me. Some people can't eat their activity points, some can. My suggestion would be just to do trial and error. Find out what works for you.

I don't eat my activity points and I only county intentional excercise when calculating activity points. Right now, my daily point level is really high, so unless I eat out--I'm rarely running out of points. I'm sure this may change as my points decrease.

In the activity page you have two choices for steps. You can record just what you do during exercise. When you do that you start earning toward your APs from the first step of "exercise."

The other option is total steps. With total steps, you record all steps that you do during the day. When you do that you have to meet a baseline of steps before your steps start adding to your APs.

The risk is that if you record only exercise steps and you don't walk much during the day then you have over-recorded Activity Points.

For example, if I say I'm only going to record actual steps during formal exercise, I will earn one AP if I walk 889 steps. Let's say that I walk 3000 steps during the day and do 1000 of them on the treadmill as exercise. If I record just the steps during exercise, WW gives me 1 Activity Point for that.

On the other hand, if I'm recording all days steps and I record 3000 steps I get 0 Activity points. That is because I have to walk 4111 steps on an all day basis before I earn one AP. Basically I have to walk 3222 steps before WW starts giving me Activity POints if I'm recording steps on an all day basis.

So for me I find it more accurate to record all day steps. That way WW is getting all the information on my steps and knows whether or not I met my baseline and doesn't give me APs unless I did so.

That was my rationale for choosing to track all my movements as APs. Because there are days -- especially when I work a full eight-hour shift -- when I just don't get a chance to go for a long walk, or do a gym workout. So there are days (mind you, not many) when I simply don't earn enough steps to get any APs. But on the days when I am more active, then I'm sure to earn enough steps for at least 1 AP.

Like I said, it's what works for someone. My opinion is still the same.

...And that's fine? I'm sorry if you got the impression that your opinion was "wrong". I don't think I implied that.

As you said, it's jut something that you have to figure out individually. I wasnt particularly looking for validation as to whether what I do is "right" or "wrong"; I was simply curious as to whether anyone else tracked their everyday activity in addition to their planned, deliberate workouts.

Snoofie- I think DBA (DriveByAmbition)'s post was in reponse to Koshka's because she (Koshka)'s post seemed to be directed at DBA since DBA's post is quoted.

I am not saying that everyone has to do it my way. I think that it certainly depends upon lifestyle. In general, I believe in counting Activity Points in the most conservative way. For someone who walks a lot in daily life (not as part of exercise), it is probably most conservative to only count as steps in the tracker those during exercise (I think the tracker calls that "active" steps). Doing that will result in a lower number of earned APs.

On the other hand, there are people like me. I work from home and my house is 1 story and not that large. So, for me, it is best that I don't earn APs for steps until I first have to meet a baseline. So, although it may seem paradoxical, I earn less APs by counting all of my steps during the day than I would if I only counted the steps during exercise. For me, I'm more comfortable with counting my APs in a conservative, lower way like that. But, if I had a different lifestyle where I had more daily life non-exercise steps, then it might be more conservative to only count the "active", exercise steps. I really like that WW gives the option to do it either way since what is best may vary from one person to another.

I apologize for the confusion! I'm not offended or anything, and think this is a good topic for people to share what works for them. In turn, that may work for you. I think WW is flexible in that matter.

Exactly.

Psht, no worries.