StepBet app review (walking support)

Join a step challenge to increase activity with the support of others.

My StepBet experience!

This is my personal experience with the StepBet app during May 2021.

StepBet highlights

• StepBet is available free in the app store
• You grant the app access to step data from your device
• Step goals are displayed BEFORE you sign up
• Games are usually 4-6 weeks in length
• Membership gives you access to more games, but is not required
• The longer games have a warm up week
• You place a bet on yourself to complete personal step goals (my game was $40)

All participants who meet their goals split the pot minus StepBet’s fee (15% of winnings before the pot is split)

The fee is waived for members and the entire pot is split among winners.

Read through FAQ here and rules here

• You must meet your step goals to win
• “Active” step goal to meet 4 days a week
• “Power” step goal to meet 2 days a week
• There is one rest day a week
• Some member games offer a variation of this (e.g: 2 rest days or 0 rest days)

The most daily steps I walked the months prior to joining was 6,177, but my daily average was only 3,089. Thus I was surprised that my goals were 7,271 (active) and 9,304 (power). Some people have commented your goals are 20% higher than the average of the last few months, but mine are over double. So that is clearly not the formula! Ha ha 

What I noticed:

• The message board within the game is encouraging
• You do not have to share your step goals with others
• Some people have very high goals or consistently walk more than their goals
• Some people (like me) aim for only the required steps
• Despite the group game you are only competing with YOURSELF! 
• Share as much or as little as you like! 

Have you tried StepBet? Or a similar challenge?

My StepBet experience

When I first started, everything hurt and I questioned what I had gotten myself into. As someone with an obese BMI whose days revolve around managing pain, and only taking one mile walks, I kept asking “why did I do this?”

My honest opinion is that StepBet is a fun and inspiring way to walk more and I realize that I am deconditioned. The first few weeks I experienced muscle pain and soreness, which I have now learned to recognize over acute or chronic pain.  

As of this writing, I am thoroughly enjoying the concept of StepBet and am grateful I signed up. 

BUT, I will be unable to finish the last week. 

The power days have been especially difficult for me and I completed these on consecutive days during week three. Unfortunately, I am now experiencing too much pain to continue. Power days have been a struggle for me and this was simply poor planning on my part. 

 (Need tips on walking with chronic pain? My 8 tips here!)

While I am disappointed to be out the $40, I know when it’s okay to push my body and when it is not. 

I still consider my experience a success! 

• I plan to set myself a lower step goal on my own
• Will aim to meet goal 5 days a week versus 6
• Will focus on my other weight loss tools (nutrition, intermittent fasting, counting macros)
• Plan to join another StepBet game this fall

In Conclusion

It is important to know your own body and steadily work towards any exercise or increase in intensity and duration. 

I now realize that being out of shape was the culprit for some of my pain. My healthcare provider knew this awhile ago, and it is time for me to bump up my activity level. 

I am unable to finish this StepBet, but am excited to create my own step goals and expand on that this summer. Up until I pushed too hard this last week, I saw great benefits with increased activity. 

These are the benefits I experienced:

• Weight loss, clothes are fitting better 
• Drastically decreased nighttime pain
• Noticeable improvement in morning pain 
• Improved sleep
• Increased energy
• Decreased anxiety (I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder) 

Always talk with your healthcare provider before trying any new exercise. It is vital to be aware of what works with your medical conditions and overall health.

Would you still consider yourself a success if you came up short on hitting a goal, like what happened with my first StepBet game?