Gadgetry confusion ... advice needed

Being in my late 60s and a bit overweight I am trying to get a bit fitter. I would like to know how many steps I do when I go for a walk and how hard my heart is working when I ride my old bike.
I went to the shops to get some sort of gadget but am now too confused. I think they see my white hair and think I can be conned into buying the most expensive item. As I do not have a modern phone, nor do I need one, they say nothing will work without a smart one. As we could never have children I have no-one to help me work this out.
I know some
of you lovely ladies are really into getting fit so perhaps you can give me an
idea of something which will do what I need.
I don’t want to wear it all the time, not do I need to know how badly I
sleep as I know that.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much. Anne
Comments
Thank you. The terminology is helpful. I do not have a computer either but use the library ones when they are open or at the home of my friend and you are 100% correct, I do not want or need that sort of thing. I need basic. I will keep asking at the various stores ... stay tuned. Fitbit is the name they had, also one starting with G.
My best advice. When you walk, walk with intention. That is, don't just stroll casually make sure you step it out and swing your arms a bit. Don't worry about your heartrate just do your best and keep moving, puffing slightly is a good thing. Numbers can be motivating for a while, but they also do your head in when your gadget stops.
Don't forget to check with your doctor before taking on any new exercise program/workouts. (I work for an online fitness company and we remind everyone of this).
count them). Then you can calculate
know how many steps you have walked in multiples of minutes. For example, I walk about 900 steps in 10 minutes (as @Mira says, I try and walk fairly briskly on my short legs rather than stroll). For me, 5500 steps is about 3 kms. I tried too to buy a simple pedometer - either you and I are the only demand for them or everyone is much more keen to push the more expensive models! Luckily I do have a smart phone, which does the job simply and well. Best wishes.
She was trying to count steps but kept getting waylaid when looking at ducks and swans around the lake !
She does not have a watch with a second hand. She will go and talk to more shop people to see if there are any simple pedometers still around.
Tell her to walk until she's seen 50 swans, then she can stop
I use a fitbit charge 2 and have done so for 2 years to track my exercise habits. It tracks time, distance as well as your heart rate. The heart rate tracker is pretty accurate as i have checked it with a blood pressure machine we have. It also has a weight tracker as well as heaps of other stuff if you want to get into it in that way. You don't have to, you just load what you want. There is an app you can upload your data to if you wish though it is easier to do that on an ipad, tablet or smartphone rather than a desktop computer. I find mine lasts at least a week if not longer before i have to charge it which is great. I did a whole comparison thing before i bought mine and found this one suited my needs the best. Shop around pricewise. JB Hifi will price match if you find it cheaper somewhere else. You can also get different bands for it online. Hope this helps.