Fitness: Using a pedometer or step counter
Why use a pedometer?
Experts say that to stay fit, it is important to be physically active for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week. Walking is one of the best things you can do to be more active. You don't have to do your walking all at once. You can split it up. It's fine to walk in several chunks of 10 minutes or more throughout the day. It's also important just to move more. Making a point to take a few extra steps during the day can really add up.
Some people prefer to let a pedometer count how many steps they walk, rather than trying to keep track of how many minutes they walk. Then you can focus on enjoying your walks rather than on adding up minutes during the day.
Many people have a hard time remembering to exercise. Using a pedometer can remind you to exercise more. You can wear a pedometer all day to keep track of your total steps. When you go for a walking workout, you can easily see how many steps you have added to your routine. A quick check may show that you need more steps for the day. You may even find it fun to add more steps to such chores and errands as grocery shopping or returning a book to the library.
People are often surprised to see how little they actually move in a typical day. Wearing a step counter will let you see just how active you are. This may spur you to add more steps to your day. Studies show that people who used a pedometer were more likely to add about 2,000 steps to the number they walked each day before using a pedometer.1
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| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: August 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Heather Chambliss, PhD - Exercise Science/Weight Management | |
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