My daughter came home from school with a little green pedometer she got from her P.E. teacher. She was asked to wear it on her waistband and keep track of how many steps she takes each day. I was thrilled to see this come home because it gets kids thinking about the amount of movement they get in a day at an early age.
I can also say this is not a perfect science because I found the pedometer that was supposed to be attached to her waist for a week straight on the dining room table this morning.
OK, she is 9 and I guess that using a pedometer every day may be a little unrealistic, but when she got home from school she did realize she left it behind and was looking forward to wearing it the next day.
Pedometers can be a useful tool for monitoring your daily steps. Studies have indicated that you should try to take 10,000 steps per day. That is the equivalent to walking 5 miles. But you don’t have to hit the track and walk 5 miles because a pedometer monitors the number of steps you take. The average sedentary person only takes 1,000 to 3,000 steps in a day, which is way below the recommended amount.
The advantage to wearing a pedometer is that it keeps track of your steps for you, rather than you walking around and counting your own steps, which would be highly unlikely. If you find that your steps per day fall short of the 10,000 steps per day, then try to increase your steps by 10 percent each week until you have reached your 10,000 steps.
You can find pedometers just about anywhere they sell sporting supplies or find them online. There are lots of different kinds to choose from. Some pedometers count calories, monitor heart rate, as well as count your steps, while others just simply count your steps. Whatever you want to use is fine as long as it will help you reach your fitness goals.
Pedometers can be a little tricky to set up so be sure to read the instructions. Also based on your age and current fitness level, 10,000 steps may not be the recommended amount for you. Be sure to check with a health care professional about how much exercise is safe for you.
How do you fit in extra steps each day? Tell us in comments.
