A pedometer is a small device that counts the number of steps you take. Most pedometers are the size of a matchbox and attach to the waist of your pants. Each step you take triggers the pedometer, and a step is added to your total. Wearing a pedometer can benefit by helping you assess your activity level and motivating you to move more.
Analyze Your Current Activity
According to the National Institute on Aging, most inactive people get 2,000 to 5,000 steps per day. This is common among those who work office jobs that require a short walk to and from the building and a long day at the computer. You can analyze how much you move throughout the day by wearing a pedometer. More physical activity, whether in the form of structured exercise or more walking, can benefit your health and encourage calorie burn for weight loss. Analyzing your current activity level is the first step to determining whether you need to add more activity throughout your day.
Set Goals to Increase Activity Level
To ensure you get enough activity to meet current recommendations for health, aim to get 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day, according to the National Institute on Aging. To be categorized in the high-activity group, you'll need to get in 15,000 steps a day. You can use a pedometer to determine how close you are to your goal and then make a plan for how you will reach it. For example, if you get 5,000 steps per day, set a goal to add an extra 1,000 steps per week until you reach at least 8,000 steps per day. Reset your pedometer each morning and record the final number before taking it off each night to keep track of your progress.
Motivation to Get Moving
Tools that measure activity levels, such as a pedometer, can motivate you to move more. If you check your pedometer at lunch time and see that you only have 2,000 steps, you know to take advantage of opportunities to move the rest of the day in order to reach your 8,000- to 10,000-step goal. Perhaps you hand-deliver more messages throughout the office in the afternoon, take the stairs to the break room, or walk around the field during your child's soccer practice.
Engage in Structured Exercise
The average person does not have a job or lifestyle that is active enough to achieve 10,000 steps per day without a structured exercise walk. Using a pedometer can motivate you to incorporate 25 to 30 minutes of structured walking each day to reach the ideal number of daily steps. By doing so, you will achieve 150 minutes per week of physical activity recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine to prevent weight gain in adults.
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