A pedometer is a simple form of exercise equipment that counts the steps you take in a day. Pedometers are often used by people aiming to keep fit and lose weight. The device helps you figure out how many calories you've consumed vs. how many you've burned.
Calories
The calorie is a unit of measurement used to calculate energy within the body. Foods are assigned a number of calories based on the amount of energy it can provide to a body and the workload of all bodily functions can be determined through measuring the calories burned in each process. Calories that aren't used for energy are either passed through the body or converted into fat. In order to lose weight, you must force your body to access its fat stores and use stored energy to fuel itself.
Pedometers
Pedometers are programmed to count the number of steps you take. More advanced ones can be programmed to know your average stride length and, through that, tell you approximately how far you are traveling. Still others can give you an estimate of the calories burned based on your weight and walking distance. A pedometer can be found for $25 or less, as of 2010.
Calculating Distance
Distance has to be calculated according to the length of your stride. Of course, if you walk around a measured track you can do this easily. Otherwise you need to know your stride length and either enter it into your pedometer or multiply it by the number of steps you take in a given day or workout to determine your walking distance. This can then be used to determine the calories burned.
Calories Burned
How many calories you burn in a day or through a walking workout depends on the speed at which you walk and the weight you are carrying. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person who walks two miles over the course of an hour -- this corresponds to approximately 4,000 steps -- may burn 183 calories, if they weigh 160 lb. or 273 calories if they weigh 240 lb. If you cover 7,000 steps in an hour -- roughly equal to 3.5 miles -- a 240-pound person might burn 414 calories.
Expert Insight
Whether or not you think pedometers are a valuable exercise tool, according to the Harvard Medical School, they can make a significant difference in how much you walk. The school reports that the average individual that uses a pedometer walks roughly 2,000 steps more than the average person who doesn't use a pedometer. That's an extra mile a day, which could lead to an extra 1,000 calories or more burned each week, according to data provided by the Mayo Clinic.
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