Measuring how far you've traveled when running or walking these days isn't difficult. You can use a GPS unit or a shoe sensor designed to track your distance. You could even go online and map your route to determine how far you'll go before you even head out the door. Despite all this fancy gadgetry, the two most common methods of measuring the miles you've gone are still the most simple and inexpensive: the car odometer and the pedometer. There is, however, an enormous difference in the accuracy of these two methods.
Pedometer
At its simplest, a pedometer is a device that counts the number of steps a person takes as they take them. It's as small as, or smaller than, a cell phone, and can easily attach to a walker's belt or waistband. Some more expensive pedometers can translate the number of steps into distance in miles. They can also record the estimated number of calories burned during your workout, although typically these estimates are not very accurate.
Auto Trip Meter
An automobile trip meter is the part of the mile counter on a car's speedometer that can be reset with the push of a button. These are made to literally track distance traveled, and it can measure this as low as a tenth of a mile. Today's car speedometers are most commonly synchronized electronically with a car's wheel speed sensors. Alternatively, they record the speed of the gear's teeth in the transmission and translates that data into miles per hour.
Accuracy
According to "Car and Driver" magazine, car speedometers and the odometers they are synchronized with are typically not very accurate. Most often speedometers read slower than actual speed. When a car is in reality traveling at 70 miles per hour, "Car and Driver" found most speedometers read more than 71 miles per hour. This seemingly small difference, caused by fluctuation in tire size and inflation, will throw off the mile count significantly over time.
Steps Not Miles
Besides greater accuracy, another reason to use a pedometer instead of relying on the trip meter in your car is that heath goals are measured in steps, not miles. It's recommended that each of us walk 10,000 steps per day. To lose weight and keep it off, it's recommended you walk 12,000 to 15,000 steps per day. Plus, a pedometer can be calibrated so you can figure out how many steps you've taken and how many miles you've gone. Simply walk a measured distance with your pedometer --- say, a quarter mile around a track --- then multiply that by four and you will then know how many steps it takes you to walk a mike. From there, you can track your daily mileage accurately and easily.
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