Losing weight and getting in shape doesn't have to cost an arm or a leg. It just takes $20 or so, a little motivation and a good pair of walking or running shoes. The $20 will buy a practical pedometer, a small, portable battery-operated device you can use to track your progress. With a pedometer, walkers, hikers and runners can count steps and miles and even get a good estimate on how many calories they've burned on their trek of choice. All it takes is a little pre-jaunt preparation.
The Set-up
Before taking off walking or even deciding where to place your pedometer, make sure it's set up correctly to obtain proper measurements. This almost always involves measuring your stride length and entering your weight and age into the device. Pedometers vary in simplicity and function, so consult the owner's manual to properly program the device from the first step onward.
How They Work
Before deciding how to wear the pedometer or where to place it, it's important to understand the basic technology behind the devices. Most pedometers, particularly the lower-priced models, use a spring-mounted lever that picks up the vibrations from the foot coming into contact with the ground. With every registered vibration, the arm is set into motion itself, contacting a metallic surface to close an electric circuit. Each time the circuit closes, it registers a step. Other pedometers are accelerometer-based and contain tiny crystals which react to the impact of the foot striking the ground. Like the spring-mounted pedometers, this results in a small generation of voltage, registering a step.
The Right Spot
Now it's time to place the pedometer to best pick up the vibration of each step. Many clip on to the waistband of your pants. Place it in a a level, upright position above your dominant leg, directly above the knee, as the vibration from each step impact will travel in line up through your hips. If your pedometer is a not a clip-on model, it's likely a more sensitive accelerometer-based device, and these can be placed in pockets or purses where they still are fully capable of registering steps.
Troubleshooting
To avoid inaccurate readings, re-set the pedometer as desired, either at the start of each day or before each use. Also do a short test run, taking 10 to 20 steps and then checking the device's count. If the reading is more than a few steps off, re-position the device. With the spring-loaded, clip-on models, make sure they are kept in a level or upright position. Otherwise, the arm's gravitational balance is thrown off, and it will not measure steps. With runners in particular, there is the danger of clip-on pedometers becoming dislodged by the impact of heavier strides, and even falling off completely. However, this can be prevented by running a string through the clip and pinning it to your pants or shorts.
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