Praising The Pedometer
by Haven Logan PH.D
Here is the great paradox of modern life: We are all insanely busy, yet we don’t get enough exercise. We hear over and over how inactive we are, yet we barely have a free moment in our lives. Like it or not, “busy” doesn’t mean “active.” We are busy in our offices, sitting in front our computers. We are busy in our cars driving here and there. We are hardly ever busy standing on our own two feet. The truth of our lives is that we have to make time to be physically active. But that doesn’t mean we have to take up rollerblading or hit the weight room at the gym for an hour a day. We can improve our physical health simply by getting up and using our feet.
The pedometer to the rescue! How do you know when walking transitions from being practical (getting from the car to the office or the mall) to being a weight-shedding and health-enhancing activity? A pedometer will tell you. This small, low-cost, and relatively low-tech gadget is basically a portable step counter. You simply clip it to your waist band or put it in your pocket and it tells you how many steps you’ve taken.
The wonderful thing about walking as a form of exercise is that it can be done by most people whatever their age, at any time or place, and at very little cost. Put on your walking shoes, open the door and you’re good to go. Could you increase the amount of your walking without using a pedometer? Of course, but a pedometer makes you aware of how far you’ve gone and can motivate you to increase this distance. It has the added benefit of adding up all the steps you take in the process of daily living.
Many of us can’t imagine how we’re going to meet the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the United States Department of Agriculture which recommends 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week. Yet if you break this into 30 minutes of “activities of daily living” and 30 minutes of brisk walking, it becomes a far less daunting task.
The 10,000 Steps Program
A number of studies have shown that walking 10,000 steps a day is about the right amount of exercise for cardiovascular health. It is possible more steps may be needed for weight loss. Ten thousand steps equal about five miles. Sallie (a pseudonym) introduced me to the 10,000 Steps Program, which has an ever-growing following. I immediately liked the challenge of this large but seemingly doable goal. It wasn’t like training for a marathon, but I knew it would encourage me to move out of my comfortable normal walking patterns.Sallie said that she was inspired to begin reaching for the goal of 10,000 steps a day after talking with her family about the importance of exercise. While she set out four months ago with a goal of walking to improve her health, added benefits have included an increase in her energy level and a decrease in her dress size.
She walks two to two and a half miles before work and then tries to complete the rest of her 10,000 steps before the end of her work day. Along the way she has inspired her family, friends, and co-workers to walk more and to use a pedometer. She’s also started a walking club at her church, which is charting their steps across the USA. Her enthusiasm is infectious and when I see her, she rarely fails to ask “How many steps?"
Buying a Pedometer
Unlike that treadmill or stationary bike you bought five years ago that is collecting dust in the garage, the pedometer is a minor investment of money and space. You can find a pedometer for a dollar or even free as a promotional gift. The major feature you want in a pedometer is that it accurately tracks your steps. The cheap ones tend to be less accurate or to break easily, so it’s worth the extra few dollars to invest in a quality pedometer. You can find them at just about any sporting goods store or you can shop online.There are many good pedometers on the market. Most of the time, I use the Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer, which can be purchased for under $25 at www.Amazon.com. This pedometer has the added bonus of working in your pocket or purse, as well as clipped at your waist. You can even find pedometers that record calories burned and miles walked. I also have used one that “talks,” announcing my progress every 1,000 steps. That really motivates me! Plus I get a kick from watching the startled faces of my companions when they hear a voice, coming from my waist, announcing “4,000 steps!”
Getting Started
- If you have any problems with your ankles, hips or knees, be sure to talk with your physician before starting a walking program.
- Get a flexible pair of walking shoes with good support and that are not too tight, as your feet will tend to swell a bit as they heat up from the exercise. Also, wear comfortable “everyday shoes” to encourage walking while at work or on errands.
- You will need to adjust your pedometer to the length of your stride, so be sure to read about this in the instructions that come with your pedometer. Check the accuracy of your pedometer by going to a local high school track and walking a measured mile. (That distance is about 2,000 steps.) For some people, accuracy is very important. Others say that just counting the steps motivates them to walk more, even if it’s not a precise measurement.
- Evaluate your current physical condition, life situation, and motivation to set a realistic personal goal for increased walking. Start slowly and reset your walking goals over time.
- If your goal is to reach 10,000 steps, start from where you are! Just go about your normal routine for two weeks, keeping track of the amount of steps you take each day. At the end of that two-week period, take the highest number of steps walked in a day and make this your goal for the next two weeks. Then add 500 more steps every two weeks until you reach 10,000 steps a day.
Staying Motivated
To stay motivated, you will want to pay attention to the following four elements of any goal-setting activity:Practicality – Look at your daily life and figure out where you could fit in time for walks and for taking extra steps, beyond the tips already mentioned. If you have a long commute, maybe you can beat the traffic and get to work early so you can walk. Or simply park in a spot farther from the door to your office and take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you have young children, find a place where you can walk and easily push a carriage. Small changes add up to lots of steps. And don’t forget to prepare for all seasons. What is your walking plan for when it rains or is too hot? The bottom line to a successful walking program is to start with your life as it is and then work more steps into it.
Relationships – Are you a group person who would like the fellowship of a walking club? Or is there a friend with whom you’d love to spend an hour every week walking and talking? Maybe you and coworkers can hold meetings while you walk instead of eating donuts. Many couples find walks the perfect way to unwind and reconnect at the end of the day. Your chosen companion might be your dog, who will shower you with affection as soon as you reach for the leash. Or maybe your favorite companion is yourself. There is nothing like a solitary walk to clear your head, get the creative juices flowing, and become reacquainted with yourself.
Pleasure – Make your walking experience as pleasurable as possible. There is no reason not to indulge your interests while walking. Listen to music or a book on tape and see how fast the time flies and how relaxed you feel. If you feel that every minute must be productive, then learn a language or explore a new subject while walking. The range of subjects on audio tape and CD has come a long way over the years, so don’t overlook doing two things at once! If you are the curious type, drive to a part of town you have always wanted to explore and take a walking tour of it. Perhaps nothing thrills you more than winning a challenge with your friends to see who walked the most this week? Find the walking style that satisfies you body, mind, and spirit and you will find walking is not something you have to do, but something you love to do.
Variety – Last, but not least, put some variety in your walking. There is a Native American saying that you should never follow the same path twice. So spice up your walk by varying your route. Head out to the countryside on the weekends. Maybe walk along the beach. Map out new trails at the park. Plan your vacations so that you continue walking when you’re away from home. Unlike working out at the gym, where you are in the same workout room all the time, walking should never get boring.