What Are The Benefits Of Pedometers?
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Article by Rachel Nelson via http://www.livestrong.com/article/411832-what-are-the-benefits-of-pedometers/
A device smaller than a cell phone that clips to your belt, a pedometer counts your daily steps to help you determine how active you are in a day. By using a pedometer to monitor your steps and increasing the amount of steps you take, you can achieve the health benefits of burning more calories.
Set a Baseline
“Women’s Health” weight-loss expert Keri Glassman recommends taking at least 10,000 steps per day. This is the equivalent of walking 5 miles per day, which translates into 500 calories burned. When you clip on a pedometer, you might discover you are walking and moving less in a day than you thought. Using a pedometer helps you to determine a baseline activity level and calculate how much more active you must be to experience improvement.
Track Progress
After you set a baseline, you can set a goal for improvement. A pedometer helps you track your progress. If you have been walking 5,000 steps a day, make it your goal to increase your steps to 6,000. After a week, you can increase the step count by another 500 to 1,000 steps. Keeping an exact count can encourage you to work harder and achieve your goals.
Find Opportunities for Activity
People who wear pedometers are more likely to take advantage of small opportunities to increase their activity levels, reports MSNBC.com. While wearing your pedometer, you may remind yourself to take the stairs or a short break to walk around your office. These small differences can add up: Walking more helps you burn calories, even if you don’t do all your walking at once.
Research Studies
A 2007 research study published in the “American Journal of Preventive Medicine” aimed to measure the effect of adding a pedometer as part of a walking program. The study measured adults ages 30 to 65 years who engaged in no more than three exercise sessions per week. Participants were separated into three groups: one with a walking program and pedometer; one with a walking program but no pedometer; and a control group who continued their usual activity level. Participants who wore a pedometer were found to engage in longer and more frequent exercise sessions than those who did not. More patients who wore the pedometer reached the recommended level of physical activity, prompting researchers to conclude that pedometers can help patients meet recommended fitness goals.