Step by Step

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Another pedometer of mine died yesterday, and I'm already missing the real time reporting of steps throughout my day. I've been using a pedometer for about 3 years now, and very consistently for about the last year and a half. Why? I know that daily movement is vital to our health, circulation and stamina. And having some kind of guideline or means of tracking is vital to knowing what kind of day we're having. The bummer is that the affordable pedometers I buy last about 6 to 9 months.

Did you know it is recommended that we log 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day? The origins of that level of activity go back to the 1960's in Japan where they marketed an early pedometer for walking clubs, called a "manpo-kei", which means '10,000 steps meter'. Numerous studies have agreed that 10,000 steps a day, or enough to burn about 500 calories, is a great target for physical activity.

Pedometers have actually been around for hundreds of years. Leonardo Da Vinci conceived of one for military use, and Thomas Jefferson had working models that he may have actually invented. See this Wikipedia article for other great facts about pedometers: Pedometers on Wikipedia.

The sad thing is that most Americans log between about 500 and 3,000 steps a day. We're much too sedentary as a society, and the solution is as simple as taking yourself for a walk. (All responsible dog owners know that Fido needs to get out for a walk one or more times a day, so why don't we insist on the same level of care for ourselves?) If you're convicted to increase your number of steps and physical activity, simply stage your step count incrementally higher until you are consistently where you need to be.

Nowadays I find myself logging 7,000 to 16,000 steps a day, and the great thing is that everything counts: walking from the car to the office, climbing the stairs wherever possible, cutting the grass. I even stand at my desk - that's an interesting issue for a future post. For now, consider increasing your activity to get something close to 10,000 steps. You'll be glad you did.

By the Way

I'm now shopping for my next pedometer. I'll be so glad to have that daily reminder and encouragement for activity. Many of the simpler pedometers can be purchased for well under $20. You can also get into more technical models like the Jawbone Up, or Fitbit (with three models to choose from). These are high-tech and quite sophisticated, allowing you to track everything from steps to sleeping time to food, as well as other physical activity. You can even 'compete' against friends and family members who have the same device as you. What a great way to integrate physical activity and movement into our daily routine. Here's to stepping up!