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In this Article

• What are the benefits of stepping out with pedometers?
• What's a pedometer used for?
• How do pedometers work?
• Are pedometers accurate?
• Which type of pedometer is best for me: piezoelectric or spring-levered?
• Are pedometers accurate for measuring distance and calories?
• How many steps should I take?
• Which pedometer is accurate?
• How do I position my pedometer on my body?
• How do I know if my pedometer is accurate?
• How do I go about getting started with my first pedometer?
• How far am I walking? How many steps are there in a mile?
• How do I increase my daily steps?
• How do I keep track of my progress?
• Where can I purchase a pedometer?
• Pedometers Index

How do I increase my daily steps?

Looking for ideas to increase your steps? A researcher asked 34 employees of a small northeastern college what strategies they used to increase their steps. Below are the results (numbers in parentheses are the percentage of participants who used the strategies). The employees said:

• To a meeting or work-related errand (65%)



• After work (50%)



• Before work (35%)



• At lunch (47%)



• On the weekend (32%)



• While traveling (32%)



• With the dog (32%)



• To a destination (work/store) (29%)



• Parked farther away (50%)



• Used the stairs rather than an elevator (24%)



• Performed other cardiovascular activity (539%)

My guess is that if you scanned your week, you would find times and opportunities when you could walk a little more. I also suggest pedometer contests at your office or even at home. Divide your office colleagues into teams and post a big chart in a conspicuous place with the cumulative number of steps that all of you take each week, and then at the end of the month, give awards to the members of the team with the highest step count and give a special award to the individual who takes the most steps. At home, post a chart on the fridge and see who takes the most steps. The winner doesn't have to do dishes for a week! Make the contests fun. The good news is that anyone with a pedometer can participate.

How do I keep track of my progress?

Keep a journal of your steps, create a spreadsheet to monitor your progress, or go online to track your steps. Record-keeping helps with motivation. The following sites provide online step-trackers where you can enter your daily steps.

• American Diabetes Association



• America on the Move (You can also buy a reliable and accurate pedometer here.)



• The President's Challenge