How many STEPS a day do you take??

[Sara Emily]

Each of us has our favorite tried and true ways of working out AND ways of challenging ourselves to beef up the intensity and duration. So, the following is NOT to take the place of regular exercise times, but to add a new dimension to our thinking about keeping on the move and adding small doses of EXTRA movement to our days! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

There was a terrific article in this last issue of "Walking" magazine, challenging each person to get ahold of an electronic pedometer and go through your normal week with it, writing down the number of steps you have logged at the end of each day (INCLUDING during your regular workouts!). The results are often QUITE surprising - either negatively or positively! THEN, you work to increase that average by 20% the following week by being conscious of adding extra movement - i.e. taking the stairs instead of elevator, pacing while waiting for a ride or on the phone, etc.

I think this is helpful BOTH for those of us who regularly work out and those who resist doing so or who are a bit sporadic about it. This helps to keep the metabolism a little more elevated THROUGHOUT the day and is a gentle and fun way to add an extra small challenge to your days in terms of health.

About 10,000 steps per day was touted as a worthy goal, but ANY increase from your present level is desirable, and there is certainly no reason not to go well beyond this number.

My DH and I have been trying this out together with his and hers pedometers. On the whole, I am pretty self-motivated and consistent where exercise is concerned and he has to work harder to stay motivated and regular about this. Doing this as a couple has been FUN and good for us both!

I just offer this as a suggestion for those who are curious about how much they walk in a day and especially for those seeking to INCREASE movement and calorie expenditure throughout the day. It all ADDS UP! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[aggie94]

Sara,

I just read that article this morning! My friend got a SportBrain a few months ago and has been raving about it since. I can get online and check how she does on her steps on a daily basis, and give her motivation (OK, so it's more like beratement!) to do better.

Another friend of mine passed along the Walking issue, and she has just ordered the Accusplit that is on special right now. I am considering doing the same, now that I've been relegated to this walking program by my PT. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif The plus is that I've now convinced my friend to join me on these 45 minute walks a couple of times a week.

By the way, does anyone have this Eagle 170 pedometer from Accusplit?

[jane]

Great info. I just moved to Philly this month and for the first time in my life I don't have a car and have to walk everywhere. It's been great! But I have been extremely curious to find out how far I'm walking each day. I had also read a very similar article in another magazine (although I can't remember which one) that said that 10,000 steps per day was a goal people should work towards.

Any suggestions on where to get a good (and inexpensive) pedometer? Any you'd highly recommend or strongly caution against?

Good luck with your walking!

[aggie94]

Jane,

The Eagle 170 from Accusplit is one that the Walking article mentioned as an accurate and relatively inexpensive pedometer. As part of the program that the article highlights, Accusplit is offering a special right now -- I purchased it yesterday online for $18, no shipping and handling. I figure for $18, even if it sucks, I didn't waste too much money. But the women who did the program (3 weeks of wearing the pedometer: 1st week as a baseline, 2nd week's goal to increase baseline by 20%, and 3rd week's goal to increase another 20%) said pretty positive things about using the pedometer to find out how much they were really walking a day and what they could do to get to their 10,000 steps a day goal.

You should check out the article. I should be getting my pedometer next week and would be happy to offer any feedback.

[JJ40]

I would be interested in reading that article--does anyone know if it's posted on line anywhere?

I recently bought a pedometer to log how many steps I take in a day (I don't own a car, so I walk just about everywhere). Most articles I have read recommend 10 000 steps a day. But that seems like an awful lot to me, given that it takes me about 1000 steps to travel one kilometre. Do I really need to take 10 000 steps (10 kilometres) in a day to maintain a decent activity level???

Any input is appreciated!

Julie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[scnewton]

After reading the Walking magazine article, I purchased the New Lifestyles Digi-Walker. Digi-Walker was the other brand name recommended in the article.

I purchased mine for $30 at Galyan's. They have different models, the cheapest was $20. I have the SW-701, which tracks steps, distance and calories. It will also let you enter your stride length, but I haven't done that yet.

The one thing to be careful about is shaking the pedometer when you aren't walking (such as using the restroom.) But the way to prevent the pedometer from adding steps is to open it when you don't want it to count. I don't know if the Accusplit is designed the same way but it is something to consider.

You can read all about the different models at digiwalker.com.

I am really enjoying wearing it- I have discovered that I am walking more than I thought I was. =)

[aggie94]

Here's an excerpt from that article:

Why 10K?
from Ericka Kostka's Make Every Step Count, Walking Magazine, June 2001

Where did 10K come from? It started with a slight misunderstanding. In Japan, where pedometers are a favorite health-promotion tool, pedometers are nicknamed manpo-kei, which means 10,000 steps meter. This name led to the assumption that 10,000 steps a day of walking is a healthy idea.

It turns out to be right, according to a growing body of evidence. Research by Ralph Paffenbarger of Stanford University and others established that those who burn at least 2,000 calories in conscious activity a week (climbing stairs, walking, and formal exercise) show vastly better health profiles and longevity than sedentary people.

Then Japanese researcher Yoshiro Hatano asked a simple question: How many steps a day should a person take on average to burn those 2,000 calories a week? Hatano put pedometers on regular people and found that 10,000 steps of walking burns roughly 300 to 450 calories. (Fast walkers burned more.) This means a person who averages 10K a day will, over the course of a week, likely end up in the health-promoting range of around 2,100 to 3,100 calories burned through walking.

Though 10K a day is a worthy goal, it is hardly an upper limit, nor is it a magic number. Those starting at 3,000 will be making a huge improvement if they reach 6,000. Those intending to lose weight -- or maximize their health profiles -- will need 12K-15K or more.

[GayeC]

Originally posted by jane:
I had also read a very similar article in another magazine (although I can't remember which one) that said that 10,000 steps per day was a goal people should work towards.


CL had a similar article sometime in the past year or so. It referred to research done at the Cooper Institute in Dallas. Since reading it I have used a pedometer (sporadically) to monitor my level of activity throughout the day. I find that I can easily get to 10,000 steps if I add a 30 minute walk to my normal activities. Gaye

[SoCal]

Just received my 'Walking' magazine yesterday and browsed through the Make Every Step Count article. It reminded me of this thread so I had to get online and read it! I wanted to order the Eagle 170 pedometer that is on special but it wouldn't take me to the site http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif . I'll try again but aggie94, please post any feedback once you've received/used yours. TIA!

[This message has been edited by SoCal (edited 05-26-2001).]

[kwormann]

I have ordered mine thru the magazine and am anxiously waiting....

[Jen]

OK, I have a really dumb question (feel free to make fun of me if you want http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)...how does a pedometer work? I've never been able to figure that out. I'd love to get one, but haven't seen any cheaper ones where I live (Vancouver, BC). I looked at heart rate monitors the other day - something else I'd really like to get - and they seemed to start around $100!

[GayeC]

Originally posted by Jen:
OK, I have a really dumb question (feel free to make fun of me if you want http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)...how does a pedometer work? I've never been able to figure that out.

Not a dumb question. I believe that pedometers have a small weight in them (maybe on a small spring?) that moves when you move. Each movement (i.e. step) is recorded on a counter. So actually any vertical movement of your body (say, jumping rope) would be counted as steps.

[SoCal]

Just curious, has anyone received their pedometer yet (aggie94, Kim)?? Could you let me know what you think of it if you have?

TIA

[aggie94]

Nothing yet, and I'm extremely disappointed. I talked to a rep at Accusplit, and she said they had way underestimated the number of pedometers they would sell through Walking's article, so they were short-handed and back-ordered. Mine finally was shipped last Saturday, the 9th, priority-mail, but I still haven't gotten it yet and can't figure out why (it's only going from CA to OR). If I don't have it tomorrow, I'll call them again to see what's up.

Kim, any news on yours?

[SoCal]

Thanks for the update aggie94 but sorry for the backorder. Hope you get it soon!

[This message has been edited by SoCal (edited 06-14-2001).]

[aggie94]

Well, I finally got my pedometer, almost a month after I ordered it. It came in Saturday's mail, but I didn't check the mail until Sunday evening. Here's my progress so far:

Sunday: Put it on at around 6:00 in the evening, and DH & I went for one of my 45-minute walks together. That, plus what I did around the yard and the house that night, came to 6000+ steps. (I'm keeping a log, but it's at home and I'm at work).

Monday: Pretty good day! I didn't do any formal exercise, like kickboxing or going to the gym, because I came home exhausted from work, but I did have a PT appointment in the morning where he had me walk/jog on the treadmill for about 10 minutes. That, along with my normal daily routine, came to roughly 7500 steps. I'm thinking it would be easy to get 10,000 steps on days that I work out.

Tuesday: How sad am I???? Yesterday, I'm telling my friend that you would have to be lazying around on your butt all day to not make 6 or 7000 steps, but today, it's 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm only seeing 1400 steps on my pedometer. Yikes! Granted, I've been sitting at my desk/computer most of the day, but still. By this time yesterday, I had easily logged 3 or 4000. I'm hoping that I just didn't shut it all the way this morning when I put it on, but that might be wishful thinking!

So far, I'm really enjoying the pedometer! DH now wishes I had gotten him one too (I asked him if he wanted one when I was ordering mine, but he said he'd never use it). After reading the article, I was sure that I was easily getting 10,000 steps a day, but now I see that that's not true. I'm still working on my baseline steps this week, so I'm not changing anything from my daily routine yet, but next week, I'll start making modifications to try to up my steps, like taking the stairs at work. I'm anxious to see how I finish off the day, after my kickboxing class tonight. If I still don't make 10,000, that's when I'll start to worry!

[SoCal]

aggie94 - Thanks for the feedback! I just ordered one and must admit I wanted to hear what someone thought of it before I bought one http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif !! Thinking about what you said about how your Tuesday went, I can certainly see that there are going to be days like that for me especially when I don't get out for my walks! I sit at a computer at work 5 days a week and short of walking to the restroom, I don't get up much at all (also eat lunch at my desk). Plus it is not a very large office so it doesn't take many 'steps' to get to the copy machine or fax machine. Maybe I could pace around my tiny cubicle while talking on the phone http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif !! At least I'll be wearing a reminder which may convince me to walk to the store instead of driving. It is worth a shot and hey, it was only $18.00! Thanks again.

[Sara Emily]

I thought I'd just add a word of ENCOURAGEMENT for some of you who have just received your pedometers ... or who will SOON (WE HOPE! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif) be receiving them!

My DH and I have been keeping tallies on our daily steps for several weeks now, and average them out at the end of the week. We continually find ourselves SURPRISED at how MANY steps we took on certain days and how FEW on others, just going to show what POOR judges we are of our daily activity levels!

DH, who was finding it all too easy to be sedentary, has been doing SENSATIONALLY WELL since he has started this and, even on days when he does not FEEL at all like getting in a walk, finds it very motivating to do so now so that he does not have a "poor showing" at the end of the day! Before, he would have just excused himself from a walk; now, once he starts, he usually extends it further than he imagined and enjoys it more!

I am thoroughly enjoying mine as well and try to bear in mind that it's the weekly AVERAGE that I'm after. Every once in awhile, I have a "just can't do much today" kind of day, but I always make up for it, and I can continually set new goals for myself. Keeping track this way has been GREAT for our household .... and I wish the rest of you marvellous success also! DO let us hear what you think, how you are doing, and what SURPRISES you find along the way! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Susan]

I must add that after reading through this thread over several days, I dug out my pedometer that my dh bought me after baby #1 arrived. It's not the most high-tech gadget on the market but does the trick. I snapped it on mid-morning and went about my daily routine with two kiddos (toddler and 10 month old). It was a hot humid day outside so we skipped our daily outdoor jaunt. WOW - was I surprised at the number of steps I accrued...much less than I thought. I am not a subscriber to "Walking" but have purchased it now and again. I will have to get the June/July issue to read that article now. Thanks for this thread!

~~Susan~~