Pedometer and Weight Loss

Pedometers, inexpensive devices that track how many steps you take in a day, can help motivate people to exercise. But combine that simple gadget with some social networking—Facebook, maybe, or even just an old-school coffee klatch—and you'll get an even bigger boost. A new study shows that the combo of wearing a pedometer, chronicling your daily steps in a diary, and sharing the results with friends in a walking group can help motivate you to walk more.

THE DETAILS: The study tracked 75 women enrolled in the "Fit for Life Steps" six-month community walking program. The women wore pedometers and recorded their progress in walking diaries, and then shared the results with fellow walkers. Researchers found that women who wrote about their progress in walking diaries and shared the results tended to walk even more than the other pedometer users.

WHAT IT MEANS: Spending about $30 (or even less) on a pedometer is one of the best investments you can make for your health, because as this and other studies show, it will get you moving. Pedometers serve as mini inspiration managers, reminding us when we're too stagnant. They also help you gauge your exercise level and track your progress. And study after study proves they really work.

Once you find a pedometer you're comfortable using, make sure you're using it right for top belly-blasting results.

 Wear it right. It's important to make sure you're wearing a pedometer correctly to ensure accurate results. To make sure it's counting your steps correctly, clip the pedometer so it's in line with your knee (that tiny pocket just below the waistband of your jeans is a perfect spot). If you've got a bit of a belly that you're in the process of burning off, check the pedometer's position frequently to make sure your tummy isn't pushing it out of place. (If you keep walking several times a week in half-hour spurts, that midriff jiggle will be gone before you know it.)

To make sure the device is working properly, walk two dozen steps and then check the reading. If the count is off, readjust the position so your pedometer is upright.

Hit the right pace. A 2004 National Institutes of Health study found that adults in their 70s who walked about a quarter of a mile in five minutes were 30 percent less likely to die in the next five years, when compared to walkers who took six minutes to walk the same distance. Here's how to boost your pace, with or without a pedometer:

1. When you go for a walk, shoot for at least 3,000 steps within 30 minutes, or 1,000 in 10-minute timeframe.
2. Aim to hit 100 steps or more in a minute when exercising, and try to hold the pace.
3. If you're walking laps, try to walk a mile in 20 minutes. That's four laps on most outdoor tracks.

Aim for 10,000. If you shoot for 10,000 steps in a day, you'll be on target to hit the Surgeon General's recommendation to 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. Those steps include the incidental walking you do throughout the day, as well as any deliberate exercise. For even more beneficial calorie burning, walk even faster or up a slight incline.

if need any further information, please feel free to contact ken by ken@blesson.com.hk

Tags: pedometer, weight loss, pedometer for weight loss