Most pedometers are relatively easy to use and maintain. Once you’ve chosen the one that suits you best, you can get started:
- Clip your pedometer onto your waistband or belt.
- Ensure that the pedometer is snug on your hip and lined up above your kneecap. Make sure it’s in an upright position or it won’t record your steps properly.
- Set the counter to zero and walk 20 steps, then check the display to ensure the pedometer accurately records the number of steps.
- Change the battery as soon as you notice the digital display fading.
- Treat your pedometer with care. Shaking it will alter the step count and dropping it could break the crystal inside.
Sample program:
- Week 1 - Wear your pedometer for a week without changing your normal routine. Log your steps daily in a notebook, or use the dynamic Step Tracker on this website. At the end of the week you will be able to see how many steps you take in the course of a week.
- Weeks 2-3 - Take the highest step count from Week One and make that your daily goal for the next two weeks. For example, if your steps varied from 3,500 to 5,000 per day in the first week, make your daily goal 5,000 steps for Weeks Two and Three.
- Weeks 4-5 - It is now time to increase your daily steps. Start with a 500-step increase per day in Week Four and increase that another 500 by Week Five.
- Week 6 and on - Continue to increase your daily steps on a weekly basis at a pace that’s comfortable for you until you reach the ultimate goal of 10,000 steps a day. Working up to a 10,000 step program slowly will help you avoid injury.
- Add flexibility exercises at least four days a week and muscle and bone strengthening activities two to four days a week.
Once you've reached your 10,000 step goal, maintaining it could be the biggest challenge of all. But now you’re up for it, so try and maintain your goal for six months and that should ensure that it’s part of your healthier lifestyle.
Aim to maintain for a healthier you!
