A pedometer is a battery-powered, pager-sized device worn on your belt that records and displays the number of steps you take based on your body's movement. Some pedometers are analog devices that simply count steps, others are fancier digital models that track the distance you walk and the calories you burn. All you really need is a simple step counter so you can monitor the number of steps you walk per day and track your improvement.

How many steps should I walk every day?

• Under 5,000 steps/day, you are not getting enough physical activity.
  
• 5,000 - 7,499 steps/day is "average" for most people but is not enough to provide all the health benefits of walking.
  
• 7,500 - 9,999 steps/day is moving in the right direction and would put you in the “somewhat active” category.
  
• 10,000 or more steps/day is a good target and puts you in the “active” category.
  
• More than 12,500 steps/day puts you in the "highly active" category and ensures you are attaining many heath benefits.

If you're not at the 10,000 step level, you should aim to add 2,000 to 3,000 steps to your day. That’s easier than you might think, it only takes five minutes to get in 500 steps!

If you don’t have a pedometer, make a commitment to walk a minimum of 30 minutes every day.