Couch Potato Alert: The September issue of the Harvard Health Letter says that wearing a pedometer might be one of the least expensive and most effective ways to get you off the couch. Oh, yes, one more thing: you need a goal. A common goal is 10,000 steps a day, which equals about five miles, depending on the length of your stride.
What can wearing a pedometer do for you? A summary of 26 different studies showed that pedometer users walked at least 2,000 more steps each day than nonusers, and using a pedometer helped them increase their overall physical activity levels by 27%.
The Harvard Health Letter notes some things to keep in mind when using or buying a pedometer:
Have a step-count goal (10,000 a day is a good goal).
Walk at a fairly brisk pace of 3 mph to get the health benefits of walking.
You can buy a good pedometer for $25. However, the piezoelectric models that “work at any angle” cost more but may be more accurate and easier to use.