As we said earlier, a pedometer is a small, simple, inexpensive device that counts your steps. In fact, you can purchase a basic pedometer for less than $10. They are also very small devices, which can be worn throughout the day without being obtrusive. In fact, considering all the beepers and cell phones I’ve seen hanging from people’s waistbands, a pedometer might go completely unnoticed, even if you’re dressed for a business meeting. You might motivate others in your workplace to start walking with a pedometer.

Most pedometers today are electronic. A pedometer has an internal, horizontal spring-suspended lever arm (pendulum) that moves up and down with normal walking movements. With each movement, an electrical circuit closes and a “step” or electrical event is recorded. Thus, when the foot hits the ground, it produces an impulse that transfers to the pedometer case.

You can wear a pedometer in a variety of places. Recommendations for the most accurate readings are usually to wear the pedometer clipped to the waistband or belt, over the center of the leg (above the midline of the thigh); and, for standardized purposes, it is suggested that you always wear the pedometer over your dominant foot (i.e., typically the right foot for those who are right-handed and the left foot for those who are left handed).

It is important that the pedometer remain snug to keep it from bouncing around and recording non-step movements, some experts even suggest adding an extra safety “leash” or string fastened to the pedometer’s waist clip and pinned to or looped through a belt loop to keep it in place and prevent it from falling off or going down a toilet. The pedometer needs to be worn as close to the hip bone as possible for the most accurate results. It must also remain vertical for accurate readings. If the stomach protrudes and causes the pedometer to angle, it is best to wear the pedometer slightly below the waist.

The Mechanics of Motivation: How a Pedometer Works to Motivate Physical Activity

A pedometer has the potential to “increase awareness and amount of physical activity. How can such a simple, lightweight, unobtrusive device motivate? A pedometer can work as a motivator because it acts as a:

• Tracking device – A pedometer continuously collects current activity (steps taken and other variables it is set to collect).

• Feedback tool – A pedometer gives immediate feedback (information) about how many steps have been taken that day (and sometimes other variables are calculated depending on the pedometer model and settings). “This feedback can increase self-efficacy (personal confidence) and may increase motivation to achieve a certain number of steps per day.”

• Coaching and self-monitoring tool – A pedometer can also be used as a coaching and self-monitoring tool to help people set goals. In addition to self-monitoring, a process of progressive goal-setting, reflection, and refinement can be a helpful strategy to put into place to help incrementally increase and sustain habitual physical activity.

• Behavioral modification tool – A pedometer paired with a log book or other record-keeping diary can also act as a behavioral modification tool by allowing a person to document change and recognize progress in their activity levels.

• Environmental cue – A pedometer acts as an environmental cue or reminder to be active.

How Many Steps to Health? How Do I Know if I’m Walking Enough?

So, we know that “public health recommendations suggest that everyone should accumulate 30–60 minutes or more of moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, on a daily basis.” But how do we know if we are walking enough? Of course, one way is to plan structured 30–60 minute walks; the focus being on getting these walks in on most, if not all, days of the week. We also know, however, that there are health benefits to accumulated bouts of activity, so a more flexible approach is to accrue walking throughout the day. “The most effective way of ensuring adequate activity following this recommendation is to monitor your daily behavior using a pedometer.”

But, how many steps should we be taking to gain health benefits? “We are now becoming acquainted with how many steps different groups of people typically take.”

• Children typically take 10,500–16,000 steps per day (lower for girls than boys).
• Healthy younger adults take about 7,000–13,000 steps per day (lower for women than men).
• Healthy older adults typically taker 6,000–8,500 steps per day.
• Persons living with chronic illnesses or with disabilities typically take 3,500–5,500 steps per day.

Are these number of steps sufficient for positive health outcomes? The number of steps we expect any group to typically accumulate in a day should not be misinterpreted as recommendations for appropriate activity levels. In fact, for the most part, experts believe accumulated steps per day should be higher for optimal health.

You may have seen media campaigns promoting a universal 10,000 steps per day goal. While 10,000 steps is an excellent goal for healthy adults, it is too low for children and too high for sedentary individuals or those with chronic disease or disability who take between 3,500-5,500 steps per day—setting up a high risk situation for failure and attrition among these groups. The 10,000 steps/day challenge actually originated from a Japanese marketing phrase “manpo-kei,” which means 10,000 step meters, and was meant as a simple way to get people moving. Taking 10,000 steps per day equals about 5 miles (2,000 steps per mile). Many Americans today take only 3,200–5,000 steps per day. Thus, rather than establishing one universal goal for everyone, try setting short term goals to increase your number of steps each day or week...with the idea to ultimately reach a long term goal, such as 10,000-15,000 steps per /day.

Setting Goals: Making Your Goals Attainable and Sustainable

A good way to make a step goal for yourself is to establish your personal baseline, then try to set goals to progressively increase your number of steps. This process will give you a target that you can attain, sustain, and ultimately build upon.

To establish a baseline, you need to find out how many steps you currently take. Depending on your walking speed, most people take about 1,000 steps in 10 minutes. To personalize this, purchase a pedometer and walk for 10 minutes while wearing it. Look at the number of steps recorded and multiply that number by 3 to determine how many steps you take in 30 minutes, or multiply by 6 to determine how many steps you take in 60 minutes. Knowing these numbers of steps can help you determine how much you might want to increase your daily walking.

Another way to establish your baseline is to wear your pedometer for a full week without altering your usual activity. This is important so that you can get a real baseline that you can later work on increasing. During this week, wear your pedometer from the moment you wake until you go to bed (except when immersed in water). At night, remove the pedometer and record the number of steps you’ve taken in a log book or notebook. Take special note of what you do differently on days when your steps per day are highest and lowest. For example, days when you go shopping, take your child to the park, or participate in a museum tour are higher than those when you stay at home, have long meetings, or travel long distances by car. This information will be useful when trying to work extra steps into your daily routine. Note, also, if you did any formal exercise, for example a 20-minute treadmill walk.

Once you have your steps per day baseline for the week, set a goal to try to boost your average daily steps by 20%. To do this:

• Add the total steps taken in one week
• Divide the total by seven
• Multiply that number by 1.2, which will give you your new target/goal for daily steps.

Here’s an example:

Jen averaged 21,000 steps/week.
Dividing by 7, she found she walks an average of 3,000 steps/day. Multiplying 3,000 times 1.2, Jen knows she needs to work toward walking 3,600 steps/day in week two to reach her goal. Once Jen is comfortable with her new goal, she can boost it by 20% again. If, 20% is too much, she can try a 10% boost (multiplying the average daily steps by 1.1 instead of 1.2).

For some people, they find that in just 3 weeks, 10,000 steps is actually attainable or even surpassed by boosting their daily steps by 20% per week. Others may find it takes several more weeks of boosting by 10–20% to reach their long-term goals and create a habit of taking more steps-per-day.

Your ultimate long-term step goals and the way you choose to reach them is up to you. Here are a few suggestions that may help work more steps into your day:

• take the stairs instead of the elevator
• pace back and forth while waiting on the bus or subway
• get off the train or bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way to your destination
• walk at lunch
• ask colleagues to meet and walk, rather than sit in the board room
• take your dog for a walk
• park in the furthest spot at the shopping center or grocery store and walk
• establish a family walk after dinner to discuss the day or while working on math drills with your kids
• get social support—invest in a pedometer for your spouse, kids, and/or friends or show them yours to get them interested; work toward your goals together; call a friend to go walking or to ask them how their walk is going
• get a new view, take the steps to the top of the bleachers at your next sporting event
• keep a record/log book to increase your motivation—it makes you more accountable, builds awareness, and helps track your progress over time.

Though some of these ideas may seem to produce relatively few steps, the more you practice these behaviors the more steps will add up. You will soon find that you won’t need your pedometer to tell you how you’re doing. For example, you will know that if you get off the train a stop early and walk at lunch you can meet your goal. At that point you may want to just use your pedometer when you need a step check or to keep you motivated to do more by being able to log your steps per day.

Long Term Goals: What the experts say

When trying to establish long-term goals, consider this:

• The 2001–2002 President’s Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Award Program recommends children accumulate 11,000 steps per day at least 5 days a week for a standard healthy base.

• One study reported individuals who take >9,000 steps per day are more frequently classified as normal weight; those who take <5,000 steps/day are more frequently classified as obese.

• Some experts suggest that at least 15,000 steps per day are necessary to achieve weight loss goals.

Others provide the following step per day guidelines:

• For long-term health and reduced chronic disease: 10,000 steps per day

• For successful, sustained weight loss: 12,000–15,000 steps per day

• To build aerobic fitness: make 3,000 or more of your steps per day fast.

Though more research is needed to confirm these findings and guidelines, knowing this information may give you motivation and a place to start in setting your own long-term goals to achieve.

BACK