I like to keep my emphasis on exercise when discussing weight loss, and within that category, have chosen pedometer steps as a means of achieving healthy activity every day.
In itself this combination of mental commitment-keeping track of the pedometer steps-as well as physical doing of the exercise helps in two ways:
It normalizes activity.
It helps distract me from using eating as a hobby.
Depending on where someone starts i.e. their level of activity, it may take some time, but eventually using a pedometer all the time, becomes a way of structuring your day.
The major element in this weight loss approach is increased body movement throughout the day. The easiest way for most of us is to walk or do other similar activity.
Food becomes secondary-in both ways. Pedometer steps counting should be combined with a sensible calorie counting “diet”, gradual reduction of excesses such as full sugar sodas, and with a de-emphasis on eating in your day.
There are other methods of food reduction such as eating half the food on your plate and the Japanese recommendation to stop eating when 80% full, etc. Some more are mentioned here: Top 5 Healthiest Diets in America
When a goal of 10,000+ steps is actively pursued throughout the day by adding steps into your lifestyle whether at work or play, it means more time in activity and less time for thinking about or actually doing, eating.
In other words, an active person (which you are now) can only achieve the steps total required by walking (gardening, cleaning, dancing) most of the day. This is not dedicated walking which can achieve the target in a few hours but using the pedometer steps as a guideline of how to get more of the daily tasks done and get your body moving as well.
The gym or walking for exercise is also a great way to go. It can make the 10,000+ daily steps achievable in an otherwise sedentary lifestyle. It can rescue a day which has fallen behind on its steps total. It may be that it fits your lifestyle better- sometimes or all the time.
The key here is to control your diet during the times you have free for eating. The concentrated calorie burning can create more time for calorie consumption, and even a reward mentality. Spreading exercise over your total week offers its own rewards in increased achievement, more fun and a better fit with your lifestyle.
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As January ends the pedometer steps newbies are having differing issues which affect their abiities to keep on track. Not to say that there hasn’t been great success. One man has lost 4 kilos (8.8 lbs) and is ranging from 5,000 to 17,000 steps a day. The significant difference in those numbers relates to the vagaries of back to work behaviour.
Another pedometer steps starter has just found the delight that comes from having a ’special’ day, one where the normal range of 3,000 to 8,000 was unexpectedly broken with a landmark 11,000 step day!
These deserve celebration! The object of walking for weight loss is to make those significant days, where results peak over the 10,000 pedometer steps in one day, the norm.
Extras Tips:
Sometimes the pedometer will record extra steps if an activity is jerky. For instance, if you are dancing and moving your arms vigorously, this may make a double action which increases the steps recorded. Should you have a day where the steps seem out of proportion to the amount of exercise you did think back to what sort of activity may have made the difference. The reverse is also likely where substantial exercise is under reported by your pedometer.
Another benefit of keeping track of the daily pedometer steps total is to note the types and length of activity to give yourself an idea of what contributes most to the number of pedometer steps recorded.
You will learn that a 9,000 step day with a weights session is a lot better than a 9,000 step day without the weights class, etc.
If during non-working days of the paid variety you find it difficult to generate steps within the work day, you can add dedicated walks designed to get the pedometer steps up on those days e.g. before, after work or at lunch hour.
An alternative is to use the averaging process and track each day’s steps but look for an average of 10,000 plus. This might mean that for 5 days at work steps are slow, maybe around the 7,000 mark, but over the 2 day weekend with a hike or long walk, or extra activity just from household chores and a social life you are able to generate enough extra steps to make up for the poor week day showing.
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Just returned from a most refreshing break which featured pedometer steps quite a bit!
Whether new or not to using pedometer steps as a major walking for weight loss strategy there are always different hints and tips to try.
1. Should you have physical limitations such as neck or back injuries, use a pedometer to ascertain the amount of activity possible without aggravating sore parts. If weight loss is also a goal see if gradually increasing the pedometer steps with careful monitoring will let you stretch your exercise comfort level.
2. If your pedometer which has been working consistently starts behaving erratically- data fluctuating for no reason etc. try changing the battery.
3. Encourage others to ask you how your pedometer steps are going at various times during the day. You will be amazed at how this information will help you coordinate your activities to get the pedometer steps’ total you want for the day.
Technorati Tags: pedometer steps, walking, walking for weight loss, weight loss
On a road trip but still want to get those pedometer steps in? There are options you may not have considered before. Are you of the get there as fast as you can type? Look for a better way.
I am driving to a long distance destination and I want to put some pedometer steps in with the other aspects of driving and arriving safely. I took a short break without stopping long so I could arrive at the mid way point earlier- in time for an enjoyable walk around a park into the city center.
If walking at the end of the day was unlikely to be an option I would have gone for an early walk. Lots of activity in other ways may substitute for walking to lose weight. I find that walking in a new city means I understand a lot more about it than just driving.
Lots of other options exist if you look at pedometer steps seriously. When looking for a place to stay ask about the walking paths in the area and their destinations. Often it is possible to pick a better option just by asking the question. If others in your group aren’t aware of what you are looking for make the calls yourself.
Fill time outside of car sitting with action-generally your triip and holiday will be more fun because of the focus on enjoying yourself.
Technorati Tags: pedometer steps, walking to lose weight
