Ever had that feeling of being in control of something, like your pedometer steps, and then ‘life’ gets in the way? Say you normally go to the gym at 6.30 am as its the only time you can fit it in. Something happens, or you just can’t get yourself out of bed, and you miss it. That’s it for that day. which is OK because it is normal to have a few mishaps which affect your schedule, unless you fall into that downward spiral where it can seem bigger than it is.
This is where a commitment to exercise can add to the pressure and keep us focused. Independence is great because the only one who can get you exercising the rest of your life is you but an independent person chooses the companions and systems which most help him or her to succeed.
When you participate in a group event that is put together with compatible goals in mind, there is an energy and synergy which can lift you over hurdles and remind you of the bright side of what you are doing. Far better than needing to persuade a loved one!
Walking every day is fabulous. It is something I really look forward to, and gives me a buzz, when I get the combination right. When I do it just enough to reach my goal pedometer steps, it acts as a catalyst then I am motivated and energized to do other things that day!
Your exercise program should add to your overall activity not be a substitute for it. For women with busy family commitments, the tiredness from starting a new exercise program, often becomes an excuse for not participating. The activity based 10000 steps a day weight loss program excels in this instance providing a format for individual needs to be met.
Pedometer steps counting is an exercise tool which perfectly suits men by taking the focus off weight loss, or health issues, and onto increasing the number of steps walked over time. This challenges and stimulates their competitive nature in a good way.
There is a freedom when joining a group especially designed to help reach a shared goal. Structure enough to achieve, freedom to meet your own schedule-
Pedals & Pedometer Steps
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A quick walk around the block early in the morning is a great way to start the day and get your pedometer steps off and running. It should wake up your mind and body which is what we all need for a fun filled and refreshing day. Often inspiration will hit, as the peace and isolation of early mornings allows lots of clear thinking.This is also a great way to plan for pedometer steps later in the day. Perhaps a walk to the coffee shop or lunch place, pick up the kids, to the bank and to pick up the newspaper.
Just as a long drive to work can be an advantage- use this time to transition from home to work, partition home and family problems in a “later” file, review your mental ‘to do’ list for today’s duties- so a walk before work or other commitments which will benefit from forethought (and what doesn’t?) can do the same. The walk can act as a switch, alerting your brain that you are now seriously intending to get busy.
In the past it may have been that first cup of coffee or tea, a ciggie, reading the newspaper, etc. These are all transition rituals which allow your brain to switch from one mode of response to another. Now that you are a pedometer steps person it can be a short starter walk.
This doesn’t mean giving up pleasurable habits unless they get in the way of your well being. It is better to have a number of positive triggers which allow you easy phasing into and out of particular mind modes which best suit different tasks. For instance if today is to be a hands on creative day then relaxing, preparing my right brain for success helps me be ready straight away. This saves time.
Walking can be one of these positive triggers for you. It has additional advantages by adding to your pedometer steps count.
In these small walks much time can be saved by combining tasks.
Enjoy the challenge of finding the way to walk 10,000 steps and achieve more than ever in any one day, every day.
A new life awaits,
Pedals & Pedometer Steps
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Today I want to go over the importance of pedometer steps in my life. It could be important for you too.
This is what happens for me by using the 10,000+ pedometer steps a day exercise strategy:
1. First thing in the morning upon waking I see the pedometer on the bedside table and as soon as I am dressed I put it on. This ensures I am aware that during today I want to achieve at least 10,000 steps.
2. I quickly review my options for adding walking into the day’s program.
3.I know that if I keep an eye on my pedometer steps tally at regular intervals I can make decisions easily which are better than I might otherwise make.
4. I do have options during most days which I sometimes don’t see. I always do such and such at lunch or a friend likes to do X and I do it with her. Today though that friend might have an errand to run, say pick up the dry cleaning and I say I’ll meet her there, and I will walk.
5. Dead time becomes your friend- waiting drives most of us crazy but many times I can substitute waiting with walking time. Say I’m at the doctors and he’s running late-I tell the nurse that I’ll be outside walking (within earshot) and to give me a holler when it’s time.
Pedometer walking has some advantages over adding distinct walking periods say 30 minutes once a day. Doing 10,000 steps is probably about 5 miles walking on average. Your 30 minute walk is say 2.5 miles. What are you doing for the rest of the day? For many of us adding the 30 minutes initially is a great boost for weight loss and fitness but if you compensate by less activity at other times or, as is normal, your body adjusts to the exercise, then before long you’re not doing enough for weight loss or fitness.
Once your body adjusts to 10,000+ steps daily (on average) this activity level burns enough calories to balance normal eating and therefore maintain weight. Prior to this modified eating levels i.e. removing obvious high calorie foods or drinks and limiting calories consumed in a day, means less calories consumed (eaten) than expended (exercise) and weight is lost.
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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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I’ve been talking and reviewing the progress of some pedometer step counter users-lucky newbies who received pedometers as gifts for Christmas. If your friends and loved ones have given up waiting for you to make the decision to walk for your well being (in some way-there are so many benefits from regular walking it could be for health, weight loss, fun, stress relief, etc) and given you a pedometer then this post may have some relevance for your pedometer steps progress.
Firstly, which pedometer steps category do you come into?
It does often seem to be gender related so this is not intended to disparage one approach over the other- both work brilliantly so choose the attitude which is most likely to benefit you:
1. You want it to be simple and effective, not a certificate course in fitness by pedometer.
2. You love gizmos and technical jargon. The challenge in assessing and achieving goals is a highlight of your walking experience. You could be male!
Look at which category most resembles your attitude over the last few days. Obviously it can be a combination and over time a category 1 can move into category 2 for instance but to start it is best to get to know yourself and how you like to walk, or work, as there are going to be a lot of similarities.
Keep It Simple
Pedometer steps is a very simple approach to walking for weight loss. It is generally based on the 10,000 step concept which alleges that the average person will lose weight if they consistently walk for 10,000 steps a day.
Setting up your step counter usually requires putting in your stride length if a distance estimate is wanted, but otherwise it is plug and play.
The important early tasks are:
remembering to put it on at the same time every day e.g. after your shower and dressing in the morning or when you get up if you are immediately active.
recording your daily steps over a few days, preferably a week, and average them.
set a new pedometer steps target for next week of, say, 500 more steps. E.g. This week you averaged 5600 steps in a week which combined very active days with very slow activity periods. For next week you set a target of 6,100 average pedometer steps. Next week you may find that this is easy to achieve and can reset the target by another 500 steps; if the target seems a struggle it may be the first week was unusual for you, or this week is unusual. Calculate this week’s average results and reset the target by adding 500 pedometer steps.
The Pedometer Challenge
Your pedometer probably has more choices for information retrieval, and requires a bit of setting up, such as calculating your stride and then you may want to assess the accuracy of the distances recorded etc. Stride length does change depending upon the ground, route etc.
The pedometer steps format may be applied successfully here as well. You can use the technology to find distance and calories burned, best routes etc. Recording the information in a personal journal, online forum or between competitors/friends adds a desirable element or incentive for many people.
Either way you are at the beginning and there is much more to enjoying the pedometer steps process whatever your goals. Make using a pedometer, and walking for weight loss, a highlight of 2010!
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