This month my exercise is running using the Start Walking Get Running Lose Weight program. I’m advising you as I go what I think of this program for an ongoing way to even out the life stage effects on our bodies and in particular our weight.
This post today will give you my background relative to the author’s of the program.
David Tiefenthaler in Start Walking Get Running Lose Weight describes his own and his wife’s history of running and his decision to make a program that would work for him, essentially someone who once ran, still in his mind was able to run easily with just a little practice only to find that not to be the case and that he required a complete program to take him from the start.
The start for most people is not running even in the past and walking or even counting pedometer steps can be a mental as well as physical, trial. I’ve written extensively on why pedometer steps’ counting is a great walking for weight loss tactic particularly for anyone who is recovering from illness and inactivity.
My history includes a period over several years of almost complete inactivity. I know how low those pedometer steps can go when you do not function normally on a daily basis.
I have become an avid walker over the last few years not only for weight loss but also for health and wellness. With the extensive inaction I wasn’t always overweight yet I was weak and unable to fully function. Using the pedometer steps’ method I was not only able to get an idea of what was necessary for weight loss but also what ‘average’ and ‘active’ categories meant. This gave me a better understanding of the benefits associated with different levels of daily activity associated just with living as well as the associated benefits of exercising for health or weight loss.
For me then Start Walking Get Running Lose Weight is about making an exciting new step on my way to a lifestyle that supports my ideal weight and health. Even considering running is a major change of expectation on my behalf. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is a good way to tell if your changes are real. This is not a spontaneous decision but one that developed over a period of a few days. I realized I was still on the automatic ‘I do not run’ mindset. It has become a rite of passage for me now to be taking this on.
So far I have concentrated on preparing. I’m already walking, I’m looking at the ‘get running’ part. I just started with Wii jogging on Mondays. I’ve now added some strength and conditioning exercises to prepare my body for the unusual use of my muscles. I’m strictly adhering to the calorie equation and reducing calories while intensifying my exercise as running burns more calories than walking, in particular as an addition to normal daily activity.
Once I have created a base of core muscle strength I can and will increase the intensity of my running exercise.
Walking and counting pedometer steps is the new wave of lifestyle management for busy overweight people. Tip 1 at the end of this post will start you on your way. Return to this blog for regular tips to help sustain this process.
Too much to do and too much on your mind? Neglecting your diet and exercise needs is by far the easiest strategy and the one you have applied for most of your adult life. Perhaps you keep yourself going by eating favorite foods?
While those counting pedometer steps includes all sorts of people there is a special attraction for the mature and long under-exercised, struggling in some way to live that wonderful life they once dreamed about. It may be that there is a higher force such as a doctor or spouse directing the decision but on the whole this program worked because, your commitment to change over rode the past.
This means being willing to give up those past lifestyle choices that seemed indisputably the ‘best’ or the only possible ways of doing things.
There ’s a clear path for living an active fulfilling life. Pedometer steps counting becomes an established habit in your life, encourages you to take up active options during every day, rewards you with a success mentality when you achieve the targets, and increases your fitness and weight loss.
It is a path because depending upon where you start as in the regular exercise you do and the diet you eat daily, will be the speed of both your walking and your trimming and weight drop.
The series of small successes such as achieving your daily pedometers steps’ target helps with the motivation you need to keep on the program.
Tip 1:
Look for the greatest personal character traits which have supported you in your most successful moments in your life.
For instance, if one of those is the birth of your child, transfer the best aspects to your own re-birth as an active vital person. Pregnancy was required before that baby arrived. Some sail through these 40 weeks and some don’t. Either way it is necessary. Then the work really started but it was a love process.
The positive expectation you felt looking forward to the birth of your child is needed for this activity and pedometer steps process that leads to a fabulous lifestyle.
Pedals & Pedometer Steps is an advocate of the new wave of greater expectations for a better life based on activity and weight loss. We will continue featuring the techniques, tools and systems which enable most of us to find ‘more’ in our lives!
Pedals & Pedometer Steps has lots of ideas for making pedometer steps a regular part of a health conscious and active life. The level of activity will depend a lot upon your expectations and the time available in your life.
We talk often about the necessity to include walking and other regular types of activity into your day. Blend it and your other commitments into your lifestyle so the easier it is to meet your goals as a whole, the more likely it is that ongoing weight loss and well being will be achieved.
This can take some persistence. Pedometer steps counting is not every one’s favorite topic. Do yourself a favor and don’t make others who aren’t interested endure your enthusiastic monitoring of steps and activity. Just don’t talk about it unless they are also doing it or like to encourage and support you with increasing your pedometer steps.
As walking or activity based weight loss or management is an ongoing and vital part of your life strategy it has to be as important as other well being tactics. If this is not a shared interest with other family members or loved ones, simply don’t share it with them! It doesn’t need to be intrusive in that sense. There are other ways for you to talk, blog, forum, tweet about your walking and weight loss experiences.
Volunteering is one way of bringing activity and walking into your life without forcing it on your family and friends.
Initially when walking and counting pedometer steps becomes a focus for you it is often attractive to other people, friends or acquaintances. Spontaneous suggestions for joint walks or outings are made with the idea that both or several people can enjoy walking with you. As with many things in life one person’s walk is not always the same as another person’s idea of a walk.
A friend had the embarrassment of watching a new female neighbor struggling to keep up with the friend’s fast walking husband as he took off for an extended walk, much longer than the woman had expected. It was a good lesson because his ‘walking’ routine has become a shared joke, and the neighbor was discouraged without offense from wanting to join the man on his daily walks.
One way to find companionship or interest while counting pedometer steps can be to become a volunteer for events which need walking related tasks performed. Often walking events themselves can need volunteers to walk between checkpoints or be of general assistance and this activity of course registers on the pedometer. Prior to the event leaflet distribution around relevant neighborhoods can be required and obviously this can be a fun walking opportunity.
This sort of activity-related volunteering requires some ‘out of the box’ thinking if you have only thought of volunteer work as helping the infirm or baby sitting. On the other hand some types of traditional volunteer work can involve action. How many pedometer steps would register for an action packed fete or other fund raiser? Instead of cooking get involved with selling tickets or setting up. Part of your weight problem may be that your normal choices in these situations add to your problem not your solution!
I was very excited to hear that the Gruve was developed with the help of the Mayo clinic. Reviews of differing programs and weight loss systems are everywhere. Readers of Pedals & Pedometer Steps blog will know I am always looking for an activity based lifestyle program for those who want a full and satisfying (long lived) life.
I”m a fan of the pedometer steps system because it is so versatile and is a lifestyle rather than an exercise program.
When this system is practiced the individual’s targets become independent of the accepted 10000+ pedometer steps daily for weight loss, and can alter according to the weight loss or well being status of each person.
Another aspect that appeals aboutGruveis that the depth of the system is attractive for use beyond the required weight loss itself.
Again, regular readers will know that I consider an essential part of permanent weight loss is the continuation of a modified form of the lifestyle (and exercise or pedometer steps counting) which achieved the weight loss.
Pedometer steps activity is a natural as it is easily integrated into most lifestyles.
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.
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!
Pedometer steps is one solution which combines every important element for weight loss by the average person.
Pedometer steps counting as a way of life has many advantages for the normally inactive person deciding to under take a weight loss regimen of exercise and reduced eating. Most people reading this will have done similar weight loss activities before and wondered at their lack of success. For an average person without a professional interest in exercise or calorie counting the overall one solution idea is very appealing.
Why do I propose counting pedometer steps as the one to go for? I’m assuming that I don’t have to convince you that walking is a primary means of exercising for most people. That walking for weight loss fits into many lifestyles, and normally is effective. Within the variety of means to add walking for weight loss, following pedometer steps targets, is one which enhances many peoples lives, and is particularly effective for men, although also suiting women as well.
Intense focus has a laser like effect on activity and weight loss. The advantage of pedometer steps is that focus. For the average person increased walking accelerates weight loss from dieting and intense walking activity can induce weight loss with only moderate food control.
By continually and routinely increasing your pedometer steps done daily, weight loss is a natural result when the walker has been inactive.
Pedometer steps monitoring is easy to treat as normal- the pedometer fits neatly into daily life and is a ‘target’ keeper. I use it in a similar way to using my wrist watch- checking the time to mentally ascertain my progress and any problems in meeting my plan for the day. Using my watch this way is so automatic that I am not conscious of the time checking. Only the absence of the watch for some reason makes me realise that I normally look at it frequently. Once this method has been chosen it becomes automatic to chase your pedometer target. The challenge is important and then the achievement of the step goals and subsequent increase of pedometer steps target, follows along.
Always start from where you are. The point of this process is to use the pedometer to assess your normal daily walking and then increase the target number of steps sufficiently for ongoing weight loss.
The over enthusiastic weight loss “innocent” can over do the initial efforts and strain or overbalance the normal routines of his life. When this happens and other important areas of life are affected the conclusion can be to throw the baby out with the bathwater. So drastically reducing calories can lead to emotional issues such as anger or depression. Over doing exercise can result in tiredness and injury. A conclusion that weight loss ‘is not worth it’ may result and yet is unfounded. If getting up to full speed was instantaneous then no one would be over weight! A measured effort becomes most people.
Are you hesitating about getting a pedometer? I’ve talked to lots of people who do. In a busy schedule it’s just one more thing to organise and although it sounds attractive to burn calories walking and come away with everything in the wardrobe looking better, just by strapping on a little machine and counting pedometer steps, you’re sure it would take “more” for weight loss. And it does. Strapping it on is the start, and a great one, but the overall process, for the big payoffs, is long term.
Maybe you are mixed up about the weight loss requirements-how much is it about what I eat and how much about movement?
In all liklihood you are lying to yourself (if you are overweight) about both!
From personal experience and from watching others, I know how easy it is to over estimate the amount of walking we do in an average day, and how much high calorie food we eat. The only way to know is to count pedometer steps and keep a food journal.
The 10,000 pedometer steps daily idea is the perfect process for couch potatoes. Come to grips with how little you move normally by measuring steps through wearing a pedometer and then increase the number and burn calories walking.
One thing is certain -it is amazing how quickly those pedometer steps mount up when you start consciously walking for weight loss.
The biggest surprise for most sedentary people is how little activity is part of their normal life. Guessing tends to create a false impression of your activity level. It’s usually just plain wrong. Once you’ve got a real feel for how many pedometer steps you do daily, you’ll understand why you are overweight.
Then there is the issue of eating as if you are an active person!
It’s simple-don’t!
Unless you are.
Here’s one tip which helps in this area: take advantage of the salad dressing sprays to control the amount of dressing you use. One spray of Praise French Spritz equals less than one calorie.
As with using a pedometer, there are many ways to reduce calories without losing the enjoyment of eating. Another tip: food tastes the absolute best when you are hungry!
The average person has been determined to do around 5,000 to 6,000 steps daily. This varies greatly depending upon the individual. Those who are mainly sedentary could easily do less than 3,000. More active lifestyles could be anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000. Walking to lose weight using pedometer steps requires a daily minimum of 10,000 steps as a general guideline. Often up to 15,000 pedometer steps are suggested as a desirable target for weight loss but I like to record my steps daily and average 10,000 steps each over 7 days. This enables me to add higher calorie burning to my walking when combined with weights, cycling, interval training on the treadmill, some of which only indirectly registers on a pedometer. Calorie burning can be monitored with some pedometers but as gender, weight, height and metabolism affect this result it may be less than accurate.
It also helps in business where exercise and timetables need to be flexible. You can plan around the gym or other set program but it doesn’t matter if you miss because pedometer steps are under your control. Add in extra steps easily with a walk at lunchtime if you didn’t make it to the gym earlier.
The first requirement is to find out how many steps you do in any normal day. Increase this by 20 percent as a first target until you reach 10,000 pedometer steps daily or a level where weight loss occurs. Walking for weight loss with pedometer steps is easy!
It is far and away the easiest method for keeping on track when monitoring progress. More importantly it doesn’t give confusing information as weight scales can do when used daily. Scales, instead of offering encouragement, frequently disappoint because of various issues around muscle development, fluid retention and time of day, whereas the pedometer steps tracking system tells me exactly how much activity I have performed this day. This means that when at work, or shopping, I am aware of my physical movements and focusing on the desired target of weight loss.
Start Walking, Get Running, and Lose Weightis filled with common sense strategies for managing the food you eat and simple but very effective exercise plans that ease you into shape.
A Proven Walking or Running Plan For All Ages and Experience Levels...
