What You Need to Know Before Buying a Pedometer
By Matt Ream
Editor's Summary: A step counter or pedometer is one
of the least expensive and simplest methods of improving your fitness.
This article gives advice for selecting the perfect pedometer to
help you lose weight and get healthy.
Question: What's small, weighs about an ounce, and comes in dozens
of different models? Answer: a Pedometer.
Would you have guessed it had I mentioned this item can help you
lose weight, decrease your chance of diseases like hypertension,
diabetes, and heart disease, and improve your overall fitness? Using
a pedometer to count your steps is one of the cheapest and easiest
ways available to improve your health and fitness.
The tremendous variety of pedometers available today make it difficult
for people who want the health benefits of a pedometer to decide
which one is right for them. There are flip-down cases versus open-face
units. There are those that just count steps versus those that count
steps, distance, calories and time. Some pedometers come with lights,
radios, alarms, step filters, scanning, pacing, auto start/stop,
memory, voice, and on and on.
The most important thing to decide is what features you need. The
basics are steps, distance, calories, and time. If you're doing
a 10,000 step program or something similar, you will need to know
your steps. They are the foundation for all other calculations within
the pedometer.
If you are interested in knowing the distance you cover in your
walking or running, get a pedometer with a distance calculation
(in miles or kilometers, some have both). Make sure you can set
your stride length or your distance measurements will be inaccurate.
When walking or running, make sure you are actually taking steps
the length you entered into the pedometer.
A pedometer that measures calories burned is helpful in giving
you an idea of how much energy you have expended. If you are counting
calories, this can be a good way to see if you've earned that extra
doughnut or not. Again, make sure you can enter your weight to get
the most accurate calculation possible.
The time function comes in a variety of forms. Some pedometers
will show time of day, while some have a stopwatch or countdown
timer. There are units that will start and stop only when there
is movement, so you don't have to start and stop a stopwatch manually.
After features, another factor will be the physical properties
of the pedometer itself. What sort of case configuration will work
best for you? A flip-down case means the reset, and other, buttons
are protected, and you flip down the case to see your steps. An
open-faced pedometer is just that, open, and you have to look upside-down
at your numbers. Not bad when you are checking steps, but it can
be cumbersome if you are looking at a lot of data. Some pedometers
have a holster-style case where you can pull the unit off your hip
and look at it.
Consider where the pedometer is manufactured. There is general
agreement that the best units are made in Japan, with Taiwan a close
second. Pedometers made in China are generally believed to be less
accurate than Japanese or Taiwanese models.
Price is always a consideration as well. The law of “you get what
you pay for” works to a certain point, but is not the only guideline
you should follow. I've heard of a few people who thought their
free McDonald's or Kellogg's pedometers worked well, while most
of the feedback I've heard was negative. I've also seen very expensive
pedometers that just weren't worth the price.
It pays to shop around and find the pedometer that will work best
for you. Consider the features, the structure, and the country of
origin, then factor in the price. You will end up with a pedometer
that will give you motivation to keep moving throughout your life.
Download our FREE pedometer
ebook: 'Simple
Steps to Fitness: A Beginner's Guide to Pedometers'. It will
give you more information on choosing and using your pedometer.
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