1. Health

Improve Your Fitness Routine With a Pedometer

Help for effective walking

From , former About.com Guide

Updated June 14, 2004

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Walking is a great way to get some exercise and improve your fitness. Exercise can help you to lose weight, improve your circulation, mood and help you to sleep better. For the long term couch potato it is a wonderful way to get moving with little pain. It is inexpensive, easily done almost anywhere and low impact for those who cannot tolerate strenuous activity. To be effective as an exercise activity most experts recommend walking about 10,000 steps daily which equals about five miles.

As most walkers prefer to walk outdoors and close to home it can be difficult to gage the distances and steps you are actually walking. A pedometer that counts the number of steps you actually take can help you to built up to your walking goals. New walkers can use a pedometer to monitor their progress towards their goal of 10,000 steps daily.

When choosing a pedometer, look for a display monitor that you can read both indoors and outdoors. Pedometers cost $20 to $30 and are readily available in most fitness and department stores.

Make sure the pedometer is comfortable to wear and can be attached securely to your belt or waistband.

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