The pedometer is an inexpensive gadget, which attaches to a belt loop and tallies the number of steps you take, may be all the motivation you need to become more active.

In a study at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, 510 volunteers were asked to try to take at least 10,000 steps daily (about five miles) while wearing pedometers. After eight weeks, 56 percent of the subjects said they had more energy, 42 percent felt they had more stamina, and 49 percent reported they'd lost weight. "Wearing a pedometer makes you aware of how much you're moving or not moving, "explains epidemiologist Brenda Rooney, coordinator of the study.

To get the most benefits, wear a pedometer for a few days to find out how many steps you average a day, then add 2,000 to that number to calculate your daily target. Add another 2,000 steps to that target every week until you reach 10,000 or more

 

Excerpt from Redbookmag.com 2001