My Pedometer; My Walking Partner

We have been talking about walking, and I know that walking and counting steps is really inconvenient (I have tried). So I thank God for the chaps and ladies who invented the pedometer.

A pedometer counts your steps by sensing your movement -I find it really handy when walking; freeing me up to really enjoy my walk, look at trees, listen to music… simply not being bugged by how many steps I am taking.

I bought my first pedometer about 3 years ago; it was a waste of money. It was really fragile and annoyingly difficult and complicated to use. Suffice it to say I learnt what I wanted in a pedometer. Advertised bells and whistles do not mean the pedometer will be efficient.

So, when buying your walking partner, what do you look for?

By far the most important feature is the simple steps counter – this counts steps you have taken in the course of your walk. I find those that calculate steps per minute really redundant (for me) – as I want to see the actually tally per time.

An inbuilt clock and alarm system is a handy tool in your pedometer. I find it handy on weekend walks when I tend to wander off. I don’t wear a watch, so to know the time I just look down at my waist (where my Pedometer is strapped) and I know. For the alarm, this is what wakes me up reminding me to get my big behind off my bed and work out! Comes in handy especially when I am away from home and don’t have access to my regular alarm clock.

This is actually where I stop. As long as the pedometer has these two systems and they are easy to use and access I AM FINE. I am not an overly technologically savvy, and like to keep it simple.

However, there are other things a nifty pedometer could do for you. It’s all a matter of what you want and how much you are willing to spend. Some pedometers can:

·       Calculate body fat

·       Calculate distance walked (in your specified matric – miles or kilometers)

·       Sync with computers to allow users upload and track progress

·       Calculate your heart rate while you are on the move.

·       Double as a stop watch, if you want to time your walks/runs

I personally don’t think you need to break the bank to get an excellent and durable walking partner; if you have a plan on what you want from your walks as well as what you need/want to track I am sure you will not end up like me spending tons of money for something I ended up chucking away.

And while we are on the subject, allow me share (again) the amazing infographic (smile) on steps…

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