Give Your Steps a Reality Check

Ahh, fall. Gold and crimson hillsides, fresh, crisp air, and the delightful crunch of leaves underfoot. What better time to take a walk?

The average American only takes about 5,000 steps a day. That's not enough! For optimum health, you need at least 10,000 steps a day. To lose weight, you need to bump that up to 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day. But unless you're some kind of savant, you can't count those on your own. That's where a pedometer comes in.

Researchers say setting goals by your steps rather than by minutes is the best way to make sure you're getting enough exercise. A University of Tennessee study showed women who walked briskly for 30 minutes only averaged between 8,270 to 9,505 steps on those days. On the days they didn't exercise for 30 minutes walking, they took just 5,597 steps. So set your goals in steps tallied by a pedometer to make sure you're reaching your activity quota.

Remember, just because you feel like you’re on the run all the time, doesn't mean you're actually getting exercise. Most errands are done in cars. And a lot of work is done sitting in front of a computer. So more of us are considered sedentary than we’d like to admit. Here is some sobering information:

• Walking less than 5,000 steps a day is considered "sedentary."
   
• Walking 5,000 to 9,999 steps a day is considered "low to somewhat active."
   
• Walking 10,000 steps or more is "active."

No one wants to be labeled sedentary. So get moving. Clip on that pedometer from your Slimplicity® Weight Loss System kit and go!

5 Quick Step Promoters

1. Use pedometers to motivate you. Make it a game. Try to beat your past records. Or partner with family or friends to see who can take the most steps each day.
2. Park further away. You can add hundreds more steps that way.
3. Skip the elevator. Hike up the stairs and get a muscle workout at the same time.
4. Pace around while you’re on the phone.
5. Get creative in ways to add more steps. As you find more ways to sneak in more steps, it's almost addictive to watch the numbers on your pedometer increase! And larger numbers mean a smaller you!