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Why Use a Pedometer?
10,000 Steps promotes the use of a step counting pedometer as a means to both track and increase your levels of health related physical activity. The pedometer is a small instrument that can accurately, but not perfectly count your steps. It clips to your pants or skirt and can be reset to zero each morning in an effort to track the amount of self-propulsion you do throughout the day.
Although the project promotes the idea of 10,000 steps in a day, the truth of the matter is that the ideal number of steps is based on your current activity levels and your overall health and fitness goals.
There is no magic to 10,000 steps. For people who normally do substantially fewer steps almost any increase in daily activity will pay off in the long term. For example if someone is doing only about 3,000 steps a day, an increase to 6 or 7,000 daily steps would result in long term health benefits and a substantial weight loss if they are currently overweight.
Of course more activity is almost always better, but the idea of setting some small goals and using the pedometer to guide you towards success is the real beauty of the instrument. It really does make a difference to the activity levels. Parking a few stalls further from the entrance to the stores is now an opportunity to acquire those steps - a far cry from the previous frustration of not parking right at the front door.
The project encourages everyone to give the pedometers a try. Use one for a few weeks to change your basic habits and then come back to it now and then when you need a booster shot of motivation. You can purchase pedometers from the 10,000 Steps Office or HaB Oceania www.10000steps.net.au
Article by Professor Kerry Mummery
Central Queensland University
