08/ 01/ 2008
by Glenn Townes
Unlike nearly half of all the adults in America, many business owners get their fair share of exercise. By some estimates, entrepreneurs may walk the equivalent of roughly 15 miles on any given day simply taking care of matters related to the continued success of their business. One sure fire way to measure just how many steps you take a day is to invest in a pedometer. The palm-sized device, ranging from $10 to $50, will calculate your steps into miles on a daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly basis.
When the pedometer is paired with a specific goal for the number of steps taken per day, results from various studies show that the tiny contraptions actually increased physical activity by 2,000 steps or one mile per day. Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association recommend that adults walk up to 10,000 steps daily. In recent years, pedometers have become invaluable, more sophisticated and technologically advanced.
For example, information such as the weight and height of a walker and even the length of their stride can be stored in the pedometer for future reference. At the end of the day, information such as the how many steps a person takes, the calories burned and the number of miles walked is also easily stored and available for reference.
Pedometers can easily be compared to a cattle prod. Except in this case, you are the one being nudged. Often, the handy devices motivate users to increase their physical activities. Several nationally released studies show that the use of a pedometer encourages people to keep track of their physical activities and remain aware of how much energy and movement they make on any given day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the costs associated with physical inertia and lethargy can top the $5.6 million mark. With the cost of healthcare topping the list of issues important to small businesses, this figure is especially relevant when physical inactivity is related to medical costs. Physicians evaluated the association between the use of a pedometer, physical activity and health outcomes among adults. The comprehensive data was compiled from more than two dozen pedometer studies that examined nearly 3,000 adults. The average age of the participants was 49 and about 80 percent were women. In 18 weeks, the period of time physicians conducted the study, the average weight loss for a 200-pound individual was about three pounds. Study participants also saw improvements in their blood pressure readings, stress level and mental alertness. Walkers decreased their risk of stroke by 10 percent and their risk of death from cardiovascular ailments dipped by 7 percent. Overall, pedometer users increased their physical activity by nearly 30 percent.
Finally, healthcare experts advise that becoming steadfast in setting and achieving realistic exercise or weight loss goals are maximized by using a pedometer. The device could be a key measurement of increased physical activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
