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| THE ROAD TO 100 FIT TIP #37, 2007 — The Longest Journey Begins with a Single Step
One of the best ways to lose weight and get in shape is through walking. According to The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH), your goal should be to walk 5 miles, total, throughout the course of a day. This would equal 10,000 steps, or 2,000 steps a mile.
How would you track your steps? By using a pedometer, a small device that attaches to your belt or pant waist and records your steps. You can purchase a pedometer for from $10 to $25 at any quality sporting goods store like Dick's or The Sports Authority. You can also find them online. Simply set your pedometer to zero each morning, attach it to your belt or pants or skirt waist and record the number of steps registered at the end of each day. That is key. Record the number of steps. If you are short one day, make it up the next.
You can also get an activity-to-steps conversion chart that converts other activities like swimming, the various sports, weight training, group exercise classes, dancing and yard work to steps. For instance vigorous weight training is worth 133 steps a minute. Yard work is worth 145 a minute. You can find an activity-to-steps conversion chart at http://www.10k-steps.com/content/pedometer.aspx?owt=1
So that's it:
- Get a pedometer
- Try to get in 10,000 steps a day
- Record your steps daily
- Use an activity-to-steps conversion chart for other activities
- Make up any required steps the next day
- Watch those pounds melt away!
Answer to last week's fitness quiz:
What is the hardest material in the body?
Enamel.
Answer to last week's extra credit quiz:
Who invented the popsicle?
The Romans.
This week's fitness quiz:
Approximately how many scalp hairs fall out daily?
Extra credit quiz:
Who is credited with saying "The longest journey begins with a single step""
Corny Joke of the Week:
Tell a man that there are 400 billion stars and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint and he has to touch it.
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