Pedometers....

[ibouncetoo]

......looking for guidance on buying one. I see lots of different prices out there. Do you have one you love? Since I haven't actually grasped the concept of how the even work (magic?) I'm having trouble choosing

Right now I'm just interested in logging how many steps I'm taking in a day or in a walk. Eventually, when serious marathon training starts I'll want a really acurate record of what I'm doing at the correct pace. I don't want to have to buy a new (better) one at that point, so I'd like to start out with a good one.

Help!

 

[TiggersPal]

Ok I don't know anything about pedometers. But I do know that if you start with a "path" outside - it's best to increase the time and distance, and not worry about how many "steps" your taking, because marathons are about DISTANCE. We'll talk more about this later! Keep up the good work ...SIS

 

[ibouncetoo]

bump....


Doesn't ANYBODY have pedometer input?

 

[MelanieC]

Hi there,

First........they are not super reliable, but can be a great tool for motivation and having some form of way to encourage yourself to take more steps each day.

The reason they are unreliable is that is that it uses a ball type thing to count your steps. You must put in your stride (when I tried to figure my stride, it was different each time I did it!!) If you wear it all day, it may actually show you taking steps when you are sitting down, etc. I have set it to 0, walked so many steps to see how acurate it is. Sometimes it's way off, somtimes its right on, and some times its just a little off. So to be 100% accurate, not the best.

But, that being said it can be a useful tool. If you wear it all day, you can push for more and more steps each day. Causing you to WANT to take the stairs, park further away and just get up out of your chair and move more.

not all pedometers are equal. Some are simple and others have many features. You want one that won't let you reset each time you hit it. One that has a cover over the actual reset buttons is good. I had a cheap one (still almost 20 with shipping) from QVC, and hated it. It wasn't real accurate.

I bought one (from a reccomendation from my WW leader) from Radioshack. I think it is the lifewise brand. It was $39 (more than I really wanted to pay, but i bit the bullet anyway. THis one is more reliable. It has a stop and start button, so if I am sitting at my desk at work I can turn it off. It has a pulse button, which unfortunately you hit on the outside and I hit it by accident alot and it beeps. I don't use the pulse feature. It counts, steps, miles, calories and has a time feature.

Good luck, its fun trying to reach 10,000 a day. I can do it if I work out usually!

 

[mum4jenn]

I have one but it was not accurate at all. I guess I was not stepping hard enough or something because I walked almost a mile and it counted 20 steps. I got mine at Target. I tried it a couple more times but still nothing. I ended up driving my walk area in my car to get an idea of what a mile was and then walk the same area.

 

[newholiday]

DH bought me a Sportline Fitness Pedometer 360 for Christmas. (I asked him for it)
Not sure how accurate it really is but it is a good motivator.

 

[Beanie]

I have to agree with the others...it is a great motivator, but not good for accuracy! I had one that DH bought for me, but it was never accurate at all and I just lost interest in it...Great motivator though, when I first got it, I was walking every single day...(I have slacked off since Winter set in here...LOL)

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

My mother uses it to keep herself motivated. I tried hers and found the same as the others have posted. I "mapped" out the places I like to walk/jog and have determined approximately the area I cover so I have an idea of what I am doing. I find this works better for me than the pedometer.

Whatever works to keep you moving is good.

Good luck

 

[nativetxn]

Thanks for asking this question, Jackie. I'm looking for a good pedometer, too.