where do I find a pedometer? what do I look for?

[imgoingtodisney]

Id really like to buy a pedometer - is that what you call that thing that hangs off your body as you walk?
Where do I find one? What do I look for? Like to buy one that works well.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I had bought one at our Kmart and it didn't work at all! Be carefull of those you buy in the store. Our hospital sponsors a walking club and they set you up with a pedometer, measure your stride for you, and you know it works before you leave the building. The cost is only $20 and they also have optional meetings for those looking for info on healthy behaviors. You might want to ask there.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Hey Barb-

WW also sells one. You don't have to be a member to buy their merchandise.

Just find your local WW meeting.

 

[nativetxn]

Thank you for posting this Barb. I want to buy a new pedometer (I had one my mother gave me but it died).

I found this info:

Before You Buy a Pedometer


A pedometer senses your body motion and counts your footsteps. This count is converted into distance by knowing the length of your usual stride. Wearing a pedometer and recording your daily steps and distance is a great motivating tool. You can wear a pedometer all day, every day and record total steps. Or you can wear it just when you go out for a walking workout.

The Wear Factor
A pedometer should be comfortable to wear all day and be held securely by its clip, an extra safety leash is almost required. The display should be easy to read without removing the unit from your waistband. It should be protected so that bumps don't punch a button and reset the count. It should easy and intuitive to move between functions. The unit should be accurate in its count when you wear it correctly, and within 10% for distance when you set your average stride.



Simple Step/Distance Counters
The simplest pedometers only count your steps and display steps and/or distance. This is generally all that you need to track to keep yourself motivated. Set a goal of distance or steps for each day. The recommended number of steps is 6000 for health, 10,000 for weight loss when you count all steps during the day. For weight loss, an uninterrupted walk each day of 4000-6000 steps is recommended.



Multi-function Pedometers
Features abound. The top features are:
• Calorie estimate
• Clocks, timers, stopwatches and speed estimators
• 7-day memory
• Pulse rate readers

• Top Pedometers


Pedometer Walking Programs
Keeping records of your steps and/or distance can keep you on track. You can record your daily totals in any log, or get your pedometer and log through one of the pedometer walking programs offered.

• Top Pedometer Walking Programs


Walking Speedometers/Odometers
Timex has debuted a true speedometer/odometer that tracks your speed and distance continuously using GPS. Meanwhile, Nike and FitSense use speed detectors based on your average stride to display continuous speed and distance - but with less accuracy.



Then I found this: http://walking.about.com/cs/measure/tp/pedometer.htm?PM=ss03_walking

I'm going to go read and see which one to buy.

 

[mum4jenn]

I bout one of those at Target for around $25 last year and I just took it out to use last week. I DO NOT like it.If you do not make a big enough motion when you take your step then it is not recorded and if you acidently bump it it will dount steps you have not taken.

I opted to drive out my milage and use that. I figured out that in my neighborhood each short block is 1/10th of a mile so I just walk around until I get to at least a mlie!!

 

[FergieTCat]

I bought one at Sports Authority for $9.99. It appears to be very accurate. I wore it, counted my steps, and it was right on. It counts steps.

I don't know the brand, but check in Sports Authority.

 

[nativetxn]

Donna, is Sports Authority an online company?

 

[Luvinit]

Kath...yes sports authority is an online attraction...if you see something you want and you can't get it let me know...there is a sports authority down the street...I seem to be there all the time, I would not mind picking something up for ya.

Trace

 

[tiggerlover]

I bought mine from eBay, it is the Weight Watchers pedometer and I paid $15.00 total for it. It is ok, it serves its purpose, but I have heard there are pedometers that not only read steps walked and miles, but also calories burned.

 

[FergieTCat]

Sorry guys, I should have been more specific. You can order the pedometer I bought on line at www.sportsauthority.com. I copied the info from the website for you:

Sportline 330 Electronic Step Pedometer
Item no: 1117483
OUR PRICE: $9.99

It's designed to help you walk 10,000 steps and it counts steps. You don't have to set it, it just seems to know how many steps you walked automatically. As I said, I walked and counted 100 steps, looked at the pedometer and it was dead accurate.

Shipping is $4.98, so it would come out to $15 (still cheaper than the Weight Watchers one, which I personally didn't like, btw).

Unfortunately, it does not walk the 10,000 steps for you ...

 

[LuvTigger]

In addition, just wanted to add a couple of things:

1. A friend of mine had a pedometer that she kept accidentally resetting. Apparently the reset button was out in the open (my pedometer has a flip-cover, so to look at the count or to reset it, the cover has to be flipped open first), so sometimes her arm would hit it, or she'd lean against something and her steps would reset to zero! (which is not only frustrating, but discouraging!)

2. I know there are lots of inaccurate pedometers out there, but another key is to wear it close to the middle of your right or left hip, inline with the outside of your leg. I read this somewhere, and I've also had personal experience, where if it's worn too close say to the middle of your belly, it won't pick up the leg movement and won't register the step.