The Secret of the Pedometer
Even Exercisers Can Benefit
Step-by-Step Plan
Success Stories
Increased activity by 9,950 steps a day Dropped 5 lb Lowered cholesterol by 24 points Cut 1-mile walk time by more than 3 minutes Parking her car farther away. Taking the longest route to other offices. Using the stairs instead of the elevator. Doing periodic “step checks” helped Annette stay on target, so she wasn’t left with a huge amount of walking to do after work. Increased activity by 6,051 steps a day Dropped 4 lb Lost 4 inches off waist, hips, and thighs Cut 1-mile walk time by more than 5 minutes Keeping a journal. In each entry, she would describe creative new ways to acquire more steps. Noting all these accomplishments encouraged her to persevere. Killing time by taking a walk instead of sitting while waiting for her car at the garage. Creating new opportunities. When stopping to get gas, she walked home while her husband drove the rest of the way. Socializing on the move. She now prefers to walk and talk with friends instead of sitting and eating. Making it fun. Diane discovered that dancing to music on the TV or radio added to her final step count. Increased activity by 5,405 steps a day Dropped 9 lb Lost 4 1/4 inches off waist, hips, and thighs Lowered total cholesterol by 17 points Lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol by 16 points Taking his puppy for more frequent walks. Doing household chores more frequently. Increased activity by 7,888 steps a day Dropped 12 lb Lost 5 inches off waist, hips, and thighs Lowered cholesterol by 72 points At the airport, she walks around instead of sitting while waiting for her flight. On long drives, she takes frequent rest stops to walk for 15 minutes. At home, common errands offer chances to increase steps. If she can carry the items she needs, Brenda will walk to the video store, drugstore, and supermarket. She gets her husband or son to join her on walks. It’s a great way to connect with your family and to stay away from passive activities such as watching TV. Increased activity by 5,496 steps a day Dropped 7 lb Lost 4 1/4 inches off waist, hips, and thighs Lowered cholesterol by 32 points Walking, instead of driving, to local destinations (including work) was a good start. For a fun way to incorporate more steps, she started her own walking club. Each day, she would ask someone new to walk with her. The support and enthusiasm of her close friends were perfect motivators.
