How to Read a Pedometer

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If you have ever wondered how many steps or miles you have walked at a particular time, a pedometer is a tool you will find useful. This device measures the number of steps you take while walking and can translate those steps into larger distances. This data can also help you track how many calories you are burning while walking. Below are some steps to guide you to read a pedometer and translate the data into useful information

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Set the pedometer in the proper spot on your waist. This is a point between the center of your belt line and your right or left side. Place the pedometer to follow a plumb line to your knee and foot.

Step 2

Properly calibrate the pedometer before using it. Most pedometers require some human input like stride length, a measurement of an individual's personal stride. This is usually the length from the placement of the back of one heel to the other in a typical stride.

Step 3

Use the data that determines the amount of steps you have taken to calculate larger distances. As a general guideline 1,000 steps is about half a mile; 2,000 steps, 1 mile; and 10,000 steps, 5 miles.

Step 4

View the screen to determine how many calories you have been burned. Be aware that this figure does not take into account factors such as steep grades and resistance.

Tips & Warnings

Different brands of pedometers have different features. It's best to shop around for a pedometer that best suits your personal needs.

Resources

walking.org

Article Written By Rob Holzman

Based in the Pacific Northwest, Rob Holzman has been writing outdoor articles since 1997. He recently published the first comprehensive rock climbing guidebook for Pennsylvania and has fiction work published in the "Pacific Northwest Inlander". Holzman has also appeared on FOX television and has been an outdoor consultant for the Discovery Channel.

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