Pedometer Weight Loss Program
A few people have asked me about my walk off your weight program.
It is a simple step by step plan for losing weight by walking. A pedometer helps by measuring the number of steps you take each day – and you help yourself by gradually increasing that number 
Though the plan was kept exclusively for my private weight loss clients until very recently, I decided at the beginning of December that others might appreciate this program especially in these credit crunch times when a hefty gym membership fee might be out of reach.
Since then I’ve expanded it for general consumption and released it out into the world for those who need a low-cost way to get fit and lose weight.
You can find it on eBay U.K. just now. If you’re not in the U.K. or you’d prefer an immediate download (and no postage charges) you can also get it here.
Walking, Fitness, Weight Loss and Me
I feel that walking has had a bad press among exercisers. After all, it can’t be real exercise, can it…
- if you don’t have to get yourself to a gym
- if you don’t have to learn complicated moves with state of the art equipment
- if you don’t have to get showered immediately afterwards
- if you don’t even need to change your clothes before you begin ?
Yet regular walkers are some of the fittest and healthiest people around and they rarely suffer the injuries and set backs of runners, joggers and regular gym goers.
Usually at this time of year I am thinking about starting to run as training for an annual charity race – the Race for Life. Then as I get going I decide I hate running and never run again after the race until the same time next year.
This year I’ve decided to add a regular walk to my fitness routine instead and see how I like that as a “rest of my life” activity. It feels right as I will be following in the footsteps of my Dad who walked every day of his adult life until he died last year aged 86 – staying fit until the very end.
Walking is great for weight loss too of course. Though that’s not my primary motive in taking up this form of exercise, I have some clients who follow a weight loss walking program I put together and find this the very best way to lose weight and keep it off. It will do me no harm to join them – especially as I have eaten so much after Christmas….
Is Your Car Making You Fat?
It seems that the more time we spend in a car the fatter we become.
Over time we’ve simply got too used to driving a couple of blocks to run an errand when we could get there under our own steam.
And it’s funny, what do we do when we arrive? We drive around for 5 minutes trying to get a “decent” parking spot – the one that will mean we need the fewest steps possible to get to our destination.
We do all that – and then find we have to join a gym to keep fit and lose weight.
Now I know, some of the distances you travel are probably longer than a couple of blocks but I’m sure you get the picture. Could you do even a little more walking?
Research has shown that at least half the journeys made by car in urban areas are for 3 miles or less (and 41% are less than 2 miles).
It’s not that we can not walk – in fact going everywhere in a car is a modern phenomenon. It’s as if we can’t find our way anywhere under our own steam. It has become the default that we don’t even think to question.
Well why not question it from now on? Every time! Always ask yourself
- could I walk there (safely) or could I carry out the same errand on foot (say at my local store rather than an out of town mega huge faceless store)?
- could I park a little further away?
- could I enjoy my journey more by walking/cycling and getting in touch with what is going on in my local area?
- could walking/cycling mean that I can combine my keep fit routine with my chores today and save myself a bundle of time?
And remember if you are stuck driving in your car a lot you can still get some exercise – remember the 4 Easy Car Exercises post from a few weeks ago
10 Ways to Fit More Walking into Your Life
Sedentary workers take about 2000 steps a day yet they say that 10,000 should be our aim for good health.
While you can dispute that we actually need to do that much exercise to stay fit, more walking can only do us good.
Ten thousand steps is about 45 minutes worth of walking a day. That’s not a lot but finding that spare time is a problem for most of us.
If you want to walk but you just can’t take 45 minutes out of your busy schedule to go for a long walk, try these ways of fitting more walking naturally into your life.
1. Go Further
Walk to the furthest coffee machine, photocopier, bathroom and sandwich place so that you take a few extra steps each time. And park in the space which is furthest away from the front door. If you use public transport get off a stop earlier.
2. Walk and talk
Walk around while you are on the phone. (Cordless or cellphone)
3. Get a Dog
You will have to walk more to keep your dog happy.
4. Don’t Wait, Pace
If you are waiting for a train, a bus or a friend move around rather than standing in one place. And try this at home too when you are waiting for the kettle to boil or the microwave to cook your food.
5. Take the stairs every time
Every step counts so shun the elevator and find the nearest stairwell.
6. Walk before breakfast
A 10 minute walk before breakfast will set you up for the day and boost your metabolism. Set your alarm clock a little earlier and just do it.
7. Be Sociable
Combine walking with your social life. Meet friends for a walk at weekends rather than a drink or a meal. If you enjoy country walks join a walking club. Plan active outings for your kids or make a walk after dinner a family tradition (start when the kids are young!)
8. Shop Locally on Foot
Instead of taking the car to the store once a week, support the small shops in your area and buy your food fresh every couple of days.
9. Have a Lunchtime Walk
Instead of eating at your desk, get out and about. It’s great to clear your head for the afternoon too.
10. Get a Pedometer
A pedometer will let you see how many steps you are taking and encourage you to take a few more each day. Start just by measuring how many steps you take in a day and then aim to increase the number by 20% each week until you reach 10,000.
The most accurate pedometers are digital such as the ACCUSPLIT AE170 Pedometer
Walk (or Run) Away from Stress
If you’re feeling under pressure then its easy to say you don’t have time for exercise but even a brief walk or run in the fresh air will help clear your head and mean you get more done overall.
A slightly longer exercise session where you put in a bit of effort releases endorphins – those feel-good brain chemicals that make you feel wonderful and is an even better stress-reliever.
Any exercise with a rhythmic pace such as running, walking or swimming can be quite meditative in itself – especially if you do it alone and let your thoughts go wherever they want. If your thoughts are in turmoil however, calm yourself by focusing on your movements and your breathing.
Far from tiring you out or being a time-killer, exercise can mentally and spiritually rejuvenate you so much, you definitely don’t want to miss out.
And a crisis point, the very time when we tend to shun exercise the most – is the time when we most need it.
Burn Calories Every Step You Take
Photo by Darren Copley
Did you know that on average every 20 steps you take you burn another calorie?
Use that as an incentive to
- get off your butt
- get moving today every chance you get
- make it a habit every day of your life.
How many steps would you take if you “lost” your remote control and stopped asking your kids or your other half to fetch and carry things for you.
In fact, see it as a favor they are doing you if you end up fetching and carrying for THEM instead of feeling like a martyr.
If you move around while you’re on the phone, while you brush your teeth, every time you get to take a breather or a water break at work you’ll use calories.
And if you actually do all those old tricks like parking further from the front door and getting off the bus one stop before your destination you’ll burn even more.
Just 10 calories a day and you’ll lose a 1lb in year without even trying and you could easily clock up ten times as much….
Just think about that when you’re too busy to get to the gym.
Are You Wearing the Wrong Shoes?
You can save money in lots of ways when it comes to exercising (see 27 ways to get fit for free) but buying good shoes is one area where you should not compromise.
The wrong shoes can affect your performance and cause injury.
Athletic shoes need to
- fit your feet properly
- feel comfortable
- offer support
- be flexible where required
- offer protection for your bones, joints and muscles by absorbing shock
- keep your feet in a good position for whatever sport you are doing
Do You Need Shoes Designed for each Activity?
Some activities need specialist equipment, for example climbing or hill walking and if you are involved in these you have to buy what you need.
For more general activities like running or tennis it might not be so obvious. Can you get away with a cross-training shoe?
If you run, you should always wear running shoes which are designed to absorb shock – they have more cushioning than other athletic shoes and they support the forward motion without too much side to side flexibility.
For other activities, it depends how often you take part and what your budget is – three times a week or more and it definitely becomes worth investing in shoes designed to meet the needs of your particular sport.
If you do a mix of activities such as aerobics, walking and tennis, a cross-trainer may be a good option – they are supportive for the whole range of motion in the foot.
Where to Buy Sports Shoes
It’s best to choose a specialist retailer. When I chose my running shoes my local running shop video-taped me running on a treadmill in several pair of shoes – and some of them which felt quite comfortable when I put them on, rubbed the skin and hurt when I ran in them.
They also assessed the action of my feet for over- and underpronation both from the video and the wear patterns on my old shoes and gave me the right kind of shoes for my running style. I have normal pronation it appears but I’m still not sure I liked looking at myself running on the video (but I got over it).
Even if you don’t need a specialist running shop – look for a shop where they know their products so that you can get plenty of advice before you buy. Get the size checked too – you should have plenty of room to wriggle your toes and the heel should not be slipping when you wear your usual sports socks. The best size is often larger than your usual shoe size.
When to Buy
Shop for shoes in the afternoon as your feet become larger as the day goes on.
When to Replace your Athletic Shoes
Replace your shoes after about a year even if they show no signs of wear – as the cushioning and support will be getting less effective. (You may need to replace running shoes earlier than that if you do a lot of running – every 500 miles and walking shoes every 1000 miles).
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