Pedometers - Archives

This blog remained active for only a few months. Here is an archive of postings. For more recent information please see my Personal Health Monitor Blog.

Pedometers for Library Patrons
This is a good idea. Libraries in Ontario are to start lending pedometers to patrons.

“Public library pedometer lending programs have been operating in several cities in Ontario,” said Marie Clarke, public health nurse with the healthy lifestyles department of the Hastings & Prince Edward Counties Health Unit. “It is a convenient way for residents to try out a pedometer. Pedometers have been shown to be an effective tool to motivate people to be more active, or to help them set goals for adding more walking to their day,” Clarke adds.
April 20th, 2006

Best Exercise Tools
The Arizona Republic advises on "the best exercise tools whether you want to splurge or save." It describes as a "steal" the Walking Fit Kit from Gaiam.

This pedometer and instructional CD are a fast way to walk off the weight. Veteran instructor Madeleine Lewis offers technique tips on maximizing your calorie burn, from taking smaller strides to pumping your arms at your sides.
March 27th, 2006

$1,299 For A Pedometer?
Actually, it's a pedometer that comes with its own treadmill (if that's the way you like to look at it). It's the WT 950 Wireless Pedometer Treadmill from Horizon, and it sounds cool.

According to the report at ABC7 in Chicago:

The user wears the pedometer which comes with the treadmill. At the end of the day, you can wirelessly transmit the number of steps you took to the treadmill. Then, when you jump on the treadmill, it will adjust your workout to compensate for steps taken during the day.
January 24th, 2006

A Walk around the World
Fun article about a group of St Louis real estate agents who plan to "walk around the world" - based on distances measured by personal pedometers.

Laurie Domke-Goodfellow came up with the idea after reading a newspaper article about a group at Barnes Hospital using pedometers to scale Mt. Everest.

"I saw that and I thought; we've got more people, we can walk around the world," said Domke-Goodfellow.

After the idea hit, she shared it with co-workers Barb White and Patti Leonard. Both were enthusiastic and willing to work to make the project happen.

The first step was to convince their boss, Phil Hunt, of the idea.

"Phil, being a physical fitness guru, jumped on the idea, hands and feet," said White.

"I'm just as proud as can be of the agents, and happy to be a part of it," said Hunt. "We probably should be able to walk around the world in cumulative steps by September or October, promoting health as we go along."
January 7th, 2006

Oregon Scientific MP121 Waterproof MP3 Player and Pedometer
Oregon Scientific’s new waterproof MP3 player/pedometer has attracted a couple of online reviews, and I’ve placed a short report of these on the site here. The short Gizmodo review is titled “Oregon Scientific’s Wonky MP3 Player,” though is pretty favorable. However, one reader has posted a comment wondering if a swimmer really needs a pedometer. Good point.
January 4th, 2006

Pedometer Reveals Our Future
If you wonder what the future holds for you, look at a pedometer. That's the advice from Karen Collins of the American Institute for Cancer Research, writing in the El Dorado Times.

A new study compares the actual physical activity between women who followed a 30-minute guideline and women who tried to reach 10,000 steps a day. Before the study, both groups walked less than 7,000 steps each day. The women who aimed for 30 minutes of exercise reached 9,505 steps on the days in which they included a 30-minute walk. But on the days without this walk, they reached less than 5,600 steps a day. In contrast, the women who tried for 10,000 steps averaged 11,775 steps when they met their goal. Even when they fell short, however, they still averaged 7,780 steps.

Perhaps a time goal leaves us vulnerable to an all-or-nothing attitude. If we can't fit in 30 minutes or an hour of exercise, we may give up. Wearing a pedometer, on the other hand, may help us see how seizing each opportunity to be active adds up for our health.
December 31st, 2005

New Biosensor Chip Could Eliminate Pedometers
North American company PulseTracer Technologies has announced the development of a new biosensor chip that reads heart rate and footstep activity from contact with the wrist only.

According to a company announcement:

Designed to fit devices such as wrist watches, jewelry bracelets, and band mounted Mp3 players, the PT100 sensor measures, stores, and correlates heart rate with step counts over time for periods up to one month. Data may be uploaded to computer or internet via USB or wireless connection for long term storage, graphical reporting, and health progress assessment directly by the user or in conjunction with a health or fitness professional.

PulseTracer is working with doctors at a major healthcare institute to provide testing and real time life score reporting which automatically adjust to an individual's own relative health state, providing practical recommendations for wellness and activity improvements at their level.

PulseTracer is working with internationally-recognized companies in the watch, jewelry, and medical monitoring arena that are preparing to make the technology available in 2006 within a range of products.
December 29th, 2005