Setting and reaching step goals with a pedometer

A pedometer provides customized feedback about your activity level. It can serve as a strong motivator to keep moving. And it can help you track your progress over time.

Use these tips to make your pedometer a partner in your activity program:

* Establish your baseline steps. When you first get your pedometer, wear it throughout the day for three straight days as you go about your routine activities at home or work. Add up the total number of steps for each of the three days and then divide that total by three. This gives you a baseline number of steps, or average, that can serve as a launching point for the step goals you set.

* Set short-term step goals. Once you know how many steps you generally take on an average day, you can set some short-term activity goals using your pedometer. For instance, say you normally take about 2,000 steps a day while going about your normal routine. Set a short-term goal of adding on another 500 to 1,000 steps a day for a week by incorporating a planned walking program into your schedule. You can either do it all at once or break your walking into 10-minute chunks of time to accommodate your schedule. When you meet a short-term goal, add a new one.

* Set long-term step goals. Think about your overall fitness and activity goals. Your short-term goals are the building blocks to these long-term goals. A long-term goal may be walking 10,000 steps a day, or about five miles (eight kilometers), several times a week as part of your new daily routine. You may also want to set a goal of walking faster as your fitness level improves. Keep in mind that the Department of Health and Human Services recommends that, in general, healthy adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity.

* Track your progress. To see how you’re doing, monitor your progress over time. Your pedometer may or may not have a memory function to track your steps on a weekly or monthly basis. You can choose to use that feature or record your steps in a log of your own making. Or upload the information digitally to your computer or mobile device. Tracking your progress can help you see whether you’re meeting your goals and when it may be time to set fresh goals.

Remember to talk to your doctor before starting a new fitness program if you have any health issues, have been inactive or are very overweight. Whatever your fitness goals, take them one step at a time. Use your pedometer to set and track realistic goals based on your fitness level and any health issues you may have. Use your pedometer to keep it fun, interesting and challenging. Better health and fitness may be just steps away.

Are you dealing with another episode of the 3 p.m. doldrums? Can you feel your energy draining and your eyelids starting to droop as the afternoon wears on?
 

When fatigue drags you down, don’t look to a candy bar, cup of coffee, or energy drink for a solution. The sugar and caffeine might give you an immediate pick-me-up, but after that quick high wears off, you’ll crash and feel even more drained and groggy than before.
 

Want to boost energy in a real and lasting way? Here are a few fatigue fighters that will leave you feeling refreshed, revitalized, and ready to take on your day.
 

10-Minute Energy Boosters
 

1. Eat your breakfast. There’s a reason it’s called the most important meal of the day. A good, nutritious breakfast gives you the energy you need to stay awake and alert. People who eat breakfast every morning report less fatigue and stress than people who skip breakfast. High-fiber foods, like hot oatmeal, will stick with you longer than a sweet roll or pastry. As the day wears on, they’ll prevent you from getting hungry, which can also lead to low energy.
 

2. Do a downward dog. Yoga has so many different health benefits, it’s a wonder everyone isn’t twisting themselves into pretzels to take advantage of them. Some studies have found that the practice, which uses various postures and deep breathing for exercise and meditation, can be an excellent fatigue fighter.
 

3. Belt out your favorite tune. There’s a reason why it feels so good to sing in the shower. Singing gives you a kind of emotional high, while it reduces levels of stress hormones in your body. So grab a hairbrush, put on your favorite song, and sing away. If you’re at work and you don’t want to face your co-workers’ puzzled stares, you might want to save your vocal stylings for the car.
 

4. Have a drink of water. Your body needs fluid to function properly. Yet you’re constantly losing fluid every time you breathe, sweat, and use the bathroom. If you don’t replenish those liquids, you can become dehydrated, which can leave you feeling drained and fatigued. You don’t necessarily have to follow the “eight glasses a day” rule, but you do want to drink enough water to keep your body well hydrated. You can tell you’re well hydrated when you don’t feel thirsty, and if your urine is light-colored. Try to get to the fridge or water cooler for a refill every few hours. The walk there will also help you wake up.
 

5. Go nuts. Eat a handful of almonds and peanuts, which are high in magnesium and folate (folic acid). These nutrients are essential for energy and cell production. A shortfall of these nutrients in your system can leave you feeling tired and weary.

6. Suck on a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon isn’t just for sprinkling into your apple pie. Research finds that just a whiff of this scented spice can reduce fatigue and make you feel more alert. No cinnamon handy? Grab a mint from your purse. Peppermint’s sweet aroma is another fatigue fighter.
 

7. Take the stairs. Exercise is a natural energy booster because whenever you do it, oxygen-rich blood surges through your body to your heart, muscles, and brain. Regularly squeezing a workout into your day — even if you can only spare 10 minutes at a time — will help keep your energy levels at their peak. Get up and move every chance you get, even if it’s just to pace around in circles while you’re talking on the phone.
 

8. Let the sunshine in. When you go outside on a sunny day, it’s amazing how quickly your outlook starts to change and your energy level improves. Research confirms that just a few minutes of walking outside on a warm, clear day enhances mood, memory, and the ability to absorb new information. Going outside can even improve your self-esteem. If you absolutely can’t get out, open the shades and let some of that bright sunshine in.
 

9. Have a bite. Your brain needs fuel (otherwise known as glucose) to function optimally. When your blood sugar level drops, your mind will start running on fumes and it will feel fuzzy as a result. So if you’re getting a little shaky and your head is starting to droop, eat a snack that will give you enough energy to take you through the rest of the afternoon. Snacks that combine protein with slow-burning carbs are best for maintaining your blood sugar levels over the long-term. Good examples of energy boosters are a banana spread with peanut butter, or granola with fresh berries.
 

10. Hang out with upbeat friends. Emotions are surprisingly contagious. People who are constantly negative and down can sap your energy, while those who are always up and excited can give you a real lift. Stay away from energy vampires. Instead, surround yourself with friends who share similar goals and interests.

WebMD Medical Reference

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

Next Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Journey to Health is offering a free ”Swing into Fitness” workshop taught by Katie Tranzillo. Have fun in this fitness class using authentic jazz movements of the swing era. Connect with your own body movement, improve balance, flexibility and strength, while doing solo moves with cool names such as the sailor step, boogie walks, camel walks and mess-a-round. No experience needed. This is not a partnered class. The class is right after Zumba! at the Belfast Dance Studio in the upstairs room. Participants who attend Zumba AND Swing into Fitness that evening will be entered into a drawing to win a prize! For any questions about the Swing into Fitness class, contact Hester Kohl at hkohl@wcgh.org or 930-2514.

While the snowshoeing scheduled for yesterday had to be canceled, there is is another opportunity to go snowshoeing on March 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. We’ll meet by the baseball diamond at Belfast City Park. If you’d like to try snowshoeing but don’t have any snowshoes, call Hester Kohl at 930-2514 or email hkohl@wcgh.org to reserve a free pair of snowshoes. Who knows who might discover a whole new way to enjoy the winter months and get some great exercise.