HealthPartners, one of the "big three" medical carriers in MN, is sponsoring a "10,000 Steps" program. For $20 (HealthPartners members) or $30 (non-members), you get a pedometer, a personal action planner, a log, motivational cards mailed to you, and a chance to win prizes.
The idea behind 10,000 steps is that if you walk 10,000 steps each day, you can be sure to get at least 10 minutes of physical activity that is good for your overall health.
I didn't join the HealthPartners program. I'm insured under Blue Cross, and I probably wouldn't have used any of the materials other than the pedometer.
I bought a pedometer at Target for $19 but it quit after 3 days. Well, it didn't totally quit, but it got real inacurate. I figured that out when I hike 2 miles all over my sister's neighborhood and the thing only gave me 498 steps! So I chucked that one and bought one at Sportmart for $25. Cassie and I saw them at one of those gadget stores at the mall for the same price yesterday. The pedometer calculates the total time I've spent walking, the calories I've burned, total miles walked and steps. It also tells time. You program your stride length into it the first day. 10,000 steps for me calculates to about 4.75 miles. It doesn't work when you ride a bike. So I bought an odometer for my bike and just add the mileage from that to the mileage on my pedometer to help me keep track.
I've been doing this about a month now. I've hit 10,000 a few times, but not every day. I'm surprised by this. I seem to average about 8000.
I definitely recommend it. It's good for you and it's entertaining. Julia spent 2000 steps one morning just doing laundry!
7:49:23 AM 
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