How Can You Boost Your Workout

Posted by the Health Advocate on March 27, 2009 · 3 Comments 

Fitness Friday. If a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step, this might be the next step (at least for walkers).  Last month, I discussed walking as one of the easiest and most reliable forms of physical activity to incorporate into a fitness lifestyle.  Another key to staying active is setting goals and staying motivated.  Pedometers (digital devices that count steps) are excellent devices for reaching fitness goals in aerobic (or cardio) activity*. Yet, it wasn’t until recently (November 2007) that scientist conducted the research that proves this.  The physician Dena Bravata led a group of Stanford University scientists in a systemic review of studies that used pedometers to increase physical activity and ultimately improve health.  In their research, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they concluded that pedometer usage combined with specific goal setting and exercise logs resulted in significant increases in physical activity.  Previously sedentary patients increased their physical activity by nearly an additional mile of walking per day.  More importantly, they found a significant reduction in blood pressure.  A reduction associated with decreasing the risk of stroke in middle-aged patients in previous studies.

The best way to add a pedometer to your walking program is to first count, then assess, your daily steps after one full week of use to establish your baseline.  You then increase that number incrementally. For many of us,10,000 steps a day (roughly the equivalent of 5 miles) is a lofty goal.  You might enjoy The 20% Boost Program at pbs.org because it helps you gradually build up from your baseline.  A pedometer when combined with goal-setting is an easy way to track your progress and also motivate you to stay active on a given day until you’ve met your goal.  Dr. Bravata and her colleges concluded:

“Despite the abundance of lay literature on the use of pedometers, our study is the first published synthesis of the evidence. Our results suggest that the use of these small, relatively inexpensive devices is associated with significant increases in physical activity and improvements in some key health outcomes, at least in the short term. The extent to which these results are durable over the long term is unknown.”

Who among you uses exercise logs or diaries?  How do logs and goal-setting help you get the most out of your walking workout?  Leave me a comment sharing the ways you’ve discovered to get an urban (or suburban) aerobics workout.  The best comment will win a pedometer. (Comments will close on Friday, April 3.)

*Note:  The American College of Sports Medicine and the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans each advise adults to get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity no less than 5 days of the week

Sources:

Bravata, D.M., Smith-Spangler, C. et al. Pedometers to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Health:  A Systematic Review [Electronic Version]. JAMA. 2007;298(19):2296-2304. Available at <http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/19/2296#AUTHINFO&gt;

The 20% Boost Program: Fit Walking into Your Life.  In America’s Walking: Personal Health & Fitness.  Cited March 27, 2009.  Available at <http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/health/health20percentboost.html&gt;

Chapter 4:  Active Adults. In Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans [Electronic Version]. Cited March 27, 2009.  Available at  <http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/guidelines/chapter4.aspx&gt;

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Filed under on Being Well · Tagged with exercise, fitness, prevention, wellness