A pedometer is an inexpensive tool that counts your steps when you clip it to your belt or waistband. You can buy one at most athletic stores or you can order one online.

Use It Regularly

At the end of each day, check your pedometer and record your steps for the day.

Make sure you reset it to “0” the next morning before clipping it on.

Keeping a record of your steps can help you gauge how much activity you are getting or how far you are walking each day.

It also gives you a starting point to help you set goals. You can gradually increase your steps or the minutes you walk each day from there.

For example, let’s say you find that you usually take around 3,500 steps during the day after wearing your pedometer for a week. You can try to increase your daily average by 500 steps every of couple weeks until you hit 7,500 steps per day. You can go even higher than this if you want.

Remember, the more active you are, the more benefits you’ll see from exercise.