Use a Pedometer to Aid Your New Year Fitness Routine

There is no doubt that the festive period has taken its toll on most of us, with over indulgence being a common theme across the country. As the majority of us try to get out fitness levels up and our waistlines down it can be a daunting time. Not knowing where to start often causes a lot of people to quit in the first month and a lot of unused gym memberships come mid March. Using a pedometer to monitor what activity you are doing allows you to take a log and see whether you are progressing. Most modern pedometers feature details on steps taken, distance walked, calories burned and allow you to access your data for a period of time. An essential for the New Year fitness boost.Once deciding a pedometer is for you, there are some key factors to look out for.StepsThe average Britain walks between 3-4000 steps a day, the British NHS recommends you walk 10,000 steps a day in order to improve health significantly. This can sound a lot but with a few small changes such as walking the dog further, getting off the bus at an earlier stop it can be easily achieved. A pedometer helps to monitor this and allows you to know exactly the kind of number you are doing on a daily basis. TimeRecording the time you spend training can often be as important as the distance covered. If you are preparing for an endurance event then making sure you get used to running for set periods of time can be more important than the amount of time covered. When I used to swim regularly, my coach always made sure I knew I was getting the same time in the pool as the Swimmers covering an extra 40 lengths in a session and the same applies when running and walking.CaloriesIt doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that if you use up more calories than you consume then you will lose weight (and vice versa). Monitoring how many calories you spend every day and how many you consume means you can monitor whether you should be losing or gaining weight. (Obviously consuming good calories from healthy foods is important) DistanceMonitoring the distance you have covered is excellent if you are building up your training for an event. It allows you to progress through distances and know that you are getting your required mileage. This is just as important for the new runner / walker who wants a sure sign that they are getting fitter and stronger.Buying a brand of pedometer that comes recommended can save you time having to replace cheap models which are prone to breaking. The Silva Pedometer range comes very well respected in the UK and across Europe with a variety of models available. The Silva ex30 pedometer offers a host of features and is a great choice if you have a larger budget to spend. It allows you to monitor your calories burned, distance traveled and steps produced. A perfect training partner this new year. Good luck with your New Year fitness routine, hopefully with a bit of help and monitoring it will be a successful year for you and you will reach your goals.