COUNTING AND INCREASING YOUR STEPSFollowing are the tips to guide you in safely increasing the number of steps you take in a day! - Wear the pedometer for three days, recording how many steps you have taken by the end of each day.
- Average the number of steps for the three days. For example: 2000 + 2200 + 3100 = 7300/3 = 2433 steps per day on average.
- Track your steps on www.walkaboutns.ca and increase your average by 10% each week or every other week, until you have reached your goal.
How Many Steps Each Day Will Provide Positive Health Benefits? - Children (age 8-10): 12,000-16,000 steps/day on average
- Youth (age 10-20): 11,000-12,000 steps/day on average
- Healthy Adults age 20-50: 7,000-11,000 steps/day on average
- Healthy Adults age 50-70: 6,000-8,500 steps/day on average
- Adults with disabilities and chronic disease: 3,500-5,500 steps/day on average
- Men are generally in the upper end of these ranges and females in the lower.
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Counting steps for other activities
Your pedometer works whenever you are taking steps. For those times when you choose an activity other
than walking, check the chart below to convert your activities into steps.
As a general guide, multiply the number of minutes you participated in the activity by the number of steps indicated on the chart. For example, 30 minutes of mopping equals 3030 steps. (30 minutes x 101).
Here are some sample activities. (Information adapted from: Health Partners 10,000 steps program )
Note: To receive the most accurate "step equivalent" we recommend that you remove your pedometer when choosing an activity other than walking. [But do not reset your pedometer to zero!]
| Activity | steps/min | Activity | step/min |
| Aerobics, high impact | 203 | Painting | 131 |
| Aerobics, low impact | 145 | Pilates | 101 |
| Aerobics, step | 246 | Raking leaves | 125 |
| Badminton, casual | 131 | Running, 10 mph (6 min/mile) | 463 |
| Badminton, competitive | 203 | Running, 8 mph (7.5 min mile) | 391 |
| Basketball, game | 230 | Running, 6 mph (10 min mile) | 290
|
| Basketball, recreational | 174 | Show shoveling | 174 |
| Bicycling, leisurely | 116 | Soccer, recreational | 203 |
| Bicycling, stationary | 203 | Soccer, competitive | 290 |
| Bowling | 87 | Stair climbing, machine | 260
|
| Boxing | 348 | Stair climbing, moderate | 334 |
| Canoeing, light | 87 | Stair climbing, slow | 232 |
| Chopping wood, around home |
174 | Stair climbing, vigorous | 434
|
| Circuit Training | 232 | Stretching | 72 |
| Cross-country skiing, intense | 260 | Swimming, leisure | 174 |
| Cross-country skiing, moderate | 232 | Wash the car | 87
|
| Cross-country skiing, slow | 203 | Ice skating | 203 |
| Dancing | 131 | Water aerobics | 116 |
| Downhill skiing | 174 | Water skiing | 174 |
| Elliptical trainer | 203 | Weight lifting, moderate | 87 |
| Gardening, light | 116 | Weight lifting, vigorous | 174 |
| Gardening, heavy | 174 | Yard Work | 145 |
| Gardening, weeding | 131 | Yoga | 72 |
| Golfing, without a cart | 131 | | |
| Golfing, with a cart | 101 | | |
| Hiking, general | 172 | | |
| Mowing | 160 | | |