I'm working to increase my fitness while I study for a PhD. One of my experiments is using a step meter. I was inspired by a colleague who is using a step meter very successfully with impressive results. She made it look easy, but I found that I needed a little persistence. The Fit Bit that she uses for tracking offers more than I need at a higher price than I ought to pay. So I went shopping for a gadget to count my steps. I tried one brand of step meter which did not work well. It counted 44 steps for 2 miles of walking! I returned it for a refund. Then I did some more research and tried this second model from Omron, which is reasonably priced at $18 on Amazon and at Best Buy. The lower cost is probably a result of the simplicity of the gadget. This meter only counts steps or distance, but it also resets itself after midnight, which is very helpful for me.
My new Omron step meter fits on my hip like a feather. I forget that I'm wearing it! If I prefer, I can use the clip which is designed for it. This gadget is so flat and small that it fits in a small key pocket. Or I can arrange the meter so that it is hidden inside my pocket and only one side of the clip is visible. Unlike the first model, I don't bang it when I move around the apartment, and it doesn’t make a bulky lump under my shirt. The internal design is not a pendulum (like the first model which didn’t count very well), so it doesn’t have to be on my hip to work. I can clip it anywhere convenient and it will count accurately. The meter discerns between aerobic steps and overall steps.
The greatest danger is that I will forget I’m wearing it, forget to remove it, and run it through the washer!
