Is A Pedometer Watch Worth Your Money?

Seems like everyone's using pedometers to keep their pace and reach their fitness goals, it's one of the easiest ways to make sure you're getting enough exercise. Usually a pedometer has a clip mechanism which clips onto your belt, waistband, or shoelace, and keeps track of your steps all day, or during a particular fitness exercise. Some manufacturers though now have come out with pedometer watch products as an easier way to make sure you keep your pedometer with you at all times. But are these a good deal, and do they really work?

Making your fitness effort easier, these pedometer watches allow you to wear your pedometer just like a regular watch. They are also referred to as fitness watches, and can act as a stop watch, count your steps, determine your pulse, display calories burned, and even include a memory feature that saves your last several workouts.

Often though, the problem with this type of device is that your wrist is not the optimal place to position a device that is meant to measure foot steps. In order for it to be sensitive enough to sense your stepping action, it can be too sensitive and thereby count too many steps. If you check some of the online sale sites for pedomoeter watches, the reviews are generally mixed or poor. This is usually due to the watch not workign correctly.

The other issue with a pedometer watch is that while it may track every single step you take in a day, this is not the optimal way to increase your fitness level or fat burning effort. For example, even if you put your watch on first thing in the morning, you're going to count steps when you are shuffling to the coffee pot in a daze, or walking to your car after work, but these are not steps that are going to get your heart pumping and your fitness level up.

It's of course not a bad thing to take 10,000 steps in a day, especially if that's many more than you would take normally. But relying on a pedomoeter only, and not using other methods in addition, can give you a sense that you are "working out" when in fact you are doing just a minimal fitness level. You might consider getting a heart rate monitor watch, such as the Polar F11, which gives you much more information and help in getting your workout into high gear.

For someone just getting started, using a pedometer is a good idea, when combined with other activities like aerobic exercise or strength training. You need to get your heart rate up as well as move - and for that reason, it's recommended that you get a heart rate monitor either in combination with your pedometer watch, or in addition to your pedometer. Using a heart rate monitor will help you make sure you spend thirty minutes (or more) elevating your heart rate to the level where it will increase your fitness and not just mainain a minimum of effort.

Check out some of the pedometer watches that also include a heart rate monitor. However, be sure you read the reviews of other users, so see if the watch you are looking to buy is truly reilable and works correctly. Be ready to test out a few to see if they really work as advertised, and expect to give other devices a try to be sure that you get the maximum level of fitness from your effort.

Use a pedometer as part of your overall health and fitness routing - eating right, and strenuous exercise three to five times a week, and in combination you'll find your health improve.