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During our Better Health series of presentations, the TMBC Better Health Task Force, experimented with several lower priced pedometers and found them to be lacking in accuracy. Currently a group of 10 folks are using the higher pricedOmron HJ-112 and early reports are they are working well. TMBC purchased these 10 pedometers from Amazon.com.
Soon we will test an even higher priced pedometer, the Omron HJ7201ITC which is functionally similar to the HJ112 but with the added feature of an USB connection that enables transferring data to a PC enabled with Omron software tracking long-term progress. We will report results here via the comment feature of the blog.
I found the holster not secure enough for many outside activities (and you may not be aware of when the pedometer pops out). However an alternative is to clip it in a fashion that the belt holds it secure as per the slideshow:
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
About Pedometers
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Link to recent article about pedometers
I have received the Omron HJ-720 ITC pedometer and have used it for three days. I've made the initial upload of data to my PC.
Installing the PC side software was straight forward from the furnished CD. The PC software is designed to monitor both blood pressure and step activity. Omron sells blood pressure devices that would connect to upload blood pressure data. I don't have an Omron blood pressure device, so that side of the software is not being tested.
There are daily (with hourly graph viewable); weekly (with 5 selectable graphs viewable); monthly (with 5 selectable graphs viewable); yearly (with 5 selectable graphs viewable); and total (with 5 selectable graphs viewable) views. Clearly the accumulated data becomes more meaningful over time. The 5 selectable views are:
Steps Graph
Aerobic Walking Time Graph
Calories Graph
Distance Graph
Fat Burned Graph
I'm likely to keep screen on weekly view most of the time. On that view you see data for:
Steps
Aerobic Steps
Aerobic Walking Steps (min.)
Calories (kcal)
Distance (mile)
Fat Burned (g)
These are shown in Weekly; Daily Average; Daily Goal (you determine what your goals are); and Achievement Level with % of goal and frowney/smiley face as appropriate.
Soon I will post a screen representation on the main page.
Following comment will compare this method of "record keeping" with another method of "record keeping" I have been doing for a number of years.
Since March of 2004 I've been using a product called E-Log (acquired through Cooper site but now discontinued) to record my exercise data. E-Log assigns points to data and interpolates the accumulated points into "fitness levels." These Cooper determined fitness levels are:
Superior
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
On the first day of every month everybody starts off at Very Poor even though all of the previously entered data is still available for other reporting. Several things are required in order for E-Log to be effective:
You have to key-enter several pieces of information about the specific exercise you did such as time, distance, maximum heart rate obtained.
That requires you to know distance, laps, etc. achieved which generally means routes have to be measured as to distance.
Starting and ending times have to be noted in some manner.
Additionally, it is possible to forget to enter data or to incorrectly enter data (though the system prompts you when an irrational extreme is entered).
So while I have found the utility useful, I believe it requires too much effort for many folks. Also, if data is being entered from memory one might remember incorrectly.
The Omron HJ-720 ITC, on the other hand, almost effortlessly gets the data from an automated collection source into a database. Since no data is entered by key-stroking, data entry errors are eliminated. Since the user gets to enter their own "goals" their data is being compared to a more realistic standard than the more stringent Cooper standard.
Although I am very early in the utilization of the Omron Health Management Software it appears to be more useful than the E-Log system.
A sample of the uploaded (from the Omron HJ-720 ITC) data is now posted on main page. The Daily Goal numbers are entered by user and can be changed at any time. There are interesting contrasts to the various "views." So far, I find Weekly and Total to present the most useful information.
The benefit of the Omron Health Management Software increases as the amount of data increases. One thing that is becoming clear as my accumulated data grows is that my average daily activity is less than I had supposed.
To the extent others experience is similar, being able to modify the goal is very important. The goal should be set so it is a motivation. If it is too high, then it might become discouragement. If it is too low, it might encourage plateauing more so than improving.
So users should tinker with the goal until their actual comparison to it is a motivation.
While the Omron Health Management Software correctly captures the data from the Omron HJ-720 ITC the convention used to record aerobic steps results in an undercount. The device only logs steps as aerobic upon 10 uninterrupted minutes of steps occurring. Thus when engaged in some kinds of aerobic activities, such as mowing lawns, climbing stairs with interval pauses, etc., the steps are not recorded as aerobic. So although I'm routinely under my aerobic step goal per the Omron Health Management Software, in fact I am likely over it because of the under count.
I've now accumulated a full 30 days of data by the Omron Health Management Software that came with the Omron HJ-7201 ITC Pedometer.
I can now assert that averaging 10,000 steps per day is not a simple or easy feat. As I engage in other types of exercise not captured by a pedometer, such as swimming, I set my goal at 7,500 steps. To reach 99% of that goal I frequently parked at furthest point away while visiting public places.
I didn't actually miss the Aerobic Step Goal by as much as it appears as the device cannot capture activities such as mowing, leaf gathering, stair climbing as aerobic unless engaged in for 10 or more uninterrupted minutes.
For the record, even though I was close on calorie burn rate (94%) and fat burn rate (94%) I managed to GAIN three pounds in December.
Rather than trying to take those pounds off suddenly, I am going to revert to more normal eating pattern and more frequent 4-mile walks than December.
Stay tuned for result to be reported at end of January, 2008.
The Omron data for January, 2008, has been posted. I averaged more daily steps and more aerobic steps in January and December in spite of being inactive on January 25, 26, 27, and 28 due to sore throat, nasal congestion, and feeling lousy. Playing basketball with grand children and swimming are not included in the captured data. I dropped the three December pounds.
Based on what is required to "average" 7,500 or more daily steps, I expect there would have to be lots of 15,000 step days to "average" 10,000 daily step as there will routinely be several days in most months with low step counts.
The Omron works very well.
Omron HJ-720 ITC data for first four months of 2008 is now being displayed. A montly chart will sometimes indicate a day with no or almost no steps. Apparently the upload software sometimes gets confused regarding dates when the upload time is close to the roll over of a 24 hour period time. Sometimes the steps appear to be recorded, but on the wrong day and sometimes they seem to be missed altogether.
However capturing so much data, displayed in a meaningful manner, so effortlessly is a very positive function.
As stated previously, my "perception" of how many days I walk 10,000 or more steps exceeds my actual performance. The cumulative charting keeps me on task.
Recently I discovered that the Omron warning not to get your pedometer wet (they say don't touch it with wet hands) is well founded. Mine fell into the river while unloading a SeaDoo into the river. I couldn't retrieve it immediately, but did as soon as the SeaDoo was stable in the water. I took it apart and dried it with a hair dryer. But it did not work. After returning to Greenville, I changed the battery and it work, though not correctly, briefly and then stopped again. On my next pedometer I will attached the safety string and clip :-)
I've posted my February 2009 Monthly Step Record and added a new link (see sidebar) entitled "Should You Walk 10,000 Steps A Day." As you can see (click to enlarge, back to return) I did not achieve my goal of 10,000 daily steps for February, but nevertheless got smiley faces for achieving over 75% of my set goal. I should note that I am not actually walking for "weight loss" but for weight and health maintenance and to better understand what is required to average 10,000 daily steps.
As previously noted, pedometers do not correctly capture steps when doing such activities as Line Dancing or mowing lawns due to the frequent changes in direction. So on 4 of the days I had significantly more steps than indicated. Similarly my pedometer does not record those steps as aerobic because failing its convention of treating 10 or more uninterrupted minutes as being aerobic.
Also note that some type of malfunction happened on February 21 ... though that was not a high step day for me it was more than recorded. So, in fact, I am nearer my goals than the chart indicates .... but nevertheless short.
My point being that I tried really hard during February and still came up short. Being mostly retired I have far more discretion than most folks. As a leader of Better Health initiatives I am also more motivated. For March I am making a couple of adjustments. I am adding more 8 mile days and changing my basic route on normal days to be 5 miles instead of 4. I do believe that actually achieving an average of 10,000 daily steps will result in weight loss for most folks. The problem is that most folks who walk 10,000 steps on some days are likely only averaging 5,000. Mentally they think they are doing more than they are ... and consequently can become discouraged regarding weight loss.
On the first 4 days of March 2009, I have finally achieved my goal levels .... but only by a herculean effort on March 3 and 4. Most people cannot commit two hours a day for two straight days ... yet that is what it took to offset the below 3K steps on March 1 and 2.
Anyway, now that my average is at goal level I'm going to extend my regular walk to 5 miles and upload again at the end of March.
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