I started wearing a Pedometer about a month ago and was absolutely shocked with how inactive I can be some days. I thought I was a fairly active person but realized that having a car has dramatically reduced my daily activity level.

It’s recommended that you try to take a least 10,000 steps a day, according the New Lifestyles pedometer website. For those of you who drive to work, have a sedentary job, and who don’t spend a lot of time outdoors, achieving this many steps a day can be challenging.

A recent study conducted by the University of Tennessee proves just how important regular exercise and movement can be to your weight and overall health. The study examined the lifestyle habits of those in an old Amish community who live in Southern Ontario. The community doesn’t have the luxury of cars, processed foods, and television sets. They live like our good old-fashioned ancestors.  They walk everywhere and prepare their own food - shocking!

The researchers had 96 individuals wear a pedometer for one week. The participants were asked to record their daily activity levels and steps taken each day. At the end of the week the average steps taken for males was 18,425 steps a day and 14, 916 steps per day for women. When the BMI’s were calculated only 25% of men and 27% of women were classified as overweight and 9% of the women were considered obese.

It makes sense. The Amish typically follow a diet that is void of simple sugars and processed ingredients. Most of their choices are natural and fresh. They may not spend time sweating it out at the gym but get their daily exercise from walking and working at labor-intensive jobs.

The bottom line is being active and following a balanced diet are the only ways you can successfully take and keep the weight off. If you haven’t already done so, why don’t you get a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take each day. Are you walking at least 10,000 steps?