step counter

It's a great idea for anyone of any age to start making sure they are moving enough in a single day. A good way to do that is to track the actual steps you take in a day with a pedometer. The current recommended amounts are: 10,000 steps for active adults, 6-12 year old girls need 12,000 steps and 6-12 year old boys need 15,000 steps.

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes has gotten on board to this idea and is now encouraging kids to start being more mentally active in their own health, by getting them to be more physically active in their own lives. A free (my favorite word) step counter featuring Tony the Tiger inside specially-marked packages of Frosted Flakes cereal allows kids to track their daily steps. Your child can attach it to a belt or waistband and count every single step they take. Like most free pedometers, it may not be 100% accurate, but it is a fun way to get kids to think about health issues early on.

Don't have kids? Use it for yourself! Not into having Tony the Tiger on your fitness gadgets? Then maybe it's time to splurge on your own adult pedometer (that really works).

You don't need to run marathons or do an hour of ab exercises a day to keep fit. Walking is easy, low-impact, and can be done anywhere, anytime, with anyone.

Basically, you should be taking 6,000 steps a day for health and 10,000 for weight-loss. Wear a Pedometer to count your steps. They're around $30 or less and can be easily concealed in your pocket. If you're trying to ditch extra pounds, aim for a daily walk of 6,000 uninterrupted steps.

Here's my pick: I like the one made by Sportline. It not only counts your steps, but you can also keep track of your distance and calories burned.

FitsTips: Wear your pedometer from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. Keep a Pedometer Journal and write down your steps. Figure out when during your day you can get more steps in.