One simple tool to help people measure activity levels is a pedometer. These devices measure how many steps a person takes during the day. The average person walks about 3,000 steps a day. Health experts recommend walking at least 10,000 steps a day to lose weight. By using a pedometer, consumers can determine how many steps they are taking and look for ways to increase opportunities for walking. Pedometers are simple to use, but not a very accurate measure of total activity because they don’t record stationary activities.
A more complex technology for measuring calorie burn rate is a metabolic device. There are several different types of metabolic devices available. One is a portable armband, called SenseWear®. SenseWear uses an accelerometer, or instrument that measures movement and stationary activity and sensors to measure skin temperature, galvanic skin response (a measure of electrical resistance of the skin) and heat flux (a measure of the amount of heat transferred to the skin from the blood, like when activity is increased). The information from the device is used to provide an accurate measure of calories burned and the amount and level of physical activity. Ard says the device also provides a measurement of sleep duration and sleep efficiency. This is important because poor sleep quality can have a negative effect on weight loss efforts.
According to Ard, the information from the SenseWear is stored in the device and can be loaded daily onto a tracking website. Patients also use the site to keep track of the foods they eat. He can monitor the site to assess a client’s nutritional status, calorie intake and energy expenditure.
Ard recommends metabolic devices, like the SenseWear for patients who are having trouble losing weight, those who have hit a weight loss plateau and patients who need help finding a balance between calorie intake and physical activity needs. He says one mistake people make in trying to lose weight is in restricting too many calories. That increases hunger and leads the body to slow its metabolism to conserve energy. Metabolic devices help clients to establish healthier eating and exercise patterns by allowing a person to balance more accurately their food choices with their activity levels.
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