Race ya!

Think you need to join an expensive gym or buy lots of pricey equipment to get yourself in shape? Not according to a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Wearing a pedometer - a basic one usually costs under $10 - may be all you need. In the study, participants increased the amount of physical activity by 27% when they started wearing one and better yet, they experienced significant health gains. They lost body weight and lowered their blood pressure. Setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day was helpful; even if they didn't acheive the goal, they were more likely to increase their activity somewhat.
Try this: Go get a pedometer for everyone in the family. (You can make them your Valentine's Day presents.) Start a contest to see who can get the most steps by the end of each day.
I'm going to try this with my family and I'll keep you posted how we're doing. My four year old is obsessed with races and who can "win" at anything and everything (fastest getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc). He's going to love this challenge!