So I started wearing a pedometer. Some local businesses have started an Eden Prairie Health Challenge, and I took the challenge. Businesses involved include Healthy for Life Family Wellness Chiropractic [1] and Fitness 19. [2]

One of the goals of the challenge is to walk 10,000 steps every day. Other goals include drinking six glasses of water, relaxing for 15 minutes quietly and sleeping for a minimum of seven hours. You get points for the goals you achieve. Read more about the challenge in the Jan. 24 issue of the Eden Prairie News.

On the first day, I started wearing it at about 6 p.m. By 11 p.m. it said I had walked about 300 steps. Not so good. I fear I might have a sedentary lifestyle.

On the second day, I put it on in the morning. By the end of the work day I had walked about 3,500 steps. I thought, "I'll just go take a walk and catch up tonight."

I took my two children in the stroller over to Eden Prairie High School and walked around the track for about 45 minutes. Now the pedometer was at 5,500 steps.

It didn't make it to 10,000 [3] until my husband accidentally put it in the dryer with my pants.

When it came out, it read 10,264. Victory!

Yesterday, it had made about 1,000 when it fell in the toilet. That's one pedometer down. Luckily, I received an extra one.

Hopefully this is more successful next week. Has anyone out there had better luck with a 10,000 steps program?