Would you like to fit more walking into your schedule? If so, a few creative suggestions will help you do that. Perhaps you want to shed a few pounds in time for bathing suit season, or maybe you just want to become healthier in general by building your cardiovascular endurance. Walking is an excellent vehicle for achieving either of those goals.
Do We Really Need 10,000 Steps Per Day?
Some healthcare experts recommend that healthy, able-bodied people take 10,000 steps per day, which equal about 5 miles. But, what makes 10,000 the lucky number for walking? The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity explained, “Normative data indicates that healthy adults typically take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps per day, and that 10,000 steps per day is reasonable for this population, although there are notable ‘low active populations’.” Also, BBC News reported, “Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recommends ‘a daily walk of 8,000 to 10,000 steps.’ The UK National Obesity Forum says that a person who walks between 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day qualifies as ‘moderately active’.” To find out exactly how many steps per day you personally need, consult a general physician or a physiotherapist.
How to Fit More Walking Into Your Schedule
No matter how much physical activity your body needs, if you’re anything like the rest of us, you probably don’t walk enough. This is easily remedied. No doubt you’re tired of being given obvious step-increasing suggestions like “park farther away from the grocery store” and “take the stairs instead of the elevator.” Sometimes such ‘tried-and-true’ tips aren’t all that effective. Below you’ll find some novel ideas for fitting more walking into your schedule:
- Take a walk during your child’s sports practice.
- Make a tradition of taking a 20-minute walk each night after dinner. This will help your body regulate your blood sugar. Try to get your family members to join you.
- “Wander the room while chatting on the phone,” wrote staff at The Huffington Post.
- Pinpoint obstacles that prevent you from walking more so that you can discover solutions. For example, do you avoid walking because you are afraid to walk alone? If so, ask a neighbor or friend who wants to become more fit to walk with you.
- If someone works on the same floor as you, speak to him or her in person instead of sending an email.
- Dress in comfortable clothing and wear comfortable shoes. This increases the likelihood of your getting more steps in each day. Forbes staff wrote, “If you need to have more fashionable shoes, keep them at work and commute wearing sneakers.”
Make Walking a Priority
There is no shortage of ways to walk more each day. Regardless of how you do it, make fitting more walking into your schedule a priority.
Can you think of some creative ways to fit more walking into your schedule? Share your thoughts with us in the section below.