Someone told me once if you wanted to really lose weight that you needed to walk 10,000 steps a day. OMG – that is about five miles!! When I was at my sickest … I could barely make it from my bed to the living room … I think that was only 60 steps. I am doing better now (in spite of bad knees) and have worked up to 30-45 minutes without having to stop and rest. But still … that is a long way from 10,000 steps.
There are some good reasons for walking beside weight loss. According to The American Heart Association, it is a great way to prevent and treat heart disease and the risk factors that lead to heart disease. Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise it also helps in preventing osteoporosis. When I was depressed my doctor suggested that instead of just sitting around feeling bad, I should go for a nice walk. Between the exercise, getting outside and enjoying the beautiful scenery, I found that my depressive mood was definitely lifted even after a short walk.
At this year’s Isagenix Celebration, my hubby bought me a pedometer. I have been trying to hit the magic mark of 10,000 steps since then … but it just ain’t happening!!! L
1. Get a pedometer: (Okay, I’ve done that!). The reason this is important, beside keeping track of your steps, is that it keeps you mindful of your goal. One of the suggestions that the Shine article made was to get pedometers for the whole family (or your walking group) and have a friendly competition to see who gets in the most steps each day!!) Making it a game makes it seem more like fun and less like work if you ask me!!
2. Check your progress: Check the pedometer several times during the day. If you get to your first coffee break and you are not up to 2,000 steps yet, you might want to take a couple of laps around the building instead of sitting down for a fattening latte (wow … that is two good things!) If you are heading home after work and notice you are still below 7,000 steps, you need to think quickly if you have any errands you can run (or more precisely “walk”) before you get home. If not, how about walking the dog or doing a trip around the park with the kids. (This is when a crockpot comes in handy so you don’t have to worry about fixing dinner right away when you get home).
3. Walk your kids to school: If they are not in high school it can be a really great bonding time for you and the munchkins. If they are in high school, forget it!! They wouldn’t be caught dead having a parent escorting them to school. The walk home gives you time to run errands, have time to plan out the rest of the day, or just have a peaceful time for yourself. All these activities will add steps to your meter and a smile to your face!
4. Work drop-ins: If you are at work, get up to see a colleague instead of texting them, emailing them, calling them or instant messaging them. Have a walking meeting instead of a phone call. Talking face-to-face is almost a lost art. Walking over to someone’s desk to actually speak to them will be a shock for them I am sure, but it might catch on. Think of how much healthier everyone would be if it did.
5. Skip the elevator: Walk up and down stairs instead of using the elevator. If you have bad knees like me, take the elevator up, and then use the steps to walk back down to the ground floor. Too many floors to walk? Break it up. Take the stairs up one flight and then take the elevator the rest of the way. When that gets easy, walk up two levels before taking the elevator. Keep adding flights until you can easily make it to the top. If you are a real adventurer, try doing this more than once a day.
6. Park farther away: This is my hubby’s favorite trick. I have a disability parking placard for my car, and yet he decides to take the furthest parking space he can find. I used to get all huffy about it, but now I just think of it as an easy way to get more steps in. If you take the bus or tram to work, get off a stop or two early and then walk the rest of the way. Walking is a nice way to clear your mind in the morning and you’ll be ready to sit behind your desk the rest of the day.
7. Browse more: I used to say that my favorite exercise was “power shopping.” I loved to go to the store and walk up and down the aisles looking at everything they sold. It was a lot of fun. You don’t have to spend money, and you still get the fun of shopping. My hubby and I also mall walk or aisle walk when the weather is bad outside. We both enjoy it even though the cashiers keep wondering if we are ever going to buy anything.
Well there are seven easy ways to get more steps on your pedometer. I am going to try them out starting tomorrow morning. I know that you have to make a plan and then work it. Being mindful of your goal will help you reach it. As you are walking, think about how good you are going to feel as you get ready for bed and see that you really did accomplish 10,000 steps.
Happy Walking – Let me know how you do!
