Working up to 10,000 Steps
Purchase a fitbit or smart watch. Visit an online retailer, sporting goods store, or the electronics section at Walmart. You can purchase a regular pedometer that tracks steps for $15 USD online. You can also purchase a fitness tracking device, like a Fitbit or Garmin, which will keep track of your heart rate and sleeping patterns, too. These devices range from $50 USD to $150 USD online. Regular pedometers clip to your belt or pants and track each time your hip moves up and down. Fitness trackers are often worn on the wrist and double as watches. Many smartphones also have built-in fitness apps that will also count your daily steps. If your phone does not come with a pedometer app, you can download one in your phone's app store.
Track how many steps you take in a regular day. For 2 or 3 days, track the number of steps you typically take without altering your routine. Track how many steps you take on a work day, as well as tracking your steps during the weekend. This will give you a well-rounded portrait of the steps you take in a typical week and show you how much you need to improve.
Buy a pair of comfortable walking shoes. Before increasing your daily walking, it is important to find a pair of shoes that are both comfortable and appropriate for your daily tasks. Wearing supportive footwear will help prevent injury, especially as you begin to increase your walking on a daily basis. If you have a dress code at work, purchase a pair of insoles that you can place in your work shoes to make them more comfortable. If you work from home or do not have a dress code, wear running or jogging shoes.
Increase your walking in small intervals every day. The best way to reach 10,000 steps in a single day is to begin altering your routine to allow for small walking breaks. Begin with adding 300 to 500 steps every day, doing so until you reach your goal of 10,000 steps. Changing your routine in small intervals will make the goal more manageable and allow your body to adapt to the changes.
Log your progress in a journal or virtual tracker. Track the number of steps you take each day in a notebook with detailed descriptions of how you met your goal. Take notes about how much active walking you did in a day, as well as how much of your walking was incidental. Keep close record of the habits that are most comfortable for you so that you can adapt to the changes in your daily routine. Incidental walking is the walking you do in order to accomplish your daily tasks, such as walking from the car to the grocery store, or walking from your desk to the bathroom at work. Active walking is the walking you do when you take time out of your day to gain extra steps, such as going for a walk around your neighborhood or walking on the treadmill.
Increasing Your Incidental Walking
Decide to walk instead of driving short distances. If you are in the habit of driving to your local grocery store or driving your kids to school, changing these habits can make a big impact on your step count. Instead of driving to distances within a mile or 2 of your home or work, walking will add 2,000 to 3,000 steps to your daily tally.
Walk up stairs rather than taking the elevator. Avoiding the elevator during your workweek is a great way to get more steps. If you work or live in buildings with multiple floors, replacing the elevator with the staircase will increase your step count without you having to alter your schedule. The same goes for escalators. Take regular staircases instead whenever you are able.
Visit your coworker's office rather than contacting them through email. With technology, communicating with coworkers has become really simple. Take this opportunity to set down your phone and walk to a coworker's desk. You will gain small amounts of steps every day and enjoy some face-to-face interaction. If you work from home, try taking gifts to your neighbors or walking with a friend during your breaks instead of talking on the phone or texting.
Use the bathroom that is farthest away from you. A great way to add steps to your daily tally is to simply go out of your way during your daily routine. If there is a bathroom up a flight of stairs or on the opposite side of the building, decide to spend the extra time walking. These small changes in your routine will make an impact on your overall step count.
Walk in place while doing stationary tasks. If you sit while talking on the phone or watching television, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to increase your step count. Walking in place or pacing back and forth while you do an otherwise stationary task will increase your step count without you realizing that you are exercising. Consider purchasing a treadmill desk to increase your steps while you work. These walking desks cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 USD.
Go for walks around the office during breaks at work. During your 15-minute breaks from work, make the conscious decision to leave the building and go for a walk outside or simply walk around the office. Downloading podcasts to your phone and listening to them while you walk is a great way to make these walks fun and interesting.
Getting Steps through Active Walking
Set reminders so you don't forget to go for walks. Instead of trying to remember to walk every day, decide on a time that works consistently for you and set an alarm on your phone. Using the alarm app on your phone or the alarm on a clock at home, use this tool to keep you consistent throughout the week. If you do not have a consistent schedule, set your daily alarm every morning once you know when you'll have free time.
Take a walk after your meals. The best time to get extra steps in during your day is after eating, as you will have just spent a good amount of time sitting. By going for a small walk after each meal you will begin to create new, healthy habits. Before you know it, walking after you eat will become second nature. Walking after you eat is also a great way to digest your food quickly, leaving you more prepared for work after the walk.
Take your dog on a walk. Having a dog is a really good way to get in extra steps throughout your week, as they need to be walked consistently. Take your dog for walks around your neighborhood, or take them to a park where you can walk on a loop. Although you shouldn't buy or adopt a dog for this purpose alone, they do make great walking companions. If you've been wanting a dog for reasons other than just having a walking partner, consider visiting a pet shelter or rescue center to find the perfect pet for you.
Go on walks with friends to keep yourself accountable. Recruiting friends for long walks after work or on the weekends will help you get in more steps. Instead of seeing a movie or going out to eat, ask your friends to go on walks around your neighborhood. These walking dates will make you accountable for getting in extra steps at night, and you can walk until you meet your goal. If your friends can't meet in person, try calling a friend or family member who lives out of town and speak with them on the phone while you walk.
Use a treadmill if you live in a hot region. Walking outside in the heat can sometimes be too much during the summer. If it is too hot to walk outside, purchase a treadmill or use one at a gym so you can walk in a comfortable room with air conditioning. You can purchase a used treadmill for around $200 USD online, or get a membership to a gym and pay monthly.
Take up a new sport that involves walking. Sports like hiking, tennis, or golf will significantly increase your weekly step count, especially if you hike long distances or play multiple games of tennis. Find a sport that you enjoy and ask a friend to participate in the sport with you. Sports are a great way to stay active and will help you reach your goal of 10,000 steps a day. If you are golfing, ditch the golf cart and walk from hole to hole to really increase your count.
Comments
0 comment