Everyone on some level knows that they really need to find time for some exercise 4 or 5 days a week. But making the time when there is work and things to be done at home, well, it just doesn’t seem to fit neatly into your day.
Walking for Health
Walking fitness is the most natural workout plan anyone can have. Everyone should try to walk on the average of 10,000 steps a day. Most people are only getting between 1,000 and 3,000, which is a long ways from 10,000. The further you can walk the more calories you can burn and the healthier you’ll feel. It is also a great low impact exercise on your knees.
Walking can help prevent many diseases and help relieve stress. Stress is not good for anyone, especially if you’re over 40. Walking is easy too. We can add steps to our daily routine and not even notice that we’re doing.
Tracking is Everything
Get yourself a pedometer and attach it to your clothing the first thing when you get up in the morning. Before climbing back into bed that night look and see how many steps, you took that day. This will tell you how serious it is that you get started on a walking fitness plan to better health. Having a healthy lifestyle helps you avoid and prevent conditions like blood dyscrasia.
If you have a smart phone (and who doesn’t these days), there is more than likely an app already on your phone that tracks your steps. Or check your App store – there are many free alternatives. Here’s a few:
IPhone: There is a standard app called Health. It comes with the IOS.
Samsung Galaxy: Samsung Health is already installed.
From App stores – I personally use Run Keeper for tracking my runs, bike rides and even walks with my family. Otherwise, you can download apps like Pedometer by Pacer Health, Google Fit, and many more.
Change Your Outlook on Walking and Exercise
I make it a game or self challenge. Every day I try to beat the previous day’s steps. I may not always achieve that goal, but it makes me at least try.
You might have to make a few changes in your life style but what better reason to change than to make your life healthier and happier. Start thinking how you can add steps to increasing your walking time.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. If you travel and stay in hotels, use the stairs whenever you can.
- Spend some time with the children and go for a walk with them and the dog (if you have one).
- Set the clock 15 minutes earlier in the mornings and walk around the house while the children are still sleeping.
- Instead of piling the children into the car to go get a loaf of bread, three blocks down the street pull them in their little red wagon. You’ll be walking and they can have fun at the same time.
- If you commute to and from work by bus have them, let you off a few blocks from home and walk them instead of riding.
- Instead of taking the children to the park so they can play and you sit and watch, take them to the zoo and walk around there with them.
There are many ways to add steps to that pedometer. Some of these apps now have the ability to record your heart rate, blood pressure, calories burned, steps you’ve walked and will save them for a certain amount of time. When it comes to your health, do anything you can to make it better and walking is the best.
Be creative and find new ways to add steps – and fun – to your walking. Make it interesting for the whole family or just with the group or a friend. Take time out for yourself and go shopping with your friend to the mall for lunch.
Soon you’ll be walking your 10,000 steps a day and won’t even notice. Your energy will be going up and you’ll be more active adding more steps.
And – you just might find your waist line shrinking 😉
