How To Walk 10,000 Steps A Day

Walking 10,000 steps a day has been adopted as the gold standard to improve fitness, but unfortunately, there aren’t any studies to prove it true. Some studies say that walking 7,000 steps a day is just as beneficial. When you set a goal to walk 10k steps, you’re normally committing to increasing your activity level and that’s what is important. You can also boost the benefits you receive from walking by modifying your intensity level between high-intensity and recovery, which turns it into a HIIT—high intensity interval training—workout.

How can you boost the number of steps you take each day?

If your stride and pace are average, you’d take 3500 steps every hour, so you’d have to walk about three hours to fit in 10,000 steps a day. It isn’t impossible, since you don’t have to do all those steps at once. Most people average about 3,500 to 4,000 steps normally, without adding extra steps. Consider options like parking further from the store and walking or walking to lunch to add a few extra steps. If you’re ambitious, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

If you have a sedentary job, walking more isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Studies have determined that sitting too long is just as bad as smoking and you need to get up and move at least once an hour. If you have a sedentary job, set the timer on your phone to ring once an hour. When it signals you that time is up. Stand up, move around and pace a bit near your desk. You’ll clear your head and be more efficient, while boosting the number of steps you take. If you have to take a bathroom break, go to the furthest bathroom from your location to add even more steps.

Make waiting-time, pacing-time.

If you’re waiting in line, do a little pacing. If you feel self-conscious, let the person behind you know your paces are steps you’re accumulating. Do you stand in front of the microwave waiting for cold coffee to heat? Don’t watch that cup rotate but walk around the kitchen instead. If you’re watching TV make a commercial break a time to get in extra steps by walking in place.

• Walk with friends. If friends are starting fitness regimens, instead of stopping for a drink after work, go for a long walk in the park.
• You’ll boost your steps and keep your house neater if you get up immediately and put items away right after you’re done using them. You can even vacuum or dust more frequently to boost the number of steps you take.
• If walking bores you, dance instead. Turn on the music and get your feet moving. One study found that pedometers did accurately count steps when dancing and it’s a lot more fun.
• Walking is a starting point for fitness, but you also need other types of exercise. You need flexibility, strength and balance training. You also need upper body training, since walking focuses on lower body strength.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio