The focus on exercise and health seems to be everywhere.  Turn on the news or a talk show and and it’s likely you’ll hear a segment that is health-related.  Even reality television has gotten into the act. The show The Biggest Loser has been at the forefront in helping viewers realize that there is an obesity problem in this country and we need to do something about it.  Admittedly, gyms and exercise classes are not for everyone for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the expense.  I am happy to tell you, there is an alternative. It costs NOTHING, except a little time.  Walking!

Think about it. Walking is second nature to most of us. How many steps do you take in an average day? Two thousand? Five thousand? Fifteen thousand? Yesterday I walked about fourteen thousand steps.  That was a pretty busy day for me.  I took a stroll up and down Main Street a couple of times—to the post office and to lunch.  I also did an additional 30 minutes purely for the cardio benefits.

Researchers have set 10,000 as the magic number of steps the average person should walk each day in order to achieve maximum health benefits.  This equates to about 5 miles.  Unfortunately, the average sedentary person walks about 1,000 to 3,000 steps per day.  This is easy to understand. Our jobs are less active. Sitting at a desk for eight to ten hours a day has become the norm.  Instead of taking what is available, though further away, we will drive around a parking lot for five minutes trying to find a spot that is four spots closer than the one that is open.  We sit on the couch when we get home from work instead of walking the dog or playing in the backyard with the kids. And the kids have become accustomed to spending hours in front of the TV or playing video games. It has become an alarming trend that will impact their health when they reach adulthood.

I encourage you to start walking! To track how many steps you take in a day, purchase a pedometer. It is inexpensive and serves a valuable purpose.  Put it on in the morning when you wake up and take it off before you go to bed.  Track your progress in a journal.  If you daily total is lower than 10,000 steps, make an effort to increase it by 500 and continue to increase your total gradually.

You can:

1.  Walk your dog around the block. 

2.  Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. 

3.  Park your car farther away from the store and walk. 

4.  Walk to the mailbox or to pick up the paper instead of using your car. 

5.  Get up to change the channel on the television instead of the remote.

I am challenging you to STEP IT UP!  Get out there and walk 10,000 steps a day. I know I will! I invite you to take the challenge and join me.

 

Stay Healthy

Nic DeCaire