Did you know that experts recommend walking 10,000 steps a day? While that may sounds daunting, hitting just 8,000 steps a few times a week can still do wonders for your health! Many people find it challenging to increase their daily step count or simply aren’t aware of how much they are moving. The secret lies in staying active and keeping your body in motion throughout the day. Here are some tips to step up your daily step count and improve your overall wellness and mood.
Track Your Daily Steps
Consider using a fitness tracker to monitor your daily step count. You might be surprised by how many you are already racking up. The average adult walks between 4,000 to 5,000 steps each day, so why not challenge yourself to increase that number by 500 steps or more? This small adjustment can move you closer to the recommended 8,000 to 10,000 steps and improve your health. Use the Sworkit app in conjunction with your fitness tracker to count your steps and see your stats right on the home screen.
Utilize Your Lunch Break
Go for a quick walk during your lunch break. If the weather’s inclement, you can walk around inside the office. You can enlist a buddy or walk to your favorite lunch joint as motivation. Spending your lunch break outside also helps improve your mood and breaks up the day. Need something to listen to while on your walk at work? Try this Mindfulness at Work meditation session to give your brain a break and restore your energy.
Take the Stairs
When possible, take the stairs rather than riding an elevator or escalator. Climbing stairs is a good workout on its own and will help improve your cardiovascular health. It also saves energy.
Walk During Calls or Meetings
When you meet with somebody, suggest a walking meeting to help both of you get and stay fit. If you’re on an extended phone call, walk or pace rather than sit down. We spend a lot of time in meetings or on the phone, so you can easily get your step count up. It can also help you stay engaged with what you’re doing.
Park Further Away
Just parking a row or two further away from the store or office can add a good number of extra steps. Bonus point: It will probably be easier to park where there are fewer other people.
Move Every Hour
Set a timer to remind yourself to get up and move for a few minutes every hour. This reduces the health costs of sitting and helps you improve your productivity, focus, and energy. Set a reminder in Sworkit to be notified daily to complete a workout and get up and move!
Set Step Goals
Strive for 10,000 a day, or break it up and go for 3,000 before work. Tailor your step goals to fit your daily activities and personal fitness objectives. Recent studies have shown that 8,000 most days is a good goal if 10,000 feels overwhelming. If you are starting at a lower step count, take a gradual approach to increase your goals. Maybe start with a goal of 2,000 steps and gradually work your way up to 5,000. Begin by increasing your daily step count by 100 steps at a time to remain steady, consistent, and less overwhelmed. Remember to progress at your own pace and be kind to yourself—change takes time!
Incorporate Walking Into Daily Tasks
Those steps you take during yard work count. Plan your tasks to increase the amount of walking you do during chores. Doing things a little less efficiently, such as retrieving fewer items at a time, can easily boost your step count.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Good shoes will encourage you to walk and make walking more pleasurable. If your office has a dress code, wear sneakers and change only when you get there. If it’s in your budget, get more expensive walking shoes and go to a shoe fitter to get custom insoles to make your shoes even better.
Grab a Friend
Walking with a friend, coworker, or partner helps keep you accountable and makes walking more fun. You can have all those conversations you’ve been trying to squeeze in and get fit at the same time. Or you can get a four-legged friend. Dogs need to be walked and they are great accountability partners. If having a dog in your life isn’t practical right now, dog shelters often need volunteers to come walk the rescue pooches.
Getting your step count up is one of the easiest ways to improve your physical and mental health. Sworkit has fitness tracker functions to help you walk more and incorporate it into your overall wellness routine.
Comment section