Sure, it feels great to sweat it out at the gym. Those
shiny machines and the cute outfits make fitness fun and glamorous. Unfortunately
for most of us, the gym life isn't enough. The critical element for many
of us is how we spend the other 23½ hours of our day.
Getting 30 minutes of cardio a day is a great step toward
living a healthy life. If only that was sufficient, though! As more and more of
us spend the rest of our day trapped behind a desk, the “incidental exercise”
that we can choose to avoid plays an increasingly important role.
Have you heard of the “10,000 steps”? This is the goal
recommended by the American Heart Association for daily walking. Most of us
take about half that many steps each day. Not good, but how can we improve
that?
Of course, there’s an app for that. Several companies are
offering dedicated devices and/or applications for smart phones that let you
track your daily walking. Many of them offer clever ways to keep you engaged,
like competition with your friends or engaging graphics that chart your progress.
But what really matters is how many times your move your feet, and there’s no
app for that.
Walking 10,000 steps a day isn't really as difficult as
it sounds. There are some easy strategies that can really move you closer to
this goal without requiring more than a change in habits.
Do you work in an office? How about using the printer or
copier that’s further away from your desk? Those trips to get your printouts
can be mini-marathons. How about taking the stairs instead of the elevator to
climb a flight of stairs or two? Maybe take a victory lap around your work
group after you complete a task. Really, any excuse to stand up and take a few
steps can make a difference.
Stuck at home? How about a new policy of always using the
bathroom that’s furthest away from where you are sitting right now? What about
a walk around the block to clear your head after a brutal session of reality
TV? Too cold or rainy to go out? Just march in place during those incessant commercial
breaks and you can accomplish wonders.
Getting your heart going doesn't take a gym full of
equipment. Just change your habits a bit and you will surprise yourself. That
pedometer app on your smartphone will be proud of you!
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