Ten thousand is a big number: 10,000 miles, $10,000, 10,000 years — 10,000 of anything is a heck of a lot. The goal of taking 10,000 steps in a day roughly equates to 4 to 5 miles of walking, and appears to be a daunting goal for the majority of Americans.
If you have a desk job, chances are it’s a struggle for you to meet the recommended 10,000 steps a day without consciously making time to go for a walk. But if, on the other hand, your job requires a lot of moving about, you could find yourself doing well above the recommended amount. Given that, as a society, we spend a significant portion of our waking hours in sedentary pursuits, we need a focused plan to achieve the 10,000 steps a day goal.
Here is a simple guide to gradually increasing your daily steps. I call it the “20 percent to 10,000” program. Follow it, and you’ll reach 10,000 steps a day in no time.
Week One
First, invest in a pedometer or an activity-tracking device. Measure the number of steps you take each day in a typical week. Do not change your daily routine to try to walk more than usual. Record the number of steps you’ve taken in a journal and note if anything encouraged you to take more steps (say, walking to work) or fewer steps (like an all-day meeting). Total your number of steps for the week and divide by seven. This will yield your average number of steps per day and serve as your baseline starting point.
Week Two (and Beyond)
Your goal is to gradually boost your average daily steps by 20 percent. To do so, multiply the average number of steps you took in week one by 1.2. The result is your goal for the number of daily steps you should take during week two. For example, if you averaged 6,000 steps a day in week one, try for 7,200 steps a day in week two, since 6,000 times 1.2 equals 7,200. Continue increasing your average number of weekly steps by 20 percent until you reach the goal of 10,000 steps per day.
How you reach your goal is up to you, but you may find you need to be creative and intentional in looking for opportunities to move more. Need some help? Here are 20 small ways to take more steps throughout your day:
— Park your car away from the entrance when shopping, running errands or going to dinner.
— Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator whenever possible.
— Go window shopping to get some extra steps.
— Walk your kids to school or the bus stop rather than driving them.
— Play tag, hopscotch or some other childhood game with your kids.
— Skip the drive-thru at Starbucks and walk into the store to get your java.
— March or pace during the commercial breaks when watching TV.
— Instead of meeting a friend for lunch, plan an hour walk or hike during your break.
— Skip the cart return area in the grocery store parking lot and walk the shopping cart back into the store.
— Hold walking meetings at work whenever possible.
— Instead of sitting, walk around while watching your child’s sporting events.
— Go for a walk with a friend instead of meeting for coffee.
— Walk to a co-worker’s office instead of emailing or calling.
— Take your dog for a walk instead of letting him out in the yard.
— Take a walk on your lunch break.
— Wear a headset and pace during phone calls.
— Wear comfortable shoes at work — research shows you’ll move more.
— Go for an after-dinner stroll.
— Take the baby or kids for a ride in the stroller or wagon.
— March or pace while brushing your teeth.
Still not meeting your goal — even though you’re active? Activities other than walking, jogging or running that don’t readily lend themselves to easy tracking by a pedometer count too — you just have to do your best to reasonably estimate steps. For example, exercising on gym equipment, biking, swimming and playing tennis may not get picked up by your basic pedometer, but can be translated into steps to meet your goal. Any activity that burns approximately 100 calories is the equivalent of walking 2,000 steps. For most people, that means moderate intensity exercise for 15 to 20 minutes. Regardless of your activity preferences, commit to moving more (stand rather than sit, walk rather than stand, jog rather than walk, etc.) and you’ll be well on your way to 10,000 steps a day.
More from U.S. News
The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life
Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps Per Day
Osteoarthritis and Activity: Walking It Out
A Simple Way to Reach 10,000 Steps a Day originally appeared on usnews.com
