Tips to get your steps in.
These devices come programmed with a goal of 10,000 steps per day, a number said to help reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and more. And while that number may be easy to hit on gym days, it can be difficult on others. The good news: By making a few small changes in your daily routine, you, too, can clear that hurdle.
Why 10,000?
The 10,000 step goal is endorsed by the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for helping keep you fit and warding off disease. But you don't have to act like a wind-up toy, tackling it in one fell swoop. "In fact, attaining 10,000 steps in smaller increments throughout the day may be more manageable than trying to complete 10,000 steps in one go at the gym," says Chris Jordan, director of exercise physiology for Johnson & Johnson and author of "The 7 Minute Workout." Anything you can do to avoid prolonged sitting will benefit your health, he says.
Walk to work.
If your goal is to increase your steps, start by walking to work, Jordan says. If that’s not possible – rural and suburbanites take note – simply getting off the bus a stop earlier or parking your car a little farther from your destination can boost your step count, with little extra effort from you. “Take every opportunity to get up and active,” he says.
Take the stairs, not the elevator.
Once you set foot inside your office building, don’t immediately hop on the elevator, says Lee Jordan, a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. Make a beeline for the stairs, and use them when you leave for the day as well. Bonus: You might even get out of the building faster. “Most people at the office use an elevator, so the steps are usually empty,” he says. “People underestimate how good a workout step climbing is.”
Take a break.
Don’t just sit at your desk all day, Lee Jordan says. Sitting all day isn't a recipe for good health, so make sure to take a break. While you're at it, rack up some numbers on your tracker as well. “Take a break during your day, and go walk up and down a flight of stairs,” he says. “It only takes a few minutes, but the benefits are huge.
Break it up.
Trying to get 10,000 steps is a difficult task, no matter how you slice it. But if you tackle it in smaller chunks, you might find it less daunting, Chris Jordan says. “Aim for 2,000 steps before work, 2,000 midmorning, 2,000 at lunch, 2,000 midafternoon and 2,000 in the evening,” he says. “It will make hitting your goal much easier.”
Don’t rush in.
Just because your fitness tracker is telling you to hit 10,000 steps doesn't mean you should, Chris Jordan says. Trying to do too much too quickly can backfire and cause physical injuries. “If you are not currently exercising, aiming for 5,000 or even 2,500 steps a day may be more appropriate,” he says. “This is more than you currently are doing and will be beneficial over the long term. When it becomes easy, you can progress gradually to 7,500, then 10,000 steps a day and so on.”
Remind yourself why you walk.
We all have them – days when we'd rather do anything but move around. When those days strike, remind yourself of your goals. “Ask yourself why you are trying to be more physically active,” Chris Jordan says. “Connecting to a bigger purpose, whether it’s trying to be healthy, increasing your quality of life or trying to be a positive role model for your children can be a powerful source of motivation.”
The 10,000 step goal is endorsed by the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for helping keep you fit and warding off disease. But you don't have to act like a wind-up toy, tackling it in one fell swoop. "In fact, attaining 10,000 steps in smaller increments throughout the day may be more manageable than trying to complete 10,000 steps in one go at the gym," says Chris Jordan, director of exercise physiology for Johnson & Johnson and author of "The 7 Minute Workout." Anything you can do to avoid prolonged sitting will benefit your health, he says.
Walk to work.
If your goal is to increase your steps, start by walking to work, Jordan says. If that’s not possible – rural and suburbanites take note – simply getting off the bus a stop earlier or parking your car a little farther from your destination can boost your step count, with little extra effort from you. “Take every opportunity to get up and active,” he says.
Take the stairs, not the elevator.
Once you set foot inside your office building, don’t immediately hop on the elevator, says Lee Jordan, a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. Make a beeline for the stairs, and use them when you leave for the day as well. Bonus: You might even get out of the building faster. “Most people at the office use an elevator, so the steps are usually empty,” he says. “People underestimate how good a workout step climbing is.”
Take a break.
Don’t just sit at your desk all day, Lee Jordan says. Sitting all day isn't a recipe for good health, so make sure to take a break. While you're at it, rack up some numbers on your tracker as well. “Take a break during your day, and go walk up and down a flight of stairs,” he says. “It only takes a few minutes, but the benefits are huge.
Break it up.
Trying to get 10,000 steps is a difficult task, no matter how you slice it. But if you tackle it in smaller chunks, you might find it less daunting, Chris Jordan says. “Aim for 2,000 steps before work, 2,000 midmorning, 2,000 at lunch, 2,000 midafternoon and 2,000 in the evening,” he says. “It will make hitting your goal much easier.”
Don’t rush in.
Just because your fitness tracker is telling you to hit 10,000 steps doesn't mean you should, Chris Jordan says. Trying to do too much too quickly can backfire and cause physical injuries. “If you are not currently exercising, aiming for 5,000 or even 2,500 steps a day may be more appropriate,” he says. “This is more than you currently are doing and will be beneficial over the long term. When it becomes easy, you can progress gradually to 7,500, then 10,000 steps a day and so on.”
Remind yourself why you walk.
We all have them – days when we'd rather do anything but move around. When those days strike, remind yourself of your goals. “Ask yourself why you are trying to be more physically active,” Chris Jordan says. “Connecting to a bigger purpose, whether it’s trying to be healthy, increasing your quality of life or trying to be a positive role model for your children can be a powerful source of motivation.”