Ten Thousand Steps to Better Fitness

By DoItYourself.com Staff

Perhaps you've put on a few pounds. You feel sluggish, tired, less fit than you used to. You want to start exercising, but with your busy schedule, when do you have time? It's possible to get fit without spending hours in the gym or giving up family or fun time. All you need is a simple pedometer and a willingness to change the way you approach exercise.

Simple Equipment
A pedometer is a simple device that you clip to your waistband that counts your steps. At its simplest, that's all it does, and it costs as little as $10. You can purchase others that track miles, calories and time, and keep a history of your workouts. If you like, you can even buy a pedometer that will "talk" to you and cheer you on. Whatever you choose, you'll be paying the most attention to your daily steps.

You'll also need to wear good shoes. Although walking shoes may not be practical for all-day wear, do wear them on your longer walks. Try purchasing dress shoes that offer some arch support and a comfortable heel height. You can also add insoles to make your shoes more comfortable and supportive.

Getting Started
Clip on the pedometer first thing in the morning and wear it until you go to bed, and record your daily steps. That's all you'll do for the first few days. Your goal is to find out how many steps you're currently taking in a day, on average. Be sure to track several typical days, including weekdays and weekends. If you're like most people, this number will be well below your eventual goal of 10,000 steps a day, but don't lose heart.

Increasing Your Steps
After you know about how many steps per day you take, set a goal around 500 steps above that. So, if you're currently walking around 3,200 steps a day, your new goal is 3,700. Spend at least a week at that number of steps before increasing your goal again. If you still feel that it's a strain to reach your goal, work at it another week before increasing. Improving your overall health and fitness is a gradual process, and taking things too quickly can lead to injury, so don't increase more than 500 steps per week.

Below are some easy ways to increase the number of steps you take each day.

1. Walk in place or pace when on the phone.
2. Get up during each commercial and walk around until the television program begins again.
3. Even better, walk in place during the television program.
4. Use a restroom that's farther from your office or on a different floor.
5. Take the stairs.
6. Park farther away than you normally do.
7. Go to people's offices instead of using the phone or e-mail.
8. Take a walk at lunch and then eat at your desk.

Try to spread your walking out as much as possible. You'll find it difficult to continue, and see fewer benefits, if you sit most of the day and then try to work in all your steps at once. So, if your goal is 6,000 steps a day, then you should have completed around 3,000 by early afternoon. Keeping yourself on track throughout the day will help prevent injury and keep you from feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.

Reap the Benefits
Depending on the length of your stride, 10,000 steps is about four or five miles, so reaching that goal is a significant accomplishment. You'll be burning more calories and toning muscle, and both can lead to a trimmer figure. Even better, you'll be getting the cardiovascular exercise that doctors recommend, reducing your chances of a host of health problems.

© Doityourself.com 2006