Setting aside some time to go for a 45
minute walk isn’t always easy. We all live busy lives and between family and
work, fitting in a workout isn’t always possible. What if I told you that you
didn’t have to dedicate a set block of time for your walking workouts? What if
you could get the same health benefits by working in a little more activity
here and there throughout your day? And what if there was a fun little gadget
that helped you keep track of it and motivated you to move more?
There is and it’s called a pedometer. You
can pick up an inexpensive model at your local super store or order it from
Amazon. Or you can go with something a little fancier like a Fitbit for
example. But before you head out to spend any money, check your smart phone.
Many models have a pedometer built in. All you need to do is download a free
app and you’re good to go.
The pedometer will track how many steps you
take on any given day. It will also track how many minutes you’ve spent being
active and how many miles you’ve walked. In other words, it keeps track of how
much exercise you get during your day. And the good news is that it doesn’t
matter if you head out after work for a 45 minute walk, or if you work out in
little spurts here and there throughout the day. Maybe you start your day by parking
a little further away from the office and walking a couple of hundred extra
steps. Then you take a quick stroll during your lunch break. You wrap up your
day by walking around the park while your kids play. And just like that you’ve
gotten your exercise in without having to block out any additional time.
Give it a try. Put on a pedometer, or start
tracking with that phone you’re always carrying around anyway and see how much
you’re walking around any given day. From there, try to get a little more active
as time goes by until you hit your stepping goal. For most of us 10,000 steps
per day is a good long term goal, but if you’re feeling more ambitious than
that, go for it.
Keeping track of your steps is very
motivating. Looking at your pedometer and realizing you’re 2,000 steps away from
your daily goal may be just the motivation you need to head out for that after
dinner stroll.
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