Walking is considered to be one of the most convenient exercises, however, counting 10,000 steps a day as part of one’s regular activity has apparently been a matter of discussion among fitness experts.
Recently, Genelia Deshmukh shared her smartwatch reading at 20,000 steps on a particular day, while she also mentioned how upping the steps game made her feel good for the day. According to American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) , “Step counts provide a straightforward metric of physical activity, and measuring daily step counts through a physical activity tracker is an easy and accessible way to monitor and set physical activity goals.”
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Benefits of walking those 10k steps a day
Walking 10,000 steps is increasingly becoming a trendy goal as it seems to be achievable for people who do not have that additional time to work out every day. At the risk of sounding cliché, it can also be said that walking 10,000 steps a day has numerous health benefits that include
• Boosting heart and lungs health
• Strengthening bones
• Improving concentration
• Building muscle strength
• Stabilising blood sugar
• Lowering blood pressure
• Improving overall body flexibility
• Boosting energy levels and mood.
As fitness experts and influencers continue to present their observations and insights about following the 10,000 steps formula for weight loss, we would like to figure out sustainable ways to achieve it as a part of one’s daily routine. While people travelling to work can conveniently find ways to increase their step count for the day, it may not be easily achievable for those who are largely homebound owing to any reason.
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How to achieve that 10,000 mark every day?
Some of the convenient ways to add on to you’re the step count on your smartwatch has been enlisted below:
# Skip the lift, take the stairs: Whether you are heading back home from work or going to shop for groceries to the nearby supermarket, prefer the stairs over the lift or elevators. This small shift in lifestyle will add on to your step count. Besides that, taking stairs is another form of light intensity workout that will improve the flexibility of your knees and lower body muscle strength.
# Walk after meals: Walking after meals will not only benefit you physically but will also help you catch up with some quality time with your family, friends, colleagues and immediate neighbours.
# Take a walk break: Our regular coffee or smoke breaks can be replaced with walk breaks. Fitness experts have observed that ten minutes of walk break can add up an additional 1000 steps to your overall step count for the day. So, taking that walk break is worth it.
# Decide on a walking loop: Stay-at-home moms, work from home professionals or those getting homebound during bad weather, can choose to walk at home by deciding on a loop. For instance, one can chose to take short walk breaks and walk from the workspace or kitchen to the balcony multiple times. Doing such exercises at regular intervals is a great way to increase your regular step count.
# Invest on a treadmill desk: Treadmill desks are trending, now that most people are working from home. Imagine the number of hours spent sitting at the workspace. That time could be made little active by replacing the chair with the treadmill. Walking at a slow pace while working can contribute a lot towards that 10,000 figure on your pedometer or smartwatch.
# Depend on public transport: People usually ditch the public transport due to the inconveniences associated with it, however, it is a win-win situation for your overall health and for the environment. If a greater number of people depend on public transport for regular commute, they will essentially log in some numbers of steps. Meanwhile, this initiative will get lesser private transport on roads and will contribute towards a cleaner environment.
The best part about embracing the 10,000 steps exercise every day is, it’s flexible and cheap. The only investment required for this activity is a smartwatch or pedometer. Meanwhile, if you still need some time to invest on one fitness tracker, then you can get started by downloading a fitness tracker app on your phone. So, what are you waiting for? Get started with your 10,000 steps journey!
