10 EASY Ways to Reach 10,000 Steps A Day
Before we dive into how you can reach 10,000 steps a day, let’s look at where this idea originated from. Amazingly enough, the concept of 10,000 steps was first created in Japan as a way to sell step counters in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Nevertheless, studies have found increasing your step count per day is incredibly beneficial to your mental and physical health, and since 10,000 steps is around 5 miles, doing this daily is a great start in feeling and seeing results.
The Benefits of Walking
What are some of these benefits?
Strengthens the heart
Improves mental well-being
Encourages weight loss (if paired with a healthy diet)
Decreases anxiety and depression
Reduce stress and tension
Increases energy levels
Boosts immune function
10 Simple Hacks to Reaching 10,000 Steps a Day
To do 10,000 steps a day seems like a large and in some cases impossible amount. However, when you become aware of your daily habits, incorporating more steps into your routine is easier than ever.
Here are a few ways to increase your step count and reach 10,000 steps a day:
Walk around the block in the mornings and evenings, if you work from home, include the afternoons too
Go for a walk on your lunch breaks
Got errands? Walk. Walk everywhere, to the shops, the post office, your hair appointment etc.
Take the stairs instead of the lift
Park further away from the supermarket, the train station
Carry the shopping in one bag at a time
Get off the bus two stop earlier
Tidy around the house, remember to keep your phone or gadget on you to keep track
Dancing is the best way to get a lot of steps in, quickly
Go shopping. Walking around a shopping centre is an enjoyable way to get your steps in.
Final thoughts
If you’re not used to walking but would love to start, the first step you’d want to take is to plan and prepare. Walking can be really enjoyable and something to look forward especially if you like to be in your own world.
Choose suitable clothing and shoes, music or a podcast which makes you feel good, then decide where you are going to walk to and from. When you plan your walk there’s less of a chance of finding excuses not to start.
It’s also useful to know that 10,00 was initially a marketing ploy for a campaign and studies show that 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day is just as effective.
