This often asked question, “How many steps should I walk each day to lose weight?” has a very conventional answer if you are looking for something quick and simple. 10,000 steps. Studies have shown this is the recommended target for adults to see health benefits.
However, if you want to lose weight that target will need to be increased. Walking is a great low-impact weight loss exercise as long as the intensity and frequency are increased to get that heart rate going.
The Australian Government Department of Health recommends adults get between 2.5-5 hours of moderate cardiovascular exercise per week. Your steps could help you contribute to this target, simply by being more active throughout your day.
So, “How do I fit more steps into an already busy schedule?” That requires a behavioural change. 10,000 steps is an answer not a behaviour so let’s take a look at some genuine ways to fit more steps into your day without creating a seperate workout routine or setting aside a chunk of time you really can’t find.
So, “How do I fit more steps into an already busy schedule?” That requires a behavioural change. 10,000 steps is an answer not a behaviour so let’s take a look at some genuine ways to fit more steps into your day without creating a seperate workout routine or setting aside a chunk of time you really can’t find.
Change Your Mindset to Increase Your Steps
Get ready for a sneak attack!
Consider how difficult it is to get your kids to eat their veggies (or your pet to take its medicine.) So what do we do? We sneak them in by vitamising or disguising in a meal so they are virtually undetected. Incorporate the same hack with exercise. Sneak it into your existing schedule.
Behaviour change is difficult. Your brain is going to resist you, convincing you there is a more efficient way to do this task – work smarter not harder is our brain’s default setting. Consider modifying current behaviours or activities so as to incorporate steps into them.
Top 20 Tips To Add More Steps To Your Day
Here are 20 typical activities most of us do in a day. Simply slip extra steps into those tasks so it doesn’t feel like you have a burden hanging over you. Start with the ones that make most sense and then add more as you go or create ones that work for your lifestyle.
1.Take The Stairs
A classic of the genre but still the number one hack for getting more steps in without going out of your way.
2. Park Further Away
Stop competing for the closest parking spot, when you could simply park at the back of the parking lot and walk to the entrance, passing the same cars still circling. You save time while spending energy.
3. Walk The Dog
This might be the easiest form of motivation. Those four-legged fur friends always want their humans on the move. Good doggy.
4. Walk The Kids
Take a walk with the family. Get in some quality time and some quality steps.
5. Drink Water
It’s maths. The more water you take in the more you need to flush out. Those extra trips to the water closet add to the daily count.
6. Get Off A Stop Early
Another classic but worthy of a reminder. Get off transport a stop sooner and walk the rest of the way to your destination.
7. Take The Scenic Route
We instinctively want to map out the shortest distance between two points. Consider taking a long way or a more challenging route.
8. Walk Away From your Desk
By the time your back is barking at you, you know you’ve been seated too long. Don’t fill your water bottle all the way, so when it runs out you’re prompted to get up for another drink.
9. March To The Microwave
How many times do you press One Minute on the microwave? March for 60 seconds while waiting for the ding. Same can be said while waiting for the kettle to boil.
10. March
In fact, always march! If you find yourself standing around waiting for the dryer to finish or the dishwasher to end its cycle, march. You can always just step it out, lifting your knees high and swinging your arms for bursts of 30 seconds 10 times a day.
11. Walk And Talk
Do a few laps of the room or walk up and down the stairs when you’re on the phone. Maybe walk around the garage or up and down the driveway, especially if you’re on hold!
12. Introduce Walking Meetings
Understandably not always practical, but there has to be at least one weekly meeting where communication could be done on the move. Take the stairs up a level and back again.
13. Drink Your Coffee On The Go
Select a couple of days a week, where instead of sitting in the cafe with your coffee, grab your keep cup and walk to and from the cafe.
14. Multitask Chores
Pick up the dirty laundry while brushing your teeth. Make multiple trips up the stairs instead of just one. Hang two separate baskets of clothes on the line instead of piling everything all into one heavy basket.
15. Manual Labour
Choose the manual version over the automatic version if possible. For example, hand wash your car, instead of taking it to the car wash or getting it detailed.
16. Stand Up During Commercials
Commercial breaks frustrate most of us because they seem like a waste of time. So hack them and stand up and sit down as many times as you can during the ads. You don’t miss out on anything and genuinely add value to your binge watch!
17. Take Out The Garbage
Possibly the least popular suggestion, but this speaks directly to repositioning your mindset. If you look at taking out the bins as 100 extra steps while carrying a load, suddenly the rubbish is weight-bearing and the bins are resistance training!
18. Weeding
Something as simple as pulling a few weeds will add more steps to the cause. Every time you see an interloper, rip it out, and then it never becomes a job that eats into your weekend.
19.Set The Table
Make several trips to the table rather than bringing everything over together, decreasing the risk of dropping things while increasing your steps.
20.Take A Dance Break
Blast your favourite dance song every day, and for 5 minutes get lost in the rhythm – dance like no one’s watching!
Step It Up!
Waiting for the mood to strike you or trying to force a certain amount of steps into your day is a fool’s errand. It’s not sustainable and in order to build strength and endurance it’s vital to be consistent.
Instead, incorporate some of these practises into your day, especially the ones that seem like an easy fit and before long you will have increased the steps in your day and decreased the weight on your body.
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