Since this month is March, which is associated with gait. Marching…walking…
See the connection? Am I making any sense here?
I am encouraging people to be more active by literally taking some simple steps.
10 000 steps.
The average modern person takes a lot less. Is a lot less active. And a lot more sedentary.
And this is generally accepted to lead to greater health risk. Potentially even more so than obesity.
That’s why 10 000 steps.
And unlike the modern mind that thinks, “Ooh 10 000 steps, I’ll sit at my desk all day and then just go and do 10 000 steps in the gym”, I’m encouraging you to spread those steps out over the day.
Why?
Well, you wouldn’t take your car out for a drive and then leave it sitting around for a few weeks before going for another long drive, right? It’s the same with the body. Keep it tuned and running well by keeping it running. You’ll feel better for it.
And 10 000 steps is just a minimum. You may want to do 15 000 or 20 000, or even more depending on your needs and situation.
The Romans did it and the military still uses it. So if you’re really keen you can add a small (or large backpack depending on your fitness) and really have at it!
And how do you keep track? A pedometer is pretty cheap and easy to get your hands on. OR you can get an app for your smartphone (I can’t believe I just wrote that).
For the first few days just see how much you actually walk. It may surprise you.
Then slowly try to adjust your physical activity levels to reach your targets for the day.
You may try a strategy I have been using the last few weeks. Go about your daily activities as normal, choosing the stairs over the lift, getting off public transport one stop earlier, not driving on those short trips etc. Don’t worry about the number of steps. AND THEN having a nice stroll after dinner to finish off the day. The stroll duration depends on how active you have been during the day. So if you haven’t been moving much then you go for a longer walk. If you have already been very active then perhaps something quick and cheerful could be just what the body needs.
This also encourages you to be more active during the day especially if you’re pressed for time after work.
As your fitness levels improve, try increasing the number of steps you take everyday. I’m averaging 15 000 right now and that’s even with my app counter not being very accurate, often missing large swathes of walking, and my taking it off recording mode when I train.
By the way, this will be the last walking specific post for a little while as I plan to look at something a little more exciting in the near future.
So there you go.
Get marching in March.
And take control of your own health.
As Lao Tzu said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
Reclaim your strength.
It’s as simple as ABC.
Align Breathe Connect 