Get More Steps In With These 5 Habits
The longest-lived people in the world don’t spend long hours at the gym. Instead, they move naturally (one of the blue zones Power 9® principals for living longer, better) through various daily activities such as gardening or walking. In his book Blue Zones, Dan Buettner recommends inconveniencing yourself. By intentionally adjusting your environment to make moving come more naturally, you can easily add more activity to your days.
Walking increases well-being in many ways. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that those who adhered to an outdoor walking group showed significant improvements in blood pressure, slowing of resting heart rate, reduction of body fat and body weight, reduced cholesterol, and increased measures of endurance.
In addition to its physical benefits, walking has also been shown to improve mental and emotional well-being. It improves self-perception and self-esteem, mood and sleep quality, and reduces stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
Here are 5 ways to incorporate more steps into your daily life and boost your well-being:
Adopt a dog
Unconditional love and companionship aren’t the only benefits of owning a dog. Dogs owners tend to add more steps into their days while taking their pups on walks around the neighborhood or to the nearby dog park. In a study published in the journal BMC Public Health, dog owners on average walked 22 minutes more per day compared to people who didn't own a dog. If dog ownership isn’t an option for you, reach out to a neighbor or a friend who does have a dog and offer to take their furry friend on a walk. You can also volunteer as a dog walker at your local animal shelter.
Park in a spot farthest from the building
Many people spend a little too much time circling around a busy parking lot looking for the closest spot to the entrance. Save yourself the time and hassle and choose to park farther away. Not only do you have a better chance of finding an open spot, but it will also make a big difference when adding up all those extra steps at the end of the week.
Set an alarm to stand up and walk for five minutes each hour
It’s all too easy to find yourself sitting in front of a computer, TV, or at your desk for hours on end. Simply set an alarm on your phone or smartwatch that will remind you to get up and move around for five minutes. Take a lap around your space. Fill up your water bottle. If possible, get outside and enjoy the benefits of both fresh air and sunshine.
Form a Walking Moai
The term "moai" (pronounced mow-eye) originated from Okinawa to describe a group of people who regularly get together for a common purpose. Social networks have a long-term, proven impact on well-being, so reach out to your friends, coworkers, or neighbors to schedule a time to meet and go for a physically-distant and safe walk on a regular basis. This is the perfect time to catch up, talk about common interests, share healthy recipes, and keep each other accountable and more motivated. Before you know it, you'll be clocking in thousands of steps each week!
Start a garden
If your home area allows, grab some planters, some seeds, and start building your dream garden! Gardening provides the health benefits of eating plant-based, promoting physical activity, and supporting emotional well-being. Spend some time in your garden during your five minutes of walking each hour. Water your plants, pull some weeds, or harvest some produce for dinner. All those small movements throughout your day will add to your steps!
Let us know in the comments below your favorite way to add more steps into your day!
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