Walking is an activity that most people do everyday without really thinking about it. However, most people are actually not walking enough. The average person should walk about 10,000 steps per day to be considered active.
One study has shown that for every 2,000 steps per day the risk of cardiovascular problems declines by 10%.
Another study has shown that walking reduces the rate of other chronic diseases. This makes walking a way an excellent preventative health tool.
A great way to encourage yourself to start walking more is to track how many steps you take in a day. There are several free pedometer apps you can download. Once you realize on average how many steps you take, start finding ways to take more. Some ideas to get you walking more:
- Park farther away from the store
- Walk around your neighborhood before or after work
- Use the stairs when you can
- Take more breaks at work and move around
- If you can, walk to work
- Get a walking buddy
- Walk around the entire store whenever you go shopping