Most of us would love to be fitter and healthier. It sounds so easy when you say it aloud. But saying and doing are two different things.
We’ve all seen articles claiming that if you hit 10,000 steps a day, it is the magic number to get into shape. Numerous studies have proven that this is the most effective way to lose weight and improve fitness. But making it happen isn’t always easy.
From the weather to needing more hours in a day, something often hinders our progress. Enough of the excuses, it’s time to hit your step goal. These 12 creative tips will help you maximize your steps plus boost your productivity.
Take The Stairs Instead Of The Elevator
This one’s easy. Don’t be lazy. Instead of using the elevator, always take the stairs. You’ll be surprised how much this will help your step count and fitness. Even if you just do one flight at a time and increase it gradually, it all helps.
Studies have found that there are many benefits, including significantly reducing the risk of heart disease.
Get Up From Your Chair Every Hour
We all spend far too long sitting in front of our screens or on our sofas watching TV. Long, sedentary periods are not good for us, and worse, they can undo all our hard work.
Studies show that sitting for too long can have a negative effect on the workouts you do. If that’s not motivation to get moving every hour, I don’t know what is.
You can set your phone’s alarm for an hour, and when it goes off, go for a quick walk around the office, garden, or house. It’s a great way to clear brain fog as well.
Invest In A Treadmill Desk
Although it’s not the cheapest option, walking is a great way to boost your productivity and fitness simultaneously. The extra endorphins you produce while walking may be the spark you need to be more productive at work.
It can also help during afternoon slumps when it’s tempting to reach for the cookie jar to perk us up.
Get Off The Bus Or Subway Two Stops Earlier
Brave the weather, and instead of taking the bus or subway all the way to work, get off two or three stops earlier. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can add a couple of thousand extra steps to your daily step count.
Be weather-prepared so you don’t have an excuse to stay on the bus or train. Bring an umbrella, or have comfy shoes and a bottle of water if it’s hot.
Take Your Dog For A Walk
Doing a dog walk is one of my favorite things to do. Taking my dog for a walk in the morning sets me up for the day and helps me reach at least half of my daily steps. It does wonders for my frame of mind and puts me in a positive mood.
If you don’t have a dog, consider borrowing one from someone else. My daughter recently joined a “borrow my dog” group and regularly walks dogs for their owners while they are at work.
Park Your Car Far Away
Don’t be tempted to take the nearest parking spot to the mall. Instead, consciously drive to the opposite end of the car park and take advantage of the extra steps. By doing this, you can easily add an extra thousand steps to your daily count.
Carrying your shopping on the way back is a good workout and helps build muscle.
Pull Out The Vacuum
If you’re not a fan of housework, maybe this will help. Vacuuming can burn between 100 and 200 calories per hour, depending on factors like intensity and the individual’s weight. A 180-pound person can burn approximately 200 calories per hour with light effort.
Besides burning calories, vacuuming helps tone arm and shoulder muscles and bumps up your step count.
Walk On Your Phone Calls
It could go back to the days before we had cordless phones, but all too often, we sit when making a phone call. Instead of sitting, get active. Plan your calls so you can walk and talk to get more steps in.
From experience, I know some of my calls, especially to friends and family, can last over an hour. Imagine how many steps you could fit into sixty minutes. Plus, you won’t notice you’re exercising, as you’ll be concentrating on your phone call.
Make It A Competition
Most of us have a competitive streak, no matter how hard we try to hide it. One of the best ways to do more steps is to turn it into a competition.
Do regular check-ins on your step app to see where you’re at. You’ll be surprised how motivated you’ll be to get up and walk around to add to your step count. It can even become addictive to see how many steps you add each time.
Go For A PodWalk
I’m a sucker for a good podcast. It’s my favorite way to consume information, and I listen to a different one each time I go for a walk. Whether it’s an audiobook or a podcast, listening while you walk is a great way to add a few thousand steps to your day.
You could even make it mandatory, so you’re only allowed to listen if you walk at the same time. Or flip it on its head and make it a reward for walking.
Do Some TV Walking
With so many great shows to watch, such as Emily in Paris and the last season of Outlander, there’ll be more time in front of the TV. Too often, this means lounging around on the couch, remaining still for extended periods.
Instead of becoming a couch potato, walk while you watch. If you don’t have a treadmill, do laps of the living room. If you don’t want to walk through an entire episode, use the commercial break to get active.
Complete A Lap Of The House
Turn your house into an assault course. Use your sofa as equipment, sitting up and back down again over and over. If you have stairs, use them to run up and down a few times. Then, go in and out of each room and do this several times.
It’s a great way to have a mini-workout if the weather is terrible. If the weather is good, substitute the house for the garden or incorporate both into your home workout.