Nowadays, fitness is more important than ever. Whether you’re looking to boost your energy levels or just want to stay healthy and fit, adding more exercise to your daily routine is essential. A way to achieve this? Aim for 7,000 steps per day! An easily achievable goal if you make a few adjustments.
In this article, we’ve got 6 tips to help you meet (and even exceed) your daily step goals without drastically changing your lifestyle or sacrificing the precious time you spend with family and friends. So read on to find out how 7,000 steps can lead to big changes in your health and happiness!
10,000 steps are recommended, but 7,000 steps are required!
According to multiple studies, walking 7,000 steps a day has been proven to benefit your overall health. Research suggests that taking 7,000 steps every day can help reduce risk factors for major chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Not only does walking help manage weight gain and lower the rate of of fat, but it is also known to improve mental health and increase vitality.
Other scientific evidence from a national health and nutrition study showed that people who walked around 7,000 steps a day had a significantly lower death rate than people who walked less than 5,000 or even 10 000 steps per day. Therefore, this extensive research and evidence suggests that aiming to walk 7,000 steps a day is not only necessary, but also incredibly beneficial for long-term health.
Start your program now with these 6 tips.
Tip #1: Invest in a step counter.
Since taking an active role in your fitness is so important, investing in a step counter is probably one of the smartest things you can do to achieve this. A pedometer or fitness tracker not only provides accurate data and information on how many steps you’ve taken each day, but it can also be a great motivational tool, pushing you to keep going.
Plus, these devices don’t just focus on footsteps; most of them also track your calorie consumption, heart rate and also offer useful mapping functions. With all of these features in one device, it’s no wonder that step counters are so popular in the health and fitness world.
Tip #2: Stake out the neighborhood.
Marking up your neighborhood can also be beneficial when looking to increase your step count. Taking the same route every time can quickly become boring and repetitive. So try to explore different areas of your environment, visit parks, and get off the beaten track. This could not only increase your step count, but also help keep things interesting!
Tip #3: Go back and forth.
At home, one of the ways to take extra steps is to walk back and forth more often. Instead of sitting for long periods of time, get up regularly to take breaks. If you can add extra lengths around the house, it will help you rack up those essential daily steps. You can even schedule timers throughout the day to remember!
Tip #4: Enjoy your lunch break.
Taking lunchtime walks is another good tip if the weather permits. Whether it’s during breaks at work, university or college, get out and take walks in parks or along rivers instead of eating at your desk. This allows you to break away from the long hours spent sitting inside, while taking the essential 7,000 steps!
Tip #5: Take advantage of your daily tasks.
An ideal way to achieve this goal is to exercise on a daily basis. Steps add up quickly when you clean and tidy the house, so take the opportunity to move more often! When shopping at the store, take two trips instead of one when carrying your bags home; park further away from destination points to extend the duration of your activities; and take regular breaks to stretch during sedentary tasks such as studying or working at the computer.
Tip #6: Consider a group outing.
Finally, if possible, try to incorporate physical activity into social events with friends or family members. A walk around town on days off or playing a group sport or hobby can be an enjoyable way to take steps without feeling like you’re exercising! Social interaction has been proven to have positive effects on physical health – it helps with motivation and energy levels which are essential to hitting those 7k goals every day!