10,000 Steps: Walking Your Way to Health and Fitness

10,000 Steps: Walking Your Way To Health and Fitness

It can't be that simple! Everyone knows that Health and Fitness equals Exercise and Exercise is hard work! It requires special clothes, complicated formulas involving heart rates and body mass index's, expensive equipment, sweat and most of all, pain. Lots of it. It couldn't be as simple as... walking. It is!

We've all heard how sedentary our lives have become but have you really thought about how little you move in a day? How often do you take the stairs or park a few spaces further away from the entrance to the mall? Once you arrive at work, do you have to leave your cubicle/office at all? If you do, how far is the cafeteria anyway? That's why gaining fitness is as easy as doing a little more of something you've done since you were a baby.

So what is the 10,000 steps about? It is the number of steps per day the average person is supposed to need for improved health and fitness. It equates to about five miles. Do not panic! That is the amount for the average person. If you are only walking 1000 steps per day, moving up to 1500 steps per day will be more than enough for awhile.

You do not have to do all of that walking at once. This can be broken up into several short sessions throughout the day. You should also look for opportunities to add steps. Walk around the office while you are on a call. Park further from entrances. Go to the mall and walk around an entire level (just don't take your checkbook with you or an inexpensive fitness routine may be come very costly!).

For those of you who must have an equipment list, charts, graphs and calculations, here you go.

Equipment required:
One good pair of walking shoes
(Two pair allows for rotation, extending wear time and improving foot health.)
A pedometer
Clothing suitable for the weather conditions
Some place to walk.