The 10,000-step standard is now frequently drawn upon in daily activity, a practically universally acknowledged level to shoot for. The benefits of plodding away can do all of us good, however it can feel overwhelming to work your way up to that much walking, especially for those with sedentary jobs or busy agendas.
The good news? You don’t have to log countless hours at the gym or adhere to a rigorous running routine to substantially increase the amount of day-to-day walking you do and still derive health benefits from it. ‘Incidental exercise’ – the tiny bursts of activity that are part of daily life – can add up to big things. It’s a mindset shift, finding playful, practical ways to work more movement into your day, or turning ordinary moments into opportunities for movement.
Optimize Your Home & Chores
Your living space becomes an impromptu “gym” for incidental movement.
- Physical Cleaning: Put on a little music, and chores become a workout. Lunge while vacuuming, squat while dusting low shelves, dance while mopping. The persistent back and forth motions, twists and folds helps in increasing heart rate.
- Stair Power: If you have stairs, work them. Go back and forth, carry loads one at a time or make a few extra ascents and descents during commercial breaks.
- Gardening & Yard Work: The work of digging, weeding, raking, and planting is good for full-body fitness, and you will enjoy a connection with nature as well.
Get Moving During Your Workday
Fight the battle against extended sitting, even at home or in the office.
- Walk & Talk: Stand up, walk around or even take a short walk while on the phone (just not while you need to be sitting at your computer)
- Micro-Breaks: If possible, stand up and stretch, do a few squats, or march in place each hour for 2-5 minutes (set a timer).
- Active Commutes: If you can, park farther away, get off one stop earlier if you take public transportation, or bike to work. If possible, use stairs rather than elevators or escalators.
Play & Socialize Actively
Turn leisure into opportunity to move.
- Dance It Out: Crank up your favorite tunes and hold a one-person dance party or enlist the family. I think it’s a great cardio boost and a mood lifter.”
- Interact with Kids or Animals: ‘Play’ actively. Kick a ball, play tag, chase bubbles, or take your dog for a longer walk. They often don’t even feel like “exercise” but just fun.
- Walking Meetings/Socials: Instead of getting together to sit at a café, propose a “walk and talk” with your friends or colleagues. Walk around a new park, or even a new neighborhood.
Leverage Waiting Time
Brief lulls in between can become busy times.
- Waiting in Line Movement: Perform calf raises, easy stretches, subtle glute squeezes etc.
- Commercial Break Bursts: While watching TV commercials, perform pushups, squats, or jumping jacks during each commercial. These mini-workouts accumulate fast.
Wrapping Up
You don’t need a gym membership or set-aside hours to add more movement to your day. With a little ingenuity, you can add any number of quick and easy activities to your everyday schedule—whether it’s an early morning jog around the park, a brisk walk to the store or taking the stairs when the elevator is out of order—and reap the dividends of increased health and well-being. All those little additional movements, stretches and dance steps add up to a more energetic, vibrant you. For those who get a thrill out of virtual activities like slot machine online, the resources of continual physical movement in everyday life are truly gold for your health.