Walking is an excellent way to control your weight and to improve your overall health, according to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The concept of walking 10,000 steps a day was borrowed from the Japanese, who tend to walk more than twice as much as the average American walks in a day, "Fitness" reports. Keys to logging 10,000 steps a day include scheduling walking time each day and looking for ways to weave extra steps into existing daily activities.
Step 1
Wear your pedometer for one week as you go about your normal routine. Record how many steps you walk each day during week one.
Step 2
Use the highest number of steps you logged during week one as your daily goal for weeks two and three. Record the number of steps you take each day. If you find it difficult to schedule a 30-minute walk, then squeeze in multiple shorter walks and add steps wherever you can. For example, park your car in a spot farther from your destination, take the stairs whenever possible, walk during your lunch break, and schedule walks with family and friends.
Step 3
Increase the number of steps you walk by 500 during weeks four and five. Continue to record the number of steps walked each day and continue to look for ways to add more steps to your daily routine. Try walking while talking on the phone or walking to the store when you need to pick up a few things.
Step 4
Add 500 steps at the end of each two-week period until you work up to 10,000 steps per day. If you find it difficult to increase your steps at this pace, take a few more weeks to build up your endurance before moving on to the next goal. Use your journal to record your steps at the end of each day. This can help you stick to your goals.
Tips and Warnings
- Walk for 10 minutes to warm up your muscles and then stretch out. Maintain a brisk pace as you walk, but don't walk so fast that you're out of breath. During long walks, include a cool down period to reduce stress on your muscles and heart.
- For some people, walking 10,000 steps a day may not be a realistic goal. If you have any physical condition that might interfere with exercise, talk to your doctor before beginning the 10,000-step program.
Things You'll Need
- Comfortable, supportive walking shoes
- Pedometer
- Journal
- Pen
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