10,000 Steps A Day: Getting Fit, Step By Step (NAPSA)—When did life you to add more steps gradually. Park farther away from a destination or store and walk the rest of the way; get off the bus or out of become a numbers game? The day kicks off with a radio recap of travel times that sounds like a fourth-grade math problem. Meal planning is expressed through the taxi a few blocks early; make it a rule to walk to any place that’s less than a mile away(if it’s safe, of course). Steps accrued calories, points or fat grams. Rarely a day passes that does not through jogging and running require at least one access code, pin or password. And while numbers have always played a large count, too. If daily demands makeit diffi- role in fitness—30 minutes of activity per day, three sets of 15 reps, etc.—a new number has emerged that can simplify efforts to stay in shape. When in doubt, aim for 10,000. Ten thousand steps, thatis. Experts in fitness and weight management say that walking 10,000 steps per day can provide enough physical activity to achieve average weight-loss goals andincrease fitness. With a basic pedometer that tracks the number of steps taken, a normal day—one that involves a few errands, a walk with the dog and perhaps a sprint for the bus—takes on the importance of a regular workout. Walking 10,000 steps a day may be easier than you think. ing how much untallied walking a day contains. A few laps around the office can be all in a day’s work, but if the office covers the entire floor of a building, the steps add up. Any mom who pushes a stroller around knows that qualifies as exercise, but she may forget that chasing the toddler around the playground—or the grocery store—counts, too. Dixie Thompson, Ph.D., direc- While 10,000 steps soundslike a tor of the Center for Physical Activity and Health at the Univer- mately 200 steps long. Ten thousand steps equals approximately ommends in Shape magazine that huge number, consider that the average city block is approxifive miles. The best way to get started is to figure out how many steps you normally take per day. This number can be anywhere from 700 to 3,000 on average andit’s surpris- sity of Tennessee, Knoxville, rec- you wear a pedometer for a week (it can cost less than $30) while going about your normal routine to determine the numberof steps you take on average every day. With an idea of your normal day’s activity, it will be easier for cult to add enough steps, consider investing in a home treadmill. A treadmill in front of the TV can make the goal an easy one to reach, all while enjoyingthe latest episode of “Desperate House- wives.” One treadmill, the Life Fitness T7-0, even comes with a 10,000 steps tracking program, so users can focus on the Housewives’ shenanigans while the machine calculates the number of steps you need to reach 10,000, based on your estimate for how many steps you've already taken, or will take, that day. Aiming for 10,000 steps per day can bring unexpected bene- fits. Adding a short walk at lunchtime will accrue steps and somefresh air, which can lead to a better night’s sleep. Leaving the car behind to run errands on foot can make that very expensive tank of gas last longer. Bestofall, walking is a terrific stress man- agement tool, and with a clear mind it will be a snap to remember all those other vital numbers you need every day.
