How to walk 10,000 steps a day: 7 ways to achieve your daily fitness target easily

To hit your health and fitness goals, you have to literally put one foot in front of the other time and again. Sitting is the new smoking in our lives, Even if you are into structured workouts every day, your health relies more on movement than prolonged sitting. That leads to the need to walk more. When it comes to daily count of steps, people talk about the health benefits of 10,000 steps, apart fro the usual exercise routine, with great enthusiasm. But how to walk 10,000 steps a day?

The number may seem daunting at first, but let’s break it down and simplify it all for you. Health Shots got in touch with Dr Apoorv Dua, MS Orthopaedics,
Consultant Sports Injury & Joint Replacement, Dr Dua’s Speciality Clinic, New Delhi, to understand easy ways to complete the 10,000 steps with a desk job or otherwise.

Why should you walk 10,000 steps a day?

Completing 10,000 steps a day has been celebrated as the magic number to achieve on the pedometer or fitness tracking device for long. But there is no scientific evidence as such of the benefits of walking 10,000 steps in a day. Recent studies have pointed out that lesser number of steps are also enough for moderate exercise daily. The 10,000 fitness goal is more a marketing gimmick. The good thing it does is to motivate people to walk more.

How to walk 10,000 steps a day?

Getting 10,000 steps a day in our daily lives can be challenging if you are too used to sitting for long. However, our expert simplifies it for us with these easy-to-follow steps.

1. Dance like no one’s watching

Grooving to your favourite tracks not only uplifts the mood but also with every dance step or move you make, you get close to your 10k steps goal. Play a song of your choice and dance your way out.

2. Play a sport

Indulging in a sport you like can help you clock the numbers. You could also get your partner involved to make it more fun.

3. Indulge in more household chores

Some people find performing household chores monotonous and unproductive. On an off day from your gym or yoga class, you may consider lending your helping hand in daily household activities. “Activities like sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, dusting, and cleaning can help you make more steps than you can imagine,” says Dr Dua.

Also read: Silent walking: Know why you must start your day with this physical activity

4. Make the most of your cooking break

Cooking as an overall process can be time-consuming. “While waiting for the kettle to boil, the cooker whistle to blow, or the microwave to ping, make the most of those lost minutes and walk around,” suggests the expert.

5. Walk and talk, literally

Take this idea, and you’ll thank us later. We all love our daily conversations with our colleagues or loved ones, and they are a part of our lives. When it’s an idle conversation, not demanding any task to be done in hand, walk and talk, literally. This is one of the simplest ways to ace the “10k steps in a day” goal.

Even while watching television, don’t waste your energy on advertisements. Instead, get moving during the ad breaks.

Also read: 30 minutes of exercise or 10,000 steps a day – an expert reveals what’s best for you!

6. Make work-from-home fitness-oriented

If you are in a work-from-home job, sit less and move around more. Don’t keep a water bottle nearby. Instead, make it a habit to get a glass of water every hour.

7. Say no to online delivery and walk to your nearby market

We have the world available at the click of a button. Online deliveries have made life easier and we have lost the charm of getting our groceries or other eatable deliveries done from the nearby stores. Avoid online delivery apps for your orders and instead walk to the local stores, so those steps are counted.

8. Take some steps to your office

Walk to work instead of taking a car or public transport, if possible. Park your car away from the office or the furthest in the parking lot of a mall. Get off at an early bus stop or metro station and walk the rest of the way to your office and back home.