Creative Ways to Get to 10,000 Steps a Day
Written By: Taylor Rao
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When it comes to living an active, healthy lifestyle without doing anything major, there’s one key number we’ve all heard before that can help us achieve a good amount of standard exercise each day: get your 10,000 steps.
According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), taking 10,000 steps per day can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart failure and help lower your chances of getting certain types of cancers –13 of them to be exact.
Additionally, setting aside time to walk every day can also have positive benefits for your overall well-being and mental health, giving you a chance to clear your mind, experience a change of scenery, and connect with nature when you can walk outside.
And while some days, your normal busy life can send you soaring past 10,000 steps, other days it can be difficult to find the motivation and reach that magic number on your Apple Watch or other fitness tracking device.
So what’s the key to getting 10,000 steps? It’s different for everyone, but here are a few creative ways to help you reach your daily step goal.
Park farther away
We all know how satisfying it can be to snag a front spot at the office or your local grocery store, but instead of taking the easy way out, make it a habit to purposely find a parking spot a bit further away from your target destination. By adopting this mentality, you will naturally add hundreds if not thousands of extra steps into your daily and weekly routine.
Trade happy hours for hot girl walks
Walking can be a great way to decompress if you’re striding around solo, or it can be an awesome outlet to connect with friends on a deeper level, outside of happy hours or regularly scheduled FaceTime chats.
Instead of meeting for coffee or a drink, ask your friends if they want to go for a walk and choose to meet up in a park or downtown area. You won’t find the need to constantly check your phone during your hangout and will feel gratified for the company as you get your steps in.
If your friends are far away, see if they will schedule a phone call with you and you can both plan to take your hot girl walks at the same time even though you’re physically apart.
Invest in a walking pad
Walking pads are all the rage on social media these days, and for good reason. They are an excellent choice for those of us who work from home or have an otherwise busy schedule that doesn’t allow for too much time spent out of the house on a daily basis.
If you’re not familiar with a walking pad, it is essentially a mini treadmill designed to be placed under your desk, so you can easily multitask during the day and walk while you work. This popular model has over 5,000 4-star reviews on Amazon and retails for just under $200.
Take an earlier stop on public transit
If you’re a city dweller, one easy way to multiply your daily steps is to switch up your commute and rely a little more or your own two feet than on public transportation. If you’re commuting to work or social outings via train or bus, try and map out your route so you can get off a stop or two early.
You’ll then be able to get more steps in while walking to your destination, and it might even open up more opportunities to explore your city, see a few new sights or help yourself better navigate the area you live in.
Enroll in a dance class
Dance classes are an excellent form of exercise for men and women, and the best part is they can feel a lot more fun than a traditional workout. Whether you find a fitness-inspired dance class like Zumba or hip hop, or check out the offerings at your local dance studio to find out what traditional dance classes are offered for adults, you are sure to improve your rhythm and increase your daily step count by adding this type of movement into your routine.
Walk Your Dog
For pet owners, this one might seem obvious. Who doesn’t take their dog for a walk? But depending on your schedule or the weather, sometimes getting the dog out for their daily dose of exercise can feel more like a chore and therefore fall off your priority list.
Once you establish a habit of walking the dog daily, you will start to realize it’s just as good for the dog as it is for you. Find motivation by choosing new walking routes around your town, meeting up with a friend, or challenging yourself to a certain distance to make your walks feel more inspiring or competitive.
If you don’t have a dog, volunteer at a local shelter and see if you can help some pups get exercise there, or find a coworker or friend who walks their dog daily and see if you can join them.
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